What is EFT?

EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), also sometimes called tapping, is a gentle but highly effective type of somatic therapy used to relieve painful emotions and self-defeating patterns in a therapeutic setting. It also deactivates triggers associated with distressing experiences and memories.

There is no issue too big or too small for EFT.

Practitioners apply pressure to specific points (called acupoints) on the body by tapping on them. By stimulating these acupoints while talking or thinking about a particular issue, we’re able to rewire our neurological responses to stressors, meaning our brains get reprogrammed to no longer activate a survival response when confronted with the stressor (visit the Sessions page to find out how we use EFT in sessions).

For example, tapping on a flying phobia often results in a reduced stress response - or none at all - the next time we fly. Tapping through memories of a difficult childhood often leads to less emotional reactivity in general. Tapping through a traumatic memory (we go slowly here) can de-sensitize our nervous system to flashbacks, sensory triggers, and associated emotions like shame, guilt, anger, and so forth.

EFT therapy is great for people who aren’t comfortable talking about issues endlessly or have tried traditional talk therapy but don’t feel better (or much differently at all). We talk, sure, but in EFT it’s more important to tap on emotional responses than it is to relive or dissect stories.

In fact, if there’s a memory that is too painful to talk about, don’t let this be a discouragement! EFT works regardless of whether we tell our story. When you book a Discovery Session, just mention this in your New Client Form and I can explain how we can work around it.

Over time (comparatively less time than many other approaches), we find that we’re no longer activated by the people, situations, and memories that we used to be. Their power over us diminishes and we experience less conflict and reactivity, and have healthier relationships. Repeating patterns end. Self-defeating behaviors change. Peace becomes attainable.

In EFT/tapping therapy we aim to actually change or clear our issues, we don’t just learn coping mechanisms or talk about our problems.

In fact, we don’t stop until we feel different.

Gary Craig brought EFT to the forefront of alternative therapeutic practices in the 1990s by demonstrating extraordinary success in relieving a variety of issues ranging from phobias to PTSD. In recent decades EFT has become highly regarded in the field of psychology and is no longer considered alternative. EFT is now mainstream and acknowledged as an evidence-based therapeutic modality. Watch Dr. Peta Stapleton’s fascinating TED Talk on EFT here!

EFT/tapping can help relieve, process, and many times eliminate, the following issues and more (see the About page for more about my specialism and some issues I don’t work with):

Shame

Phobias

Trauma

PTSD

Stress

Guilt

Grief

Anxiety

Limiting beliefs

Self-defeating patterns

Cravings

Compulsive behaviors

Distressing memories

Physical ailments inc. insomnia & chronic pain

Tension in interpersonal relationships

Fear

Lack of clarity around decision making

Performance blockages