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Emotional Freedom Techniques

"The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body's energy system."

Gary Craig

EFT is a powerful tool for addressing emotional distress, anxiety, and trauma. Developed by Gary Craig, it combines ancient Chinese medicine with modern psychology to facilitate healing and personal growth.

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a mind-body, holistic healing method rooted in Energy Psychology. It operates within the Primo Vascular System, the body’s subtle energy system, specifically the meridian network described in Traditional Chinese Medicine. EFT involves gently tapping on acupuncture points while focusing on a specific emotional or physical issue. This stimulation sends signals to the brain, promoting a state of calm. The goal of tapping is to facilitate healing by releasing blocked emotions. EFT enables the exploration and transformation of emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and ingrained patterns. It directly addresses negative responses, rapidly neutralizing discomfort and providing quick relief. If chronic pain is linked to the emotion, both can be released concurrently, following EFT’s core principle: ‘The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system’. EFT often provides solutions when other methods fail, making it a valuable tool for those seeking relief. It is simple to learn and apply, allowing individuals to achieve noticeable results almost immediately.

What is EFT?

a person jumping in the air at sunset
a person jumping in the air at sunset
a woman standing in a field with her arms outstretched
a woman standing in a field with her arms outstretched

What can EFT help with?

  • Relieve stress and promote general relaxation

  • Release and transform painful, uncomfortable or “negative” emotions like anxiety, sadness, anger, guilt, frustration, etc.

  • Improve or even eliminate some types of physical discomfort or pain

  • Heal the effects of emotional trauma whether you remember the incident or not, and whether the emotional trauma came from one event or many

  • Diminish cravings for food and addictive substances

  • Resolve financial blocks and help us change our financial behavior

  • Address relationship problems

  • Resolve emotional eating and weight issues

  • Ameliorate or relieve symptoms from diagnosed medical conditions

  • Relieve phobias and other fears, irrational or otherwise

  • Relieve the symptoms of PTSD

  • Foster better sleep and sleep habits

  • Increase self-esteem, clear-thinking, positive feelings and a sense of greater peace

  • Improve performance (artistic, professional, athletic, sexual, etc.)

  • Maximize creativity, visioning, and goal setting

  • Increase energy and productivity

  • Empower children, parents and families

  • Benefit the lives of animals

  • Promote spiritual growth, self-empowerment and confidence

  • Move us beyond self-limiting beliefs and open us towards greater possibilities

  • And so much more...

    (credit to EFT International Free Tapping Manual Version 3.3 April 2021)

Science behind EFT

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blue and green peacock feather
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blue and white abstract painting
  • Numerous studies confirm the effectiveness of EFT, demonstrating both physical and psychological benefits through tapping techniques.

  • Recent neuroscience research shows that the brain is capable of reorganization and growth throughout life, allowing for the unlearning of negative patterns and the reinforcement of positive ones.

  • EFT can alter the way traumatic memories are stored in the brain, making them less distressing through a process called memory reconsolidation.

  • The field of epigenetics reveals that our environment and emotions can influence gene expression, suggesting that EFT may enhance physical health by improving emotional well-being.

  • Research indicates that EFT can significantly lower cortisol and adrenaline levels, addressing the negative health impacts of chronic stress.

  • Modern trauma research supports body-centered interventions like EFT, emphasizing that emotional and physical responses to trauma must be addressed holistically for effective healing.

1. Reprogramming Emotional Responses: EFT involves tapping on specific acupressure points while focusing on negative emotions or traumatic memories. This process helps to activate neural pathways associated with these emotions. By repeatedly tapping and addressing these emotions, EFT encourages the brain to form new, healthier connections, effectively reprogramming emotional responses.

2. Breaking Negative Patterns: When individuals experience stress or trauma, their brains can develop strong neural connections associated with negative emotions and reactions. EFT helps to weaken these connections by providing a calming and soothing stimulus (tapping) while addressing the negative emotions. Over time, this repeated activation and calming response can help break the cycle of negative patterns and reinforce positive ones.

3. Enhancing Neuroplasticity: EFT taps into the brain's natural ability to reorganize and grow throughout life. By consistently practicing EFT, individuals can enhance their neuroplasticity, allowing them to unlearn harmful emotional patterns and reinforce positive behaviors. This process supports overall mental health and well-being.

EFT utilizes the principle of "neurons that fire together wire together" to help individuals rewire their brains, break negative emotional patterns, and promote healthier emotional responses through the power of neuroplasticity.

Here's how it works: