What is EFT
EFT, or the “emotional freedom technique” is an effective, research-based tool designed to help clients get better themselves.
Largely based on the work of ancient Chinese acupuncturists, discovered well over 5,000 years ago, EFT supports the claims of what many have known for a long time—that emotional trauma is a large factor in the development of disease.
EFT was developed by Gary Craig, a Stanford engineer who wanted to help people who couldn’t find relief from traditional medicine or psychological treatment. As a self-administered alternative treatment, EFT was designed to help those who were struggling with their emotional health.
Having trained in Western Medical Acupuncture and Natural Health I started to notice a reoccurring theme in my clients and that was most alignments all had an emotional story attached to them. Which set me off on the path of discovering as much as I could about the human emotions and how the mind and body connected.
How Can EFT Help You?
We all have a hidden brilliance inside us. The Soul Awakening Academy is designed to help you uncover your hidden gems and radiate your brilliance, so you can live the life you truly deserve.
In the motivating speech by Dr. Alan Watkins, in Portsmouth, he explores how one can maintain their brilliance every day. Essentially, it boils down to a single concept: change.
If you want to change what you do, you have to change how you think. And if you want to change how you think, you have to change how you feel.
Feelings have the biggest influence over our thought processes. Even more fundamental to this change process is delving into your emotions. Changing your emotions leads to a change in your feelings and, ultimately, your thinking. This will, in turn, influence your ultimate behaviours.
You’ll notice that so far, the words ‘feelings’ and ‘emotions’ were not used interchangeably. That’s because feelings and emotions are not the same things.
Emotions are a result of the signalling of hormones released from the brain.
Feelings, on the other hand, are the sensations one experiences after the hormonal release.
We give these sensations names like joy, sadness, anger, and fear to express what we’re going through.
Even so, most people struggle to connect with their feelings and may not do so for any number of reasons. The most popular reason is that people are more accustomed to thinking not feeling.
During a conversation, I once asked a highly successful company director what he felt about his mother’s deteriorating health. He was visibly upset, and I considered him a sensitive soul.
I wondered if he would be able to connect to those feelings and verbalise them. When he finally responded, he answered automatically from a place of thinking, not feeling.
Unfortunately, this company director developed a habit of frequently bypassing his feelings. As a consequence, he often upset his staff.
This director was a classic example of someone who managed their energy/feelings ineffectively.
As explained by Gary Craig himself, it is best to think of our bodies as an electrical source. This electrical source, like any other, relies on circuits. In his EFT Discovery Statement, Gary Craig notes that “the cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system.”
Essentially, the interrupting these circuits that are so critical to our health result in both emotional and physical distress. And for as long as the interruption or blockage persists, we will continue to feel this distress and they may eventually get worse.
The negative emotions may begin to pile on causing a disastrous build-up. This kind of build-up of negative emotions attract even more negativity into our lives and can even fester into very obvious imbalances with our physical self.
Does this mean we should avoid our negative emotions? Quite the opposite. Instead of denying our negative emotions, it is important that we allow them to flow properly process through our bodies. Emotions can be stored in our mind-body system. To prevent this from happening, we need to learn to experience and release them in a healthy way.
Within each of us is a meridian system that carries energy throughout our bodies. Think of the meridian system as vital energy channels that can be barred by negative emotions. To remove stress, anxiety, and even our inhibitions, we must first remove the barriers to our energy.
The tapping techniques featured in EFT dissolve these barriers or energy blocks on the face or body.
How EFT Works in the Body.
EFT cleanses us of energy disruptions, blockages, and damaging self-images that are results of painful experiences. By using EFT, we push out the barriers to our energy channels and instead make room for more peace, more happiness, and more love.
The founder of EFT, Gary Craig encourages practitioners to use what are called “reframes” too help move forward a client’s progress. To be able to use these re-frames, the following need to be in place:
- The client must be open to moving forward
- The practitioner must have experience using reframes
The reframes work to shift clients from a place of unhappiness, anxiety, fear, etc. to a place of better health and self-care.
Through EFT, clients forge a deeper bond with one’s Spirit that nourishes us in a way that is not possible with blocked energy circuits. By clearing our meridian system of the unwanted and unhealthy residue of trauma, one can live a fuller life with free-flowing energy.
Rate the Intensity of Your Emotions
Focus on the distress you want to resolve. If you have several issues you want to work on, focus on the one that’s most stressful right now.
Assign a Subjective Units of Distress (SUD) to the problem. On a scale of 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest), rate how intense the distress is.
Create a setup statement. “Even though I [state the problem], I deeply love and completely accept myself.” Repeat the statement aloud 3 times while tapping on the fleshy part of the outside of the hand with the four fingers of the other hand.
Tap around the points. Tap lightly about five to seven times on each point in the illustration, starting at the top of the head and ending at the underarm point.
While tapping on the points, say aloud to yourself a short reminder phrase to keep the focus on the issue you are tapping on.
Remeasure your SUD level. After you complete a round or two of tapping, revisit your initial distress. What SUD number would you give it now? If you’re not yet at a very low number, begin the process again until the client is happy. The goal is to get your SUD to 0.
Disclaimer: The information in this EFT Chart is not intended to replace qualified medical or psychological advice or treatment. I always encourage my clients to make their own health decisions with a qualified medical or psychological professional.
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