EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE

By Anabela Santos, RN

HISTORY OF EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE -Thought Field Therapy (TFT), was developed by Roger Callahan in 1979. TFT is based on traditional Chinese medicine and accesses meridians that carry energy and well-being (TCM=Qi). The blockage or disruption of energy flow results in negative emotions that are the cause of all psychological disorders. Drawing on acupuncture principles, Callahan instructed his patients to tap on specific areas of their body, which led to an immediate cessation of symptoms. Callahan proposed that this brief treatment procedure involving tapping, can be successfully used to treat almost any emotional disorder. The tapping creates energy, thereby restoring the energy flow and eliminating or reducing negative emotions.

-The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), developed by Gary Craig in the late 1990’s, evolved from TFT. EFT takes TFT a step further by eliminating need for a complicated diagnosis.

WHAT IS EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE / EFT?

•A Tapping tool / technique that can be self administered to provide results for both physical and emotional issues.

•Tapping on meridian points of the body, the same meridian points derived from acupuncture, can release energy blockages that cause negative emotions.

• EFT does not use needles. Instead, a simple two pronged process wherein we (1) mentally "tune in" to specific issues while (2) stimulating certain energy meridian points on the body by tapping on them with our fingertips.

WHAT IS EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE / EFT?

-EFT combines exposure, cognitive restructuring, waking hypnosis, and physical relaxation while tapping on a sequence of pressure points and repeating key phrases out loud.

-The mechanism of action is unknown; but it is suggested that physical stimulation of certain pressure points during exposure to an emotional trauma may send deactivating signals directly to the amygdala, or the "fear center" of your brain, resulting a rapid reduction of maladaptive fear.

EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE

RESEARCH/EVIDENCE

•Harvard Medical School studies have revealed that by stimulating the body’s meridian points, you can significantly reduce activity in the amygdala (When the amygdala is triggered, your body is flooded with cortisol, commonly known as the “stress hormone” which is released during fight or flight).

•Another study by Dr. Dawson Church showed the average cortisol reduction of 24% to those who experienced an EFT Tapping session and even hit as high as 50% in some subjects. Participants who experienced traditional talk therapy or no treatment at all didn’t experience any significant reduction in cortisol.

TAP INTO YOUR BODY’S OWN ENERGY SOURCE

Your body is more powerful than you can imagine… filled with life, energy, and a compelling ability for self-healing. With Tapping, you can take control of that power.

The Discovery Statement:

“The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system”

GETTING STARTED: THE BASIC RECIPE

-At the beginning and completion of the Basic Recipe, always assess your comfort level: On a pain scale of 0-10

1. The Setup.

2. The Sequence.

3. The 9 Gamut Procedure.

4. The Sequence.

THE BASIC RECIPE: THE SETUP1. The Setup:

The process of making sure your energy system is properly oriented before attempting to remove its disruptions.

A. Repeat an affirmation 3 times while you…

B. Rub the “sore spot” ( there are 2 found in the bilateral upper chest area found 3 inches down from “U” shaped breastbone and 3 inches to the left or right) or alternatively, tap the “Karate Chop” point (fleshy part of the outside of the hand between the top of the wrist and the base of the baby finger).

SORE SPOT / KARATE CHOP

THE BASIC RECIPE: THE SETUP Examples of affirmation statements:

“Even though I have: fear of public speaking, I completely and deeply accept myself”

“Even though I have: anger towards my employer, I completely and deeply accept myself”

“Even though I have: stiffness in my neck, I completely and deeply accept myself”

“Even though I have: craving for alcohol, I completely and deeply accept myself”

“Even though I have: depression, I completely and deeply accept myself”

THE BASIC RECIPE: THE SEQUENCE2. The Sequence:

Tap on the end points of major energy meridians with the fingertips of your index finger and middle finger 7 times while repeating “reminder phrase”. (Does not matter which hand you use, best results with dominant hand and 5-9 taps are sufficient).

The Reminder phrase: Word or short phrase that describes the problem, repeated out loud each time you tap one of the points in the Sequence.

Tip: The Reminder phrase is best when identical to problem chosen for affirmation statement.

MERIDIAN POINTS

MERIDIAN POINTS

THE BASIC RECIPE: THE SEQUENCE The points:

Each energy meridian has 2 endpoints, only need to tap on one side:

-at the beginning of the eyebrow, just above and to the side of the nose: EB

-on the bone bordering outside the corner of the eye: SE

-on the bone under the eye about 1 inch below your pupil: UE

THE BASIC RECIPE: THE SEQUENCE2. The Sequence:

The Meridian points (continued from previous page):

-small area between the bottom of your nose and the top of your upper lip: UN

-midway between the point of your chin and the bottom of your lower lip: Ch

-junction where the sternum collarbone and the first rib meet: CB

-on the side of the body, at a point even with the nipple for gentlemen or in the middle of the bra strap for ladies (about 4 inches below the armpit): UA

-point below the nipple for gentlemen or where the underskin of the breast meets the chest wall for ladies: BN

THE BASIC RECIPE: THE SEQUENCE2. The Sequence:

The points (continued from previous page):

-on the outside edge of your thumb at a point even with the base of the thumbnail: Th

-on the side of your index finger (side facing thumb) at a point even with the base of the fingernail: IF

-on the side of your middle finger (side closest to thumb) at a point even with the base of the fingernail: MF

-on the inside of your baby finger (side closest to thumb) at a point even with the base of the fingernail: BF

-the last point is the karate chop point: located in the middle of the fleshy part on the outside of the hand between the top of the wrist bone and the base of the baby finger): KC

THE BASIC RECIPE: THE GAMUT3. The Gamut: Syncing the left and right brain hemispheres

-Locate the Gamut point on the back of either hand, ½ inch behind the midpoint between the knuckles at the base of the ring finger and little finger. Consider that line to be the base of an equilateral triangle whose other sides converge to a point (apex) in the direction of the wrist, then the gamut point would be located at the apex of the triangle.

-Next, perform 9 different actions while tapping the Gamut point continuously.

GAMUT POINT

THE BASIC RECIPE: THE GAMUT The 9 Gamut actions:

1. Close eyes

2. Open eyes

3. Eyes hard down to the right while holding head steady

4. Eyes hard down to the left while holding head steady

5. Roll eyes in a circle as though your nose was at the center of the clock

6. Roll eyes in the reverse direction

7. Hum 2 seconds of a song (Happy Birthday, Mary had a Little Lamb, Somewhere over the rainbow)

7. Count rapidly from 1 to 5

8. Hum 2 seconds of song again

THE BASIC RECIPE: REPEAT THE SEQUENCE

4. Repeat the Sequence (tapping the meridian points).

On a scale of 0-10, how do you feel?

-Rescore and Repeat Basic Recipe as needed

EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE

-Memorize the Basic Recipe.

-Aim it at any physical or emotional problem by customizing it with an appropriate Setup affirmation and Reminder Phrase.

-Be specific where possible and aim EFT at the specific emotional events in one’s life that may be underlying the problem.

-Where necessary , be persistent until all aspects of the problem have vanished.

-Try it on everything!!

REFERENCES

-Retrieved from www.tryitoneverything.com

-Church, D., Hawk, C., Brooks, A.J., Toukolehta, O., Wren, M., Dinter, I., & Stein, P., (2013). Psychological trauma symptom improvement in veterans using emotional freedom techniques: a randomized controlled trial. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease. 201(2):153-60. doi: 10.1097/NMD.0b013e31827f6351.

-Waite, W.L., & Holder, M.D., (2003). Assessment of Emotional Freedom Technique, An Alternative Treatment for Fear. The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice. 2(1).

-Church D, Books A. (2010). Application of Emotional Freedom Techniques. Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal, Aug/Sep, 46-48.