Emotional Freedom Technique

The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) uses a sequence of gentle tapping with two fingers on specific energy points on the body.  This action unblocks energy flow along the meridians, which in turn allows the full and free flow of your body's life force energies to all organs.  This technique has a particularly high success rate in addressing emotional issues such as unwanted habits or patterns (e.g., addictions of all types, nail biting, bedwetting, etc.), anger, unworthiness, and abnormal fears (e.g., heights, water, claustrophobia, etc.).  It is also very useful for addressing certain physical conditions that are caused by or made worse by an emotional component; such as in pain management, asthma, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, allergies and other autoimmune responses, etc.

When addressing emotional issues and physical conditions, specific advantages of this technique over, for example, hypnotherapy, include:
    - Very quick -- usually only a few minutes instead of hours
    - No need for hypnosis -- you're entirely awake during the entire EFT procedure
    - No need to revisit emotionally traumatic experiences to "understand and forgive"
    - Many issues may be resolved completely in a single EFT session
    - Easy-to-learn, simple and quick procedures for effective results and self-treatment

Background
EFT was developed by Gary Craig as a means of healing emotional conditions; however, through extensive use and experimentation, it has been found to be very effective in successfully addressing a very wide range of physical, emotional, and mental conditions where other methods and techniques, including traditional medical procedures and medications, have simply not worked. 

EFT is based on Craig's discovery that "all emotional problems are caused by a disruption in the energy field."  He further states that these disruptions in the energy field, not the mental thoughts and beliefs of the individual, are the cause of energy blocks in the emotional energy field.  And, through experience, he has found that restoring the natural energy flow throughout the body by opening blocked acupuncture meridians and energy chakras, the emotional imbalances that ultimately cause distortions in the etheric body, and thus in the physical body, disappear, and a greater state of health is attained.  Tapping on specific energy points is the method he has found that effectively opens the energy blockages in the person's energy meridian system. 

Although the basic premise of EFT is in direct opposition to the widely-held belief that negative thoughts directly cause areas of blockage or congestion (lack of normal energy flow) in the emotional energy body, the consistent positive results of using EFT to address only the energy system instead of causative negative thoughts have led to a need to rethink some of the fundamental beliefs of the hypnotherapist.  That is not to say that hypnotherapy doesn't work, or that it doesn't work correctly -- it does.  However, in many cases, the client may prefer EFT therapy since there is no need to revisit emotionally traumatic experiences to uncover the original cause of a phobia or condition.  Instead, EFT can work on the result of that experience by addressing only the energy blocks caused by the experience, and this can be done in a safe and gentle manner with the client wide awake and doing the tapping themselves.

What to Expect
A typical EFT session begins with a frank and detailed confidential discussion of the feelings caused by the issue the client wishes to release.  It is helpful to discuss the issue if you are willing to do this; but if the issue is emotionally painful to discuss, the issue itself need not be discussed.  It is, however, most important that the client be honest and frank with themselves and with the EFT therapist is discussing their feelings and any limitations in their life that may be caused by these feelings.  You will also be asked to rate the intensity of these feelings on a 0-10 scale for later comparison after the tapping is completed.

The EFT therapist will then explain some of the simple procedures used in EFT in addition to tapping.  The therapist will coach you through each of the very short but effective routines.  After the sequence of steps shown by the therapist, you will be asked to become aware of the intensity of the original feeling and compare it to the earlier level.  Sometimes, the tapping sequence may need to be modified slightly and repeated to get to a "Zero" level - no adverse feelings whatsoever about the issue.  And finally, the EFT therapist will provide instruction and helpful suggestions for doing the tapping sequence by yourself at a later time if needed. 

For More Information
The wealth of information available from the EFT website includes many testimonials received from clients who have experienced a wide range of services for physical and emotional issues and conditions.  Click on the appropriate link below to learn more about this new and exciting therapy.

Please visit the EFT Website for a rich source of information:

Home Page
Depression Section
Trauma & Abuse Section
Anxiety & Stress Section
Children's Section
Addictions, Compulsions & Overweight Section
Physical Symptoms Section
EFT Order Page

Page last updated August 28, 2006