Emotional Freedom Technique

EFT

Tapping

Emotional Freedom Technique, EFT or Tapping is a mind-body self-help method that mixes elements of talk therapy, exposure therapy, and acupressure. You tap on specific points while thinking about something stressful, and many people find that it helps them feel calmer and more in control.

EFT is like acupuncture but without the needles. Instead of poking the skin, you tap lightly with your fingertips on specific points on the body—mostly on the face and upper body. While you’re doing the tapping, you focus on a particular issue that’s bothering you, like anxiety, a bad memory, or pain, and you say certain phrases out loud that acknowledge the problem.

The idea is that by tapping on these points (which are said to be connected to energy meridians used in traditional Chinese medicine), you can help your brain and body calm down, reduce stress, and even change the emotional charge of negative experiences. You don’t need to believe in energy meridians or Eastern medicine to try it. It’s simple and can be done almost anywhere — kind of like emotional first aid.

Where Did EFT Come From?

EFT was developed in the 1990s by Gary Craig, a Stanford engineering graduate who was trained in a technique called Thought Field Therapy (TFT) by psychologist Roger Callahan. TFT involved tapping too, but it was more complex—different problems required different tapping sequences. Craig simplified it into a single routine that could be used on almost any emotional issue and made it more accessible.

Craig wasn’t a psychologist or doctor, but he believed in energy healing and wanted something people could use for self-help. He published a free manual online in the late '90s, and EFT took off mostly through word-of-mouth, online communities, and workshops.

References

Church, D., & Feinstein, D. (2017). The clinical efficacy of Energy Psychology: A literature review. Explore, 13(6), 416–426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2017.08.003

Feinstein, D. (2012). Acupoint stimulation in treating psychological disorders: Evidence of efficacy. Review of General Psychology, 16(4), 364–380. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0028602

Craig, G. (1995). The EFT Manual. Retrieved from https://www.emofree.com

Callahan, R. J. (2001). Tapping the Healer Within: Using Thought Field Therapy to Instantly

If you feel that EFT could help you

Then