EFT tapping for healing has genuinely changed my life in such significant ways that I'm so excited to finally be writing this updated post! The best thing about tapping is how easy it is to do and how quickly it works. It’s not just a quick fix; it taps into your body’s energy system to create lasting change.
In today's article, I will explain EFT tapping for healing, how it works, how to do it, and what you can use it for.
What is EFT Tapping for Healing?
EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Techniques, a healing modality that involves tapping specific acupressure points to calm the body while rewiring the subconscious mind. This practice is rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, which teaches that energy, or “qi,” flows through the body along meridian lines.
Dr. Roger Callahan, a traditionally trained psychologist, discovered the power of tapping while attempting to help a client overcome a severe water phobia she had had since childhood. Despite a year of trying various psychotherapy techniques, nothing worked—until he applied what he had learned about meridian points.
When the client mentioned that the fear caused a "pit" in her stomach, Dr. Callahan instructed her to tap the meridian point under her eye, which is associated with the stomach. To their amazement, her fear subsided within minutes, and her symptoms did not return.
How EFT Tapping for Healing Works
When you're stressed, anxious, or experiencing emotional distress, your brain—specifically the amygdala—sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus, flooding your body with stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. This triggers the fight-or-flight response.
EFT tapping calms the body and brain by stimulating the body’s energy system through key meridian points. Tapping on these points signals to the brain that everything is okay, effectively reducing cortisol levels and helping to release energetic blockages.
While focusing on the issue you're trying to address, tapping helps the brain relax, rewiring how you think and feel about it. You're telling your body and mind that this thought or feeling is not a threat.
Chronic stress can keep your body in fight-or-flight mode, weakening your immune system and creating the perfect storm for dis-ease. EFT tapping helps release this stress and shift the subconscious patterns contributing to these issues, promoting deep healing.
Why Does EFT Tapping Work?
EFT tapping works because it combines elements of modern psychology with principles from traditional Chinese medicine. It targets both the mind and the body’s energy system, directly addressing the connection between emotional and physical health by calming the nervous system and resolving energetic blockages.
Here’s why EFT tapping is so effective:
Calms the Brain’s Stress Response
When you’re stressed, anxious, or upset, the amygdala in your brain signals a fight-or-flight response, flooding your body with stress hormones like cortisol. Tapping on acupressure points signals your brain that you are safe, reducing the production of these hormones and helping you feel calm.
Rewires the Subconscious Mind
Focusing on emotional distress or limiting beliefs while tapping disrupts old thought patterns stored in the subconscious. This rewiring process allows the brain to process the issue in a new way, reducing its emotional charge.
Restores Energy Flow
In traditional Chinese medicine, disruptions in your body’s energy system are believed to cause emotional and physical symptoms. Tapping clears these disruptions, helping energy flow freely, promoting balance, and healing.
Addresses the Root Cause
Unlike some methods that only address surface-level symptoms, EFT tapping works at the root of the issue—whether it’s an emotional trauma, a limiting belief, or a physical sensation linked to stress. By resolving the core issue, the symptoms often naturally fade away.
EFT tapping is a powerful tool for healing because it combines emotional acknowledgment, physical stimulation, and energetic clearing. It works holistically to create harmony in the mind, body, and life.
What Does EFT Tapping Do to Your Body?
EFT tapping has a profound effect on both your physical body and overall well-being by addressing the mind-body connection. When you tap on specific acupressure points, you activate your body’s energy system, sending calming signals to the brain and creating harmony throughout your system. Here’s what EFT tapping does to your body specifically:
Reduces Cortisol Levels
Tapping directly reduces the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, in your body. Chronic stress keeps cortisol levels elevated, which can lead to a weakened immune system, disrupted sleep, and even chronic illnesses. EFT tapping helps lower cortisol, allowing your body to relax and restore balance.
Calms the Nervous System
EFT tapping soothes the nervous system by disrupting the fight-or-flight response. This response, triggered by stress or fear, keeps your body in a state of hypervigilance. Tapping activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation, healing, and recovery.
Clears Energy Blockages
In traditional Chinese medicine, disruptions or blockages in the body’s energy flow are believed to lead to emotional and physical symptoms. EFT tapping clears these blockages by stimulating meridian points, allowing energy to flow freely and restoring balance.
Relieves Physical Symptoms
Because emotions and physical sensations are deeply interconnected, releasing emotional distress often leads to a reduction in physical symptoms. People have reported relief from chronic pain, tension, and other discomforts after regular tapping sessions.
Boosts Immune Function
Chronic stress can suppress the immune system, leaving the body vulnerable to illness. EFT tapping reduces stress and calms the body, supporting immune function and overall health.
Promotes Emotional and Physical Healing
When you tap to address unresolved emotions or traumas, you give your body the space it needs to heal. EFT tapping not only helps you feel emotionally lighter but also supports your body in repairing itself.
In essence, EFT tapping works holistically, calming the mind and regulating the body.
Benefits of EFT Tapping
EFT tapping offers benefits that can be life-changing. Here are some key areas it can help with:
- Reducing anxiety, stress, and PTSD symptoms
- Balancing cortisol levels for better overall health
- Relieving chronic pain and promoting healing
- Resolving past traumas and releasing emotional baggage
- Losing weight by addressing underlying blocks
- Improving relationships and communication
- Attracting abundance by releasing financial blockages
- Boosting mental health and emotional resilience
When you heal the mind, the body follows. This is why tapping is so powerful: it works at the root level to create actual, lasting change.
The EFT tapping points
There are nine tapping points that are in the most commonly used tapping sequence. Below I'll share more about each one.
- Eyebrow: Located at the start of the eyebrow, this point corresponds with the bladder.
- Side of Eye: Found on the bone at the corner of the eye, this point connects to the gallbladder.
- Under Eye: Tapping here affects the stomach meridian.
- Under Nose: A governing vessel located beneath the nose.
- Chin: This central vessel lies below the lower lip.
- Collarbone: Two inches below the collarbones, these points are associated with the kidneys.
- Under Arm: Located about three inches below the armpit, this corresponds to the spleen.
- Top of the Head: Found at the crown, this is a governing vessel point.
- Side of Hand: This point, known as the "karate chop" point, connects to the small intestine meridian.
Each point helps restore balance to your body’s energy system, alleviating emotional and physical symptoms.
What to Say During EFT Tapping
What you say during EFT tapping, often referred to as a "tapping script," is an important part of the process. It helps you focus on the issue you’re addressing and guides your mind toward releasing negative emotions and adopting new, empowering beliefs. Here’s how to structure your words during a tapping session:
1. Start with the Setup Statement
The setup statement is repeated while tapping on the side of the hand (the karate chop point). It acknowledges the problem while offering self-acceptance. A common structure for this is:
"Even though I [describe the issue], I deeply and completely accept myself."
Examples:
- "Even though I feel overwhelmed by work, I deeply and completely accept myself."
- "Even though I’m scared of this presentation, I choose to feel calm and confident."
2. Acknowledge Your Feelings
As you tap through the other points, speak openly about how you feel. This might include negative emotions, fