Emotional freedoM (EFT) / TAPPING techniques

Energy Psychology

A REVOLUTIONARY SYSTEM FOR STRESS-FREE LIVING

Energy Psychology

(also known as cognitive somatic practices) is a family of mind-body methods that rapidly reduce stress and trauma while increasing calm. 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, including:

Resolving trauma, anxiety and other clinical disorders
Working and living in flow

Improving performance in the arts, sports, school and business
Living with greater connection, love and clarity

The most common 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.

(Copy courtesy of ACEP website (Association For Comprehensive Energy Psychology) https://www.energypsych.org/energy-psychology

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), or Tapping,

is an energy psychology. It is a combination of ancient Chinese Acupressure and modern psychology. Tapping works to rewire the brain, calm the amygdala, and create safety in the body to ease stress and rebalance the mind-body system. It is the emotional version of acupuncture, so no needles are used. Instead, the energy meridian points on the head and body – same as used in traditional acupuncture – are stimulated by tapping on them with the fingertips.

EFT is a natural healing system and works with the limbic system, where emotions are stored. A somatic trauma release technique, it helps to relieve emotional intensity by processing blocked and buried emotions. These emotions can be gently released from the body and be replaced by healthier emotional responses. Tapping can also be extremely effective for weight management as it works in several ways; it addresses the (typically unconscious) root factor of weight issues plus it can be used as a tool to reduce cravings "in-the-moment". It has revolutionised the field of health & wellness.

EFT can be carried out with a practitioner, or alone as it is very easy to learn. Emotional health is absolutely essential to physical health and wellbeing – no matter how devoted to proper diet and lifestyle, it's difficult to achieve the body’s ideal healing and preventative powers if emotional barriers stand in the way.

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 established that the stress response begins in the amygdala. The amygdala (derived from the Greek word amygdale, meaning “almond,") is an almond-shape set of neurons in the brain. It is part of the limbic system which is also the source of emotions and long-term memory; where negative experiences are encoded.

If an experience is perceived as a problem the amygdala signals the brain to engage the fight or flight response. An earlier negative experience can program the amygdala to trigger whenever something similar happens in future. This is key as this auto-response can keep us in high stress states. Tapping targets the root of a challenge by interrupting the stress response in the brain. It turns off the amygdala’s “high alert”, deactivating the brain’s arousal pathways, sending a calming response to the nervous system. It interrupts thinking patterns, habitual reactions, and conditioned learning. The combination of tapping the energy meridians, while focusing on the problem, clears the "short-circuit", the negative emotional charge, from the body's bioenergy system.

With the stress volume turned down it provides space for new ways of thinking to open up. It reprograms the hippocampus (which plays an essential role in the formulation of new memories). Belief systems that no longer serve can be cleared and new habits installed. It balances mind & body and rewires the brain to respond in healthier ways.