This is because to do EFT, you tap your fingertips on certain points on your hand, head, and torso. The points you tap on for EFT are like those used in acupuncture. Deep breathing exercises can help lower stress and promote relaxation. These effects can play a positive role in the management of chronic health conditions… Participating in a clinical trial can help advance knowledge in the treatment of disease and get participants early access to new treatments. The approach to using clinical EFT tapping for PTSD or other trauma looks a bit different.

What Is EFT Tapping?

The participant then engages in the somatic tapping process on acupoints on the body while they repeat a shortened phrase to stay engaged . This is called the “Reminder Phrase.” The tapping sequence uses 8 acupoints on the face and upper body and is normally repeated until the SUDS rating is very low . EFT is commonly used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder and other trauma-related conditions. It may also be used as a treatment for anxiety, depression, addiction, and some kinds of physical ailments such as chronic pain. Additionally, EFT may also be helpful for individuals who do not have a mental health condition but who are dealing with specific, short-term emotional challenges.

Physical measures in a subset of participants showed improvements in heart rate, blood pressure, and levels of the stress hormone cortisol. More recently, a 2019 study involving 203 individuals tested the physical reactions and psychological symptoms of people attending EFT workshops. The majority of people that Tapping took part were women over the age of 50 years. In the following sections, we look at the current scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of EFT for anxiety, depression, and PTSD. In this article, we discuss the theory and research behind EFT and explain how to practice this tapping technique at home.

What Is Tapping and How Does It Work?

It is best known through Gary Craig’s EFT Handbook, published in the late 1990s, and related books and workshops by a variety of teachers. EFT and similar techniques are often discussed under the umbrella term “energy psychology.” Treatment time frames ranging from 15 minutes to ten 1-hour sessions have been successful.

When tapping, use two or more fingertips and repeat the tap approximately five times on each point. During this step, the person thinks about the problem that they wish to resolve. You can find more research related to the benefits of EFT/Tapping by visiting thetappingsolution.com. Dissimilar results were found between post and follow-up time points, with anxiety and pain found to significantly increase, while happiness decreased significantly .

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have exponentially increased stress, anxiety and burnout levels for all healthcare professionals and students. The psychological effects of working with COVID-19 patients and the physical stress of working under distressing conditions exacerbate an already stressed workforce.

If you have more than one issue or fear, you can repeat this sequence to address it and reduce or eliminate the intensity of your negative feeling. Similar to acupuncture, EFT focuses on the meridian points — or energy hot spots — to restore balance to your body’s energy. It’s believed that restoring this energy balance can relieve symptoms a negative experience or emotion may have caused. Emotional freedom technique is an alternative treatment for physical pain and emotional distress. It’s also referred to as tapping or psychological acupressure.

Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding any mental health symptom or medical condition. GoodTherapy is not authorized to make recommendations about medication or serve as a substitute for professional advice. Never disregard professional psychological or medical advice or delay in seeking professional advice or treatment because of something you have read on GoodTherapy. Though still being researched, EFT tapping has been used to treat people with anxiety and people with post-traumatic stress disorder . When you start your tapping session, you’ll focus on negative emotions and unresolved issues.

Retraumatization is the return of trauma-related thoughts and feelings, which cause you to relive the events that led to your PTSD, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Other research found that stimulating acupoints produces a variety of brain chemicals, including endogenous opioids (pain-relieving chemicals), serotonin , and gamma-aminobutyric acid , according to a pastresearch article. Research suggests that there’s a physiological response to the stimulation of these acupoints — they’re not simply random sites on the body. After examining acupoints under a microscope, scientists discovered that they contain a high density of nerve endings, nerve fibers that control heat and cold, and a high concentration of white blood cells, according to a review. Now, in the interest of being thorough, here is a video where I demonstrate the Finger Points, Below the Nipple or BN Point , Wrist Point and the 9 Gamut Procedure. The video assumes you have thoroughly familiarized yourself with the above descriptions. To locate the Gamut Point, which is on the back of either hand, put a finger between the ring and little finger at the base.

One of them, patented by Dr. Roger Callahan, is called Thought Field Therapy. Later Gary Craig simplified the process and made it available to the public under the EFT name. EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Techniques, and users say that this simple technique helps them feel better quickly. Between the pre and follow-up time points, participants experienced significant decreases in anxiety, depression, PTSD, and pain . All changes were statistically significant with the exception of happiness. Because of the interest in the mechanism of change and active ingredient of EFT, several dismantling studies have been conducted.