An Introduction To EFT Tapping

This talk introduces Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT Tapping) to complete beginners. You will learn how EFT works, what it can be used for, and where to accurately locate each acupressure point used in the standard tapping sequence. This talk also provides an opportunity to immediately apply what you have just learned with an EFT Tapping Meditation for Stress Release and will leave you feeling equipped to try other EFT Tapping Meditations that you can find on Insight Timer (including under my profile). It will also provide you with the basic tools needed for tapping safely on your own in your day-to-day life as an emotional first aid tool.

Transcript

EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Techniques and is commonly referred to as Tapping.

It is an evidence-based form of energy psychology combining talk therapy with tapping on acupressure points to target and shift disruptions in the body's energy system.

It allows us to access,

Digest and release difficult emotions while rapidly reducing stress and bringing a sense of calm to the mind and body.

Tapping is an incredibly practical tool for addressing unwanted behavioural patterns,

Thoughts and beliefs,

Emotional issues,

Phobias,

Physical pain and for achieving all forms of goals.

When we tap we create an environment where we can safely state what the issue is and what we want to change while noticing how that feels in the body.

This acknowledgement of the issue and focus on the outcome while tapping to create relaxation in the body helps us to face what needs to change,

Shift stuck energy safely and create real transformation that sticks.

According to Chinese medicine,

Disease and disharmony in the body and mind is caused by energy blocks in the meridians,

Which are the body's energy pathways.

To get unstuck we need to tap on specific acupressure points that are located along 12 key meridian pathways in the body.

Up until recently there was no scientific evidence of these energy pathways,

But now it is known that the energy meridians are found in the connective tissue and that we can activate them by tapping on some of the more than 400 acupressure points that exist throughout the body.

Applying pressure to the points that run close to the skin creates an electrical signal which is transmitted to the brain via the energy meridians found in the connective tissue.

Connective tissue contains a lot of collagen which acts as a semiconductor,

Moving the electrical signals quickly to the brain.

The EFT process uses the number of easily accessed meridian endpoints,

Specifically those that are located on the head and upper torso in order to clear the energy blockage.

Now let's turn to how EFT combines talk therapy and tapping on acupressure points to create change.

When we tune into and talk about unwanted issues such as pain or anxiety,

We arouse the fear response via the amygdala and hippocampus in the limbic system.

This part of our brain is involved in our emotional and behavioural responses.

EFT uses negative words to trigger the amygdala and hippocampus while at the same time we tap on acupressure points which send an electrical signal along the meridians to the brain which downregulates the arousal of the amygdala.

By doing this we can then bring new information to the issue because we are actively lowering the stress in our system.

When we downregulate the firing of the amygdala we can get out of the flight,

Flight,

Freeze,

Fawn state,

Giving us the opportunity to rewrite the memory,

Belief or unwanted thought patterns and bring about lasting change.

This is why EFT is more helpful than just talk therapy.

It creates a mind-body connection by combining cognitive therapy with a somatic intervention which allows us to safely access and release trauma and emotional wounding stored in the body.

Now that we know how it works,

Let's talk about the actual tapping process.

When tapping you can use one hand or both.

If using only one hand you can tap on just the right or left side of the body or mix it up.

On most points we tap with the index and middle finger and we apply whatever pressure feels good.

You can even massage or just firmly apply pressure to the points when tapping feels too stimulating.

We'll now take a look at each acupressure point used in the standard tapping sequence.

The first point we tap on is on the side of the hand and this point is often referred to as the karate chop point.

I find that if you tap with four fingers on the side of your opposite hand below the base of the small finger you will hit the correct spot.

We tap on this point while saying our setup statement one to three times.

For example,

Even though I'm feeling really overwhelmed right now I acknowledge and accept these uncomfortable feelings.

The side of hand point is related to the small intestine meridian and is helpful for addressing the hidden benefits of hanging on to an issue.

For example,

Holding on to addiction because the addictive behaviour releases anxiety.

The next point is at the top of the head.

Tap with three or four fingers right at the crown of the head and you will hit the right spot.

The acupressure point here is part of the governing vessel meridian.

This point addresses anxiety,

Tension,

Overthinking,

A lack of focus,

Brain fog,

The inner critic,

Headaches and fatigue.

When the energy is flowing correctly it helps to bring forward intuition,

Clarity and relaxation.

The next point as we progress down the body is the eyebrow point.

It is located just above and to one side of the nose where the eyebrow starts.

I find it is most comfortable to use the index and ring finger when tapping on this point.

This acupressure point is part of the bladder meridian and it helps to release frustration,

Impatience,

Restlessness,

Sadness,

Hurt,

Dread and stuck trauma.

When the energy flow is restored to the bladder meridian we feel inner peace.

