Emotional freedoM (EFT) / TAPPING techniques

Energy Psychology

A REVOLUTIONARY SYSTEM FOR STRESS-FREE LIVING

An Intro to Energy Psychology

(also known as cognitive somatic practices) is a family of mind-body methods that rapidly reduce stress while increasing calm. Restoring balance to the nervous system and calming the body (where stress is stored) is a missing key to unlocking rapid change.

Energy psychology (EP) methods combine cognitive interventions with somatic techniques that influence the human bio-energy systems such as meridians, chakras and the biofield to elevate physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

It has been shown to be evidenced based, cost effective and empowering for clients. Energy psychology integrates well with other methods and includes self-help techniques.

These methods can be used to facilitate transformational change at many levels.

Examples of Energy Psychology methods:

“Tapping” Methods: such as Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) or Thought Field Therapy (TFT).
Chakra Methods: such as Advanced Integrative Therapy (AIT) or Heart Assisted Therapy (HAT)
Combination methods: such as Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT), Comprehensive Energy Psychology (CEP)

Over 125 research studies have been published in professional and refereed journals, and 99% document energy psychology’s effectiveness.

Read more: ACEP website (Association For Comprehensive Energy Psychology) https://www.energypsych.org/energy-psychology

EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), or Tapping, is an energy psychology. It is a mind-body technique that combines tapping on specific meridian points with focusing on emotional issues. A combination of ancient Chinese Acupressure and modern psychology, it is known for its ability to rapidly reduce stress, anxiety, and emotional distress by calming and restoring balance to the nervous system.

Key Benefits of EFT / Tapping:

Stress & Anxiety Relief: Quickly reduces stress and anxiety by calming the body and mind.
Emotional Healing: Helps process and release negative emotions like fear, anger, and trauma.
Pain Management: Reduces physical and emotional pain by releasing tension.
Improved Focus & Clarity: Clears mental blocks, boosts clarity, and enhances performance.
Supports Trauma Recovery: Effective for PTSD and healing from past trauma.
Addiction Support: Helps manage cravings and break addictive behaviours.

EFT is a safe, non-invasive tool for emotional and physical wellbeing, and works really well when used alongside other therapeutic approaches such as life coaching.

The energy meridian points on the head and body – same as used in traditional acupuncture – are stimulated by tapping on them with the fingertips

Clinical Studies

Using EFT for Food Cravings

Numerous clinical studies have shown that stimulation of selected meridian endpoints reduces activity in the amygdala. Harvard Medical School studies have shown (on Functional Magnetic Resonance fMRI & PET brain scans) that activation of the fear region in the brain is reduced following acupoints stimulation. A recent world-first study to scientifically prove that tapping is effective in reducing food cravings was also successful. fMRI scans show physical, scientific, evidence that EFT works on these conditions by changing the brain’s neural pathways involved in addiction and food cravings. After 4 weeks of EFT Tapping (of just 2 hours per week), participants’ brain scans showed a remarkable reduction in activation. The control group who did not receive any EFT did not change.

Studies using EFT for PTSD

Dawson Church, an award-winning health researcher and founder of The National Institute for Integrative Healthcare in the US, recently performed two pilot studies of EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The first smaller study demonstrated highly significant results indicating a robust treatment effect. This led to a randomised controlled trial, published in the oldest peer-reviewed psychiatry journal in North America, showing highly significant results. It demonstrated that 86% of veterans with clinical PTSD were subclinical after six sessions of EFT, and remained so on follow-up.

A concurrent study by an independent research team working for the NHS (UK) showed similar findings, indicating that EFT meets the criteria of the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 12 Task Force as an empirically validated treatment for PTSD. An independent replication of Church’s PTSD study found similar results.

More research and clinical case studies here

Science & The Stress Response:

Science has shown that the stress response begins in the amygdala, an almond-shaped cluster of neurons in the brain. Part of the limbic system, the amygdala is responsible for emotions, long-term memory, and encoding negative experiences.

When an experience is perceived as a threat, the amygdala triggers the fight-or-flight response. Past negative experiences can program the amygdala to react automatically whenever a similar situation arises, keeping us in a constant state of stress. This automatic response can be overwhelming.

Tapping directly targets the root of this issue by interrupting the stress response in the brain. It calms the amygdala, deactivates the brain's arousal pathways, and sends a soothing signal to the nervous system. By tapping on energy meridians while focusing on the issue, it clears the emotional charge and "short-circuit" in the body’s bioenergy system.

As stress levels decrease, new ways of thinking emerge. Tapping reprograms the hippocampus, which is vital for creating new memories, allowing limiting beliefs to be cleared and new habits to be formed. This process balances the mind and body, rewiring the brain to respond in healthier ways.