The first time someone showed me EFT — Emotional Freedom Technique — I thought it looked strange. Tapping on your face while talking about your problems? Really?
But I was curious. So I tried it on a fear that had bothered me for years. Twenty minutes later, the emotional charge was gone. Not suppressed. Gone. I could think about the situation without the old knot in my stomach.
That was the day I started taking EFT seriously.
What EFT actually is
EFT combines elements of cognitive therapy with acupressure. You focus on an emotional issue while tapping on specific meridian points on your body. The tapping restores balance to your body’s energy system, and the emotional charge associated with that issue releases.
Sounds simple. It is. And that is what makes it so powerful.
How to practise
Here is the basic process:
- Pick the issue: what is bothering you? Be specific.
- Rate the intensity: on a scale of 0 to 10, how strong is the feeling right now?
- Say the setup statement: tap the side of your hand (karate chop point) while saying: “Even though I have this [issue], I deeply and completely accept myself.”
- Tap through the points while acknowledging the feeling. You do not need special words. Just name it: “This anxiety. This fear. This anger.”
- Re-rate the intensity: after a round of tapping, check in. Is it lower?
- Repeat until the intensity drops to 0-2.
The tapping points
EFT uses these main points on your body:
- Karate chop point: the side of your hand, below the pinky
- Top of the head: crown
- Eyebrow: where the hair starts at the inner edge
- Side of the eye: on the bone at the temple
- Under the eye: on the cheekbone, directly below the pupil
- Under the nose: the space between your nose and upper lip
- Chin: the crease between your lower lip and chin
- Collarbone: where the collarbone meets the sternum
- Under the arm: about four inches below the armpit
You do not need to be precise. The general area works fine.
What EFT can help with
I have used EFT with students and colleagues for a range of issues:
- Anxiety and stress: the most common use
- Phobias and fears: surprisingly responsive to EFT
- Trauma: gentle enough for deep work
- Chronic pain: the body holds emotion in physical form
- Sleep issues: tapping before bed can quiet a racing mind
- Self-doubt and limiting beliefs: pairs well with NLP
The beauty of EFT is that even children can learn it. I have taught it to university students and to ten-year-olds. Both groups pick it up quickly.
How it fits with other practices
EFT does not replace meditation or NLP. It complements them. Use EFT to clear acute emotional blocks. Use meditation for deeper awareness. Use NLP for belief restructuring. Together, these tools create a comprehensive approach to emotional healing.
I often use EFT before meditation — it clears the mental clutter and allows for a much deeper sitting practice.