The next point is the side of eye or outer eye point.

It is located on the bone adjacent to the outer corner of the eye and is part of the gallbladder meridian.

It helps to clear anger,

Rage and clouded thinking.

When the energy flow is restored it helps to bring forward compassion for the self and others.

It is also helpful to tap on this point whenever you are dealing with indigestion.

Tap this point with your index and middle fingers.

The next point is under the eye.

It is located about two and a half centimetres or one inch below the pupil and it is one end of the stomach meridian.

This acupressure point is helpful in releasing fear,

Anxiety,

Nervousness and worry.

It is also helpful to tap on when you are feeling queasy.

When the energy flow is restored in the stomach meridian we feel content,

Calm and safe.

The next point is under the eye.

It is located about two and a half centimetres or one inch below the pupil and it is one end of the stomach meridian.

This acupressure point is helpful in releasing fear,

Anxiety,

Nervousness and worry.

It is also helpful to tap on when you are feeling queasy.

When the energy flow is restored in the stomach meridian we feel content,

Calm and safe.

Tap this point with your index and middle fingers.

The next point is under the nose and it can be found in the indent between the nose and the upper lip and it is part of the governing vessel meridian.

I tap on this point with my index and middle fingers but if you have long nails you might find it more comfortable to tap this point using the flat edge of your index finger.

This acupressure point helps to release baggage from the past such as shame,

Embarrassment,

Guilt,

Powerlessness and grief.

It is also helpful for addressing depression and mania and the fear of ridicule and failure.

Moving down the body the next point we get to is under the mouth.

This is also referred to as the chin point.

It is located in the crease between the lower lip and the chin.

Tap here with the index and middle finger or with the flat side of your index finger.

This acupressure point is part of the central vessel meridian and helps to release shame,

Confusion,

Uncertainty and embarrassment.

This point also helps when you are struggling to speak.

For example when you don't feel confident to speak up or don't know what to say.

When the energy flow is restored you will find that your words flow again.

Leaving the face we go to the first point on the torso which is the collarbone point.

This acupressure point is part of the kidney meridian and is located where the sternum,

Collarbone and first rib meet.

You will find the point by locating the inside start of the collarbone and going down 2.

5cm or 1 inch and then across by the same distance in the direction away from the centre of the body.

You will feel a little hollow when you land on the correct spot.

You can tap on just one of the collarbone points or both.

If you loosely cup your thumb and fingers you can reach both points with one hand or you can use both hands to tap each collarbone point.

You can also create a fist and tap over the area.

The collarbone point is very grounding and is helpful for dealing with general stress,

Anxiety,

Fear,

Sadness,

Anger,

Depression,

Adrenal issues,

Worry,

Indecision and feeling stuck.

The final spot is about the width of 4 fingers down from the armpit which is around 10cm or 4 inches.

If wearing a bra this is typically in line with the band wrapping around you.

If you make a 90 degree angle with your arm and wrap it around the front of your body you will hit the right point,

Especially if you tap with all 4 fingers.

Alternatively you can form a fist and tap over the area using the right hand for the right side of the body or the left hand for the left side of the body.

This acupressure point is often tender if you massage this point more deeply.

It relates to the spleen meridian and is helpful for addressing anxiety,

Fear,

Helplessness,

Guilt or self esteem,

Worry and insecurity.

Once the flow of energy is restored it helps to create relaxation and confidence and clarity.

It also supports immune function.

Now lets put this all into practice so you can get a sense of where each point is and how it feels to tap on them.

We'll work on clearing stress given that we all face stress in one way or another.

Take a moment to get still and focus on something in your life that is currently causing you stress.

It might be a physical pain or illness,

A financial stress,

Too much work or not enough work,

A difficult neighbour,

Feeling hungry or too hot or too cold or something else entirely.

First notice what is causing you the most stress and then notice where you are feeling it in your body.

You might notice that you have tension in your shoulders or a slight headache or pressure in your chest or maybe a constriction in your throat or some other sensation in your body.

Feel free to pause this track if you need a bit more time to feel into this.

Once you have located the sensation or feeling give it a rating on a scale of 0 to 10,

With 10 being the most uncomfortable and 0 no discomfort at all.

Just take a note of this subjective units of distress score,

Commonly referred to as the SUD score,

Because we will use it as a reference point to see what shifts happen after we complete each round of tapping.

Using four fingers start tapping on the side of the hand below the small finger and repeat after me.

Even though I can feel this stress in my body and it doesn't feel great,

I'm open to seeing if tapping can help me to release this stress.

Staying on the side of the hand,

Even though I can feel all this stress in my body and it doesn't feel great,

I can see that I'd feel better if I start to let it go.

