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How does EFT Tapping Work?

The emotional freedom technique (EFT) tapping is a healing method that works on stimulating Chinese meridian points, similar to acupuncture, that are known to ease stress and anxiety, release physical tension and bring balance to the body and mind. It’s done in combination with statements affirming your current state followed by positive statements to replace them. Because of this, it works on a neuro-linguistic programming as well as an energy medicine level. Because of this, it’s also known as psychological acupressure.

It can be used regularly to release stagnant energy, pain, mental health, or any emotional blockages, or simply as a one-off as and when needed, such as before/after a flight, exam or any other difficult situation.

There are typically set points to “tap” on and guided phrases to flow through, but you can also say whatever feels best for you or simply just tap the points silently. If you’re working on a specific issue, it’s recommended to practice tapping regularly, a session generally lasting anywhere between 1-10minutes. For chronic conditions, it’s recommended to practice is up to 5 times a day.

There are numerous websites and YouTube videos where you can learn how to do tapping, I personally like using an app called The Tapping Solution because it really clearly and easily walks you through it. I usually do a session twice a week as a general wellbeing top-up and then an extra session whenever I feel the need for something specific. After hitting 260,000 plays on their app, in a study of people using The Tapping Solution reported a significant decrease in anxiety by an average of 41% in just 9 minutes!

As a fairly new healing modality developed by Gary Craig in 1993, more extensive studies are needed but preliminary medically reviewed research currently show promise for:

Chronic and acute pain
Post traumatic stress disorder and PTSD symptoms
Stress and anxiety
Depression
Phobias
Emotional issues
Insomnia
Brain fog
Fatigue
Weight loss issues

Read on for how to do EFT tapping for anxiety and more with this simple yet effective alternative treatment practice:

How To Do EFT Tapping For Anxiety

As the meridian points stimulated are fairly largish, you don’t need to worry about being completely precise. For this reason, the recommended method is to use all your fingertips together as you tap so you are sure to hit the right point. You can use either hand for either side of the body, or both hands simultaneously if you prefer (this is what I do).

EFT Tapping Technique

Rate the intensity of what you’re feeling on a scale of 0-10 before starting and then reassess it afterwards. It’s best to focus on one issue at a time. As you tap, you can do the first round repeating to yourself what it is that’s bothering you, either in your head or out loud, followed by some kind of non-judgement phrase of acceptance. Then when you pass through the points a second time, you can introduce positive affirmations to clear away the negativity and set the intention for how you would actually like to feel. In this way you give yourself acknowledgement and recognition, making you feel heard, while also reprogramming your outlook on the situation.

For example, if you are feeling anxious about a situation, you can say something along the lines of: “Even though I’m worried about ___, I deeply and completely accept myself” followed by a reminder phrase such as “I am calm, balanced, grounded and at ease” throughout the second round, if you wish to do it again. The effects will be more powerful if you can really feel these sensations in your body and visualise how you would like your future self to be. Here is the order of a session:

Sit comfortably upright and remove any glasses or hair accessories
Tap several times on the outer side of your hand- the karate chop point (small intestine meridian)
Then tap in between your eyebrows at your third eye (bladder meridian)
Move onto the side of the eye (gallbladder meridian)
Next tap under the eye (stomach meridian)
Under the nose (governing vessel)
Under the mouth, on the chin (central vessel)
Onto the centre of your collar bone (kidney meridian)
Under your armpits, right about where a bra strap would sit (spleen meridian)
Finish at the top of the head (governing vessel)

This would count as one round, you can do it up to three times. Generally the amount of time it takes to say the phrase in your head is enough for each point, or roughly 10 times per point. EFT tapping is a really simple, quick and harmless practice that can be done anywhere at any time for a variety of reasons. If you have a specific problem you’d like to work through, trial it out regularly for the first few weeks to see what effects it has for you. Of course, if you are dealing with a significant issue, you should always seek medical advice first.

For a longer, nourishing practice- get our Self-Connection Ritual Workshop!

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So that’s an overview of what EFT tapping is and how to do it for anxiety and other symptoms. If you give it a go let me know in the comments section below, I’d love to hear how you got on! I really love my little tapping practice and hope you can get a bit of mindfulness out of it too.

For more stress management techniques, check out our posts on The Healing Benefits Of Reiki and How To Use Astrology To Bring Balance Into Your Life.

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