Tap Your Stress Away 1/4

Your Ultimate Guide for Stress Relief and Breaking Free from Thought Loops
Series of 4

Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed by stress and stuck in repetitive patterns of negative thinking? It's time to explore a transformative technique that can help you find relief and break free from the grip of stress and thought loops. In this beginner's guide to Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), we'll uncover the secrets to managing stress and interrupting thought patterns, empowering you to reclaim control of your emotional well-being. This is ....

Part 1: What is EFT - "tapping"?

EFT in simple terms

EFT - tapping is a proven therapeutic practice (see literature list below) that involves tapping on specific points on the body while focusing on distressing emotions or thoughts. This technique aims to release energy blockages and restore emotional balance, offering a gentle yet effective approach to addressing issues such as stress, anxiety and limiting beliefs.

Background

Let's have a look at the concept of energy meridians and how EFT works to restore balance:

Ok, at this point we want to review the concepts behind this modality. Basically we are looking at the human being as a whole, not at a certain body part that is “malfunctioning” nor the mind as separated from the body. Ancient traditions have worked with this holistic concept for thousands of years (i.e. Traditional Chinese Medicin, Ayurveda…) and as new scientific research proves more and more - Body and Mind influence each other and are in fact a unit that is much more than its parts.

Try this simple exercise for a moment

And then notice your body posture: You did probably lean back in your chair, your hands probably sank down to your lab or went to your heart area, you probably raised your chin, maybe even a little smile appeared on your face that generally softened … right?

Now try keep this happy memory alive while taking a stooped posture, pressing the lips together, making fists with the hands and making an angry looking face. While performing all these posture changes - are you still able to feel happy in that memory?

Many studies have shown that body posture and movement highly influence how we deal with stress, anxiety and limiting beliefs.

We are actually producing energy (by burning nutrients with oxygen) for all the functions in the body including the electromagnetic and chemical signals to keep the internal communication alive.

Now we add the findings of traditional Chinese Medicin: through certain trigger points on the body we can access and influence functions, organs, hormones, circles etc. Acupuncture and Acupressure use exactly these trigger points to allow stuck energy to flow again. Imagine a tight shoulder muscle being massaged and smoothend so that the pain goes away and the movement flows freely again.

Remember, this is just a model and not reality - but it captures the main aspects of what the energy channels are about in our bodies. Ancient traditions also call them "meridians".

As it is natural for humans to categorize and systemize natural phenomena, the meridians and their according trigger points (acupuncture points) with their physical location are grouped into distinct themes and topics.
These themes cover the whole of human archetypal topics and are physical as well as mental and emotional.

Meridians and Acupuncture Points in TCM

This is not rocket science - everyone can use EFT tapping: from CEO to stay at home dad/mum!

It is a highly effective, beneficial - and quick!- technique to release stress and negative thoughts from your system!

So, if you are eager to learn more about EFT tapping: Stay tuned for the next part of this series where we will explore the benefits of EFT tapping and its many potential applications!

See you for Part 2 soon!

FYI: Selected Scientific publications for proof of effectiveness:

1. Stapleton, P., Sheldon, T., & Porter, B. (2012). Clinical benefits of Emotional Freedom Techniques on food cravings at 12-months follow-up: A randomized controlled trial. Energy Psychology: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 4(1), 13-24.
2. Church, D., & Brooks, A. J. (2010). The effect of a brief EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) self-intervention on anxiety, depression, pain and cravings in healthcare workers. Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal, 9(5), 40-44.
3. Church, D., & Wilde, N. (2009). Emotional eating and weight loss following Skinny Genes, a six-week program: A retrospective chart review. Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing, 5(1), 37-41.
4. Church, D., & Brooks, A. J. (2009). The effect of a brief EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) self-intervention on anxiety, depression, pain, and cravings in healthcare workers: A randomized controlled trial. Energy Psychology: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 1(1), 39-44.
5. Wells, S., Polglase, K., Andrews, H. B., Carrington, P., & Baker, A. H. (2003). Evaluation of a meridian-based intervention, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), for reducing specific phobias of small animals. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 59(9), 943-966.
6. Church, D., Yount, G., & Brooks, A. J. (2012). The effect of emotional freedom techniques on stress biochemistry: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 200(10), 891-896.
7. Sebastian, B., & Nelms, J. (2016). The effectiveness of emotional freedom techniques in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis. Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing, 12(6), 416-426.
8. Feinstein, D. (2012). Acupoint stimulation in treating psychological disorders: Evidence of efficacy. Review of General Psychology, 16(4), 364-380.