Why eft? An introduction to this stress reducing practice
I found tapping during one of the darkest mental health periods in my life. In 2020, when the world went into lockdown, it felt like my mental health went with it. I know this is not an uncommon experience, we experienced a collective, global trauma. I had 3 young children at home (2 year old twins and a 5 month old), lost childcare, was unable to see family, and were navigating the obvious stress of this mystery virus. I was certainly in a survival state and was becoming dissociated and irritable. It felt nearly impossible to get through each day. I came across an interview with Nick Ortner from The Tapping Solution where he was discussing the benefits of EFT tapping for mental health. To be honest it sounded absolutely nuts to me, I didn’t have any faith that it would actually work, but was also so desperate I was willing to try anything.
Imagine my surprise when after tapping along with a scripted meditation I felt so much calmer in my body in just 10 minutes. Still having my doubts, I tried it again the next day, and the next. Finding it so helpful that it just became part of my daily routine. After a few months, I looked up and realized that I was present again with my kids, my irritability was much improved, I just felt like a happier version of myself. It happened gradually, that the realization on how far I had come only happened in hindsight, and was a happy surprise. It was at that moment I decided I had to share this tool with more people, and began the process of becoming a certified practitioner (which I now am!).
So what exactly is EFT I hear you asking.
EFT, which stands for Emotional Freedom Technique, and more commonly known as tapping because it involves stimulating, or tapping, on various acupuncture/acupressure points located on the face and body. This practice incorporates elements of modern psychology, with those of ancient Chinese medicine. We tap on these points while focusing on a specific issue, memory, or emotion that we are wanting to process. It is rooted in the idea that our emotions and physical symptoms are connected to the body’s energy systems (which I like to also think of as our nervous system). By tapping on these points we are restoring balance, lowering cortisol, and down-regulating our survival state to help it return to its calm or “rest and digest” state.
Here is how to do it:
Identify the ‘negative’ emotion or issue you want to address. We always start here, the truth of how we are feeling, because tapping can help us process this emotions so they don’t get locked in the body.
Notice where you feel this emotion in your body, what physical sensations arise? Rate the intensity of the emotion and/or physical sensation on a scale from 0-10
Create a statement that acknowledges the problem followed by a statement of acceptance. For example, even though I’m feeling so stressed out today because I have too much on my plate, I choose to accept myself even with all of these uncomfortable emotions. Say this statement outloud or in your mind 3 times while tapping at the side of the hand.
Continue through the rest of the tapping points, top of the head, eyebrow, side of the eye, under the eye, under the nose, under the lip, collarbone, and under the arm, while repeating to yourself the problem or issue, the physical sensations, or any other relevant phrases, known as reminder phrases, to keep you focused on the problem
Every few rounds, check in with yourself, notice any shifts in intensity in the emotion or sensation you are experiencing. Rate them again.
Rinse and repeat until the intensity has decreased to a level you are comfortable with
I know this sounds and looks a bit unusual at first. Despite the fact I am now a practitioner, you already know that my first thoughts on this practice were that it was a bunch of nonsense! I’m so glad I decided to give it a try despite my initial misgivings. Clearly my work now is a testament to the shifts I’ve seen!
Before you roll your eyes and stop reading, let me assure you that it's not just anecdotal evidence we have. In fact, we now have many studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of tapping in reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and even PTSD. In one study, participants saw a decrease of 43% in their cortisol levels as measured by saliva in just an hour of tapping. You can read more about that here
What are your thoughts? Is tapping something you would give a try?
Until next time, happy tapping!
Liz
