Writing Educating Marketing
Written by Kathy Standing, BSN, RN for The Sassy Carmen Foundation
Introducing Emotional Freedom Technique
Finding comfort in the face of indescribable pain and suffering can seem impossible. When a beloved family member is suffering, the whole family suffers. Sometimes that can be eased with medical or spiritual intervention, but other times relief is elusive. Often even care teams are at a loss for a helpful remedy.
They can make suggestions but what if those suggestions don’t work? What can a tired, frustrated, helpless, scared parent do when a child with cancer can’t sleep or won’t eat or is pre-verbal and can’t explain what hurts or why they can’t stop crying? Numerous techniques can provide comfort. In this article, we will explore the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT).
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What is the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)?
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EFT comes from ancient China and is similar to acupuncture in that it stimulates points along energy meridians in the body. A man named Gary Craig coined the phrase Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) in the 1990s. There are nine main energy points used in EFT. The points are gently tapped with two fingers in a planned rotation while talking out loud.
The technique is noninvasive, nonpharmaceutical, and has no negative side effects or interactions. It is believed to clear negative energy surrounding a memory or experience. The memory remains but the emotional pain surrounding it goes away. “Tapping permits calmness in situations that previously caused fear or panic.” (Temes, 2006, p. 18)
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How does EFT affect the Electrical part of our being?
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Eileen Day McKusick begins her book Electric Body, Electric Health with the statement, “The prevailing paradigm in Western science says that we are chemical, mechanical beings. But a new paradigm is beginning to emerge that suggests that we are fundamentally electromagnetic and vibrational.” (McKusick, 2021, p. xix)
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Interacting with the electric part of our beings through EFT can bring about measurable changes in emotional and physical states. “The most dramatic and objective evidence of the positive effects of EFT has been produced by a device long used in cardiological research throughout the world to measure Heart Rate Variability (HRV). The HRV test quantifies variations in the intervals between heartbeats. HRV measurements have shown that EFT can directly influence the heart and balance the autonomic nervous system – thereby producing profound physical and psychological changes. As HRV scores improve, so do physical and psychological well-being. This finding has enormous implications for enhancing our overall health.” (Callahan & Trubo, 2001, p. 52)
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The importance of EFT
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EFT is a simple practice that can be learned by anyone anywhere. It has been used in schools to ease anxiety and promote calm and with veterans who suffer from PTSD. This practice can ease an endless number of psychological stresses and has been shown to be effective in some physical ailments.
Sage Pub reports a “…study (that) adds to the evidence base for EFT as an effective mental health intervention…suggests that EFT simultaneously improves a broad range of health markers across multiple physiological systems. As hypothesized, participants experienced significant decreases in pain, anxiety, depression and PTSD. Physiological indicators of health such as resting heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol (a stress hormone) also significantly decreased, indicating improvement. Happiness levels increased as did immune system function.” (Bach et al, 2019)
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The EFT process
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Nine Tapping Points
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There are nine points to tap gently with two or more fingers:
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1. The Karate Chop (KC)
2. The Eyebrow Point (EB)
3. Side of Eye (SE)
4. Under Eye (UE)
5. Under Nose (UN)
6. Chin (CP)
7. Collar Bone (CB)
8. Under Arm (US)
9. Top of Head (TH)
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The points are on both the right and left sides
of the body, so use the side that feels most
comfortable to you.
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How to perform EFT
To start the practice, think about the issue that most distresses you and rate the intensity of your discomfort on a scale of zero to ten.
Set up your tapping session with a statement that best describes how you feel and say it out loud in the following format:
“Even though I feel __________ (worried, sad, angry, heartbroken, anxious, depressed, terrified, etc.), I deeply and completely love and accept myself.”
Say this three times while tapping with three-four fingers of one hand on the Karate Chop (KC) point of the other hand. Note that your statement doesn’t have to be exactly the same each time. Most importantly, “…make yourself miserable...As you think about…upsetting circumstances. Permit yourself to feel negative feelings…The more upset you become during this brief exercise, the more successful you’ll be at curing yourself.” (Temes, 2006, p. 36)
After establishing the set-up statement, go through the tapping points two through nine while talking about your feelings. Tap five to ten times on each point.
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Speaking your feelings while tapping (examples)
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EB: My child is in so much pain.
SE: I can’t believe this is happening to my child.
UE: I’m not sure I can cope
UN: I’m so angry that my baby is suffering from this cancer diagnosis.
CP: I could just scream!
CB: Nobody understands what my family is going through.
US: Will this ever end?
TH: The whole family is scared.
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Go through this cycle two or three times. Stop, take a couple of deep breaths and re-assess your level of distress. If your discomfort is still three or above, complete a couple more tapping cycles. Once the discomfort is eased, do a couple of cycles of positive statements.
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Positive Statement examples:
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EB: I trust my child’s doctor.
SE: I have such a good support system.
UE: I’m learning what I need to know to take care of ________.
UN: Although I don’t accept this situation, I am strong enough to cope.
CP: I believe we’ll be OK.
CB: Even though I still feel some _______, I choose not to let it overpower me.
US: even though my family and I are still fighting this cancer, I choose to approach the situation with love.
TH: I’m feeling ready to do what I need to do.
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End your session with a couple of deep breaths.
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Simplified EFT process
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If you or your child are too distressed to go through the above scenario, just tap through whatever is happening. Tell a story (out loud) of what has happened or is happening while tapping through the points. Or find a safe place and yell, scream, cry and vent while tapping through the points.
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EFT for children
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School age children can learn this technique easily and it is beneficial for siblings of a sick child. If your child is an infant or toddler and is in distress, you or another parent/adult can gently tap on the child’s tapping points while softly speaking.
Use EFT as an individual practice or in a group of trusted friends. Remember, there are no hard rules about how to perform EFT. Play around with it, be flexible in your approach and most of all, LOVE YOURSELF!
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Note from the Author: It can be very helpful, especially when starting this practice, to follow a guided session (in person or recorded). For more information, including free resources, please references the following websites:
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Find a practitioner
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Healing Stories
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Tapping Tutorials
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Research
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Podcast
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Videos
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Books
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Tapping Tuesdays (Free YouTube tapping circle with EFT Trainer Amanda Miller)
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Free meditations
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Research
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Blog
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Podcast
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Find a Practitioner
Books I recommend for inspirational reading
Bliss Brain by Dawson Church, Ph.D.
Mind to Matter by Dawson Church, Ph.D.
The Hidden Messages in Water by Masaru Emoto
Tuning the Human Biofield by Eileen Day McKusick
References:
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Bach, D., Groesbeck, G., Stapleton, P., Sims, R., Blickheuser, K., & Church, D. (2019). Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) improves multiple physiological markers of health. Journal of Evidence-based Integrative Medicine, 24, 2515690X1882369. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2515690X18823691
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McKusick, E.D. (2021). Electric Body, Electric Health: Using the Electromagnetism Within (and Around) You to Rewire, Recharge and Raise Your Voltage. St. Martin’s Essentials.
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Temes, R. (2006). The Tapping Cure: A Revolutionary System for Rapid Relief from Phobias, Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and More. Da Capo Press.
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Callahan, R., & Trubo, R. (2001). Tapping the Healer Within: Using Thought-Field Therapy to Instantly Conquer Your Fears, Anxieties, and Emotional Distress. McGraw Hill Professional.