One more time on the side of the hand,

Even though I can feel this stress in my body and it feels uncomfortable,

I give myself permission to start to relax so that I can begin to feel better.

Now move to the top of the head and tap with four fingers at the crown while repeating the reminder phrase after me,

All this stress in my body.

Now go to the eyebrow point and tap with two fingers while repeating the reminder phrase,

This stress I'm holding in my body.

Next we go to the side of eye point and tap with two fingers on the bone at the outer corner of the eye and repeat,

It doesn't feel great.

Now to the under eye point,

Tap with two fingers on the bone under your eye in line with the pupil and repeat,

All this stress.

Now we go to the under the nose point and tap with two fingers or the side of your index finger in the area between your nose and upper lip and repeat,

Maybe this tapping will help to relax my body.

Now to under the mouth and again tap with two fingers or the side of your index finger in the area between your lower lip and chin and repeat,

I'm open to giving it a go.

Now we shift down to the collarbone and tap with three fingers just below and a little to the side of where the collarbone starts and repeat,

It would be good to release this stress from my body.

Now we go to the last point in our sequence,

The underarm point and tap with three or four fingers on the point that is about the width of your four fingers down from the armpit and repeat,

Open to letting it all go.

Release the tapping,

Breathe in deeply and then let it go in your own time.

Now tune back into your body and notice what has changed,

Has your SUDS score dropped,

Stayed the same or increased,

Are you feeling more relaxed and calm?

The aim is to get the score to a two or below and this can take multiple rounds of tapping,

If your score is moving in the wrong direction don't worry,

It means that the energy is starting to shift,

Just keep tapping and it will start to decrease as the body begins to relax.

We'll do one more round but this time we'll go a little quicker now that you have a sense of where each point is,

So tapping on the side of the hand,

Even though I have this remaining stress in my body,

I choose to let it go.

Still on the side of the hand,

Even though I can still feel some stress in my body,

I give myself permission to relax anyway.

One more time on the side of the hand,

Even though I can feel some remaining stress in my body,

I choose to feel calm instead.

Going to the top of the head,

This remaining stress,

Eyebrow,

I can feel it in my body,

Outer eye,

But that is okay,

Under the eye,

Because I'm now choosing to let it all go.

Under the nose,

I choose to release this remaining stress.

Under the mouth,

I choose to feel calm instead.

Collarbone,

Choosing to relax.

Under the arm,

Choosing to let this remaining stress go.

Release the tapping and take in a deep breath before letting it go in your own time.

Now tune back into your body and notice what has changed.

Hopefully you are feeling more relaxed and your SUD score has dropped further,

If not feel free to continue with a few more rounds of tapping until you get it down to a 2 or less.

Before I wrap this up there are a few things I want to mention,

Firstly it is not unusual to see tears,

Yawning,

Laughter and other physical releases when tapping.

These are signs that the energy blockages are clearing.

To help with this clearing it is important to stay hydrated,

I encourage you to drink water before,

During and after tapping,

It makes a difference.

Also sometimes when we tap we can start to feel big emotions.

In these situations just tap silently for as many rounds as you need,

Emotions are just energy in motion and when we sit with these big feelings while tapping we can observe them lessening and eventually clearing.

However if the emotions are overwhelming at any point,

Look up to the ceiling with your eyes open while tapping on the collarbone point until the overwhelm subsides.

That said,

If you are wanting to clear significant trauma it is important to work with a certified practitioner so that they can safely guide you through the process without the risk of re-traumatisation.

It also helps to work with a certified practitioner because we all have blind spots and it can be very helpful to work with someone who has the skills to help you uncover the root cause of unwanted emotional and behavioural patterns.

Okay so that's a wrap,

I hope you have found this helpful and that you now feel equipped to try some of the EFT meditations that you will find under my profile or using tapping on your own in your day to day life as an emotional first aid tool.

Thank you for listening and I look forward to reading your comments if there is anything you would like to share.

Reviews

Thank you for this great introduction to tapping. Very informative and helpful. I look forward to listening to many more of your tapping sessions. Thank you so much for offering them..✨💜💜💜✨

This is amazing! Thank you for the brief introduction to tapping. I’m a bit amazed that this works, as I’ve been feeling a lot of stuck emotion and I had a powerful big release last night. So thank you. 💜

A great explanation and practical start for tapping. I’m exploring this further.

Wonderful introduction, i can already feel benefits!

I've been doing EFT for a while. Tania's talk is more informative than any I have listened to. Her guidance is easy to follow and the Tapping for Stress Release at the end was helpful. I look forward to trying Tania's other offerings and hope IT puts her work forward so more people are able to find her. Feeling grateful for having found you Tania on this "slight headache morning" that has now released.