Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT): The Tapping Solution

by Lane Gormley, LPC

The following is a synopsis of a healing technique that I learned in a class with Jondi Whitis, AAMET Master Trainer of Trainers.  Her website is www.eft4results.com.

EFT (often called “Tapping”)

Some of my Clients report that they cannot stop ruminating. They go over and over a problem in their brains continually and never reach a comfortable outcome that will satisfy them and allow them to sleep through the night.  Others report that they are run ragged by emotions that they cannot think through.  Still others feel divorced from their bodies and the amazing wisdom they contain.  By bringing different aspects of ourselves to a problem or situation, we can better process the major discomfort “out” of our system.

As I understand it, EFT can allow a person to align brain, physical body, and emotions to process various types of discomfort ranging from depression and anxiety to runaway emotions to phobias to physical pain.  It is also said to be of help in many non-clinical endeavors such as sports performance and public speaking.

Just Do This

1. Create a brief Balancing Statement about the problem you are having. Example: “Even though I am very worried about giving a speech tomorrow, I accept my feelings as being understandable.”  The statement must be about you and not about someone else, although you can process your own feelings about others. Ideally, it should also be true.  Don’t say you accept your feelings as understandable if you do not.  Perhaps you could say, instead, “…this is just how I feel right now.”
2. Rate the problem in terms of its intensity, or effect on you, on a scale of 0 to 10.
3. Tap on the “Karate Chop” side of one of your hands while making your statement as clear as you can, changing it in any way you like. Mention the Intensity Rating you have given it.  Even though I am worried/fearful/anxious about the speech tomorrow and it’s about a 6 in intensity, this is just how I’m feeling right now.  Continuing to tap on the Karate Chop side of your hand, repeat the Balancing Statement about three times, including the intensity rating you feel after each time.  The intensity rating might go up at first and then, maybe, start to lower.
4. Now, tap on each of the acupoints (acupressure/acupuncture points) six or eight times while referring to the issue: …this fear, this uncomfortable fear that is at a 6, this fear of the speech tomorrow…  After cycling through the acupoints, stop and take a deep breath.  Check in with yourself and see if the fear might be at a lesser level.  Go through this cycle two or three times.  Give yourself a chance to see that you can calm and help yourself.

Save Anything That Comes Up

During tapping, other issues may emerge (i.e., while tapping, the fear of the speech may be revealed or clarified to be fear of not being perfect, fear of colleagues, fear of people, or fear of life itself.  Or maybe it’s just nervous tension or fatigue.  Write down any ideas or feelings that come up, and you can tap about them later.  Tapping can be a goldmine of information about you.

Questions?  Come see me!!!