EFT or Tapping – An Accessible and Handy Wellness Tool for Stress, Anxiety and Beyond.
- Anastasia Ling, Chief, Re:Well Rebels
"I would rather use a technique that helps me to heal on all levels before agreeing to prescription drugs or medical or surgical treatments. That’s why I encourage you to try Tapping for everything."
DR. CHRISTIANE NORTHRUP
(MD, Women’s Health Expert, Visionary Health Pioneer, New York Times Best-Selling Author)
EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), also commonly known as Tapping, is an evidence-based self-help therapeutic method that involves tapping along certain “energy meridian points” to help one manage stress and anxiety, release negative emotions and past traumas, relieve physical pain and even clear limiting beliefs.
I chanced upon this a few years ago and have found it a quick and useful tool to reach for from my wellness toolkit when I felt overwhelmed, irritated or angry. I even shared it as a practice for a Corporate Wellness Care Pack I created recently during the COVID lockdown.
WHAT IS EFT?
Developed by Gary Craig in 1995, EFT has (commonly categorised as Energy Medicine or Energy Psychology) roots in Applied and Behavioural Kinesiology and Acupressure. While it is a relatively new modality, there are over 100 studies to demonstrate its efficacy and is well studied for its effective PTSD treatment on war veterans in the US (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23364126/).
Studies done at Harvard Medical School have shown that stimulating the body’s meridian points (the same ones performed by acupuncturists) can reduce activity significantly in the amygdala — the part of the brain that processes stress and fear response.
Touch therapy is not a new concept, especially in Chinese medicine where ancient techniques like Tuina, Acupressure Self-Massage and 拍打治疗(Patting and Slapping Therapy) are commonplace to treat external physical conditions like aches and pains. But these techniques, as with acupuncture, were developed mostly to treat physical ailments and less for emotional problems. EFT on the other hand aims to create balance in your body’s energy system to help the body heal from pain — both physical and emotional ones.
WHAT CONDITIONS CAN EFT HELP?
EFT has been shown to effectively manage the following:
Anxiety
Depression
Insomnia
Chronic Fatigue
Tension Headaches
Sleep Issues
HOW TO PRACTICE EFT?
EFT can be done by yourself, one-on-one with a practitioner, or in groups (led by a practitioner). It is non-invasive, easy, efficient and safe to practice anytime. It is also used by licensed psychotherapists to address clinical issues like identifying faulty beliefs, working through conscious and subconscious issues to help clients release stuck negative emotions and stress. This helps people to clear energy blocks in their body systems.
EFT has five steps:
1. Identify the Issue
2. Test the initial intensity on scale of 0-10
3. The Setup – with the “reminder phrase”
4. The Sequence – 9 points on the body (See image below)
5. Test the intensity again
A brief demonstration of EFT by Nick Ortner, The Tapping Solution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRfLTQjJhp0
Image: Medical News Today
DIY OR WORK WITH A CERTIFIED EFT PRACTITIONER?
While DIY can be a good self-help tool every now and then, working with a certified practitioner can help with deeper emotional issues and traumas. They can also help in identifying and clearing deeply seated blocks that you may not be aware of. An important consideration is the safe space they provide for you to express, explore and clear emotions.
If you would like to find out more, do check out Redefine Wellness upcoming workshop on EFT with Essential Oils. They have both virtual and in-person option (Singapore only) on June 26 and 27, 2020 respectively. Their next session is slated for Mid-July 2020. Check out their IG or website for updates!
Or you can arrange a private session with Shirley of Redefine Wellness. You can also read more about her under our Healing Artists Network.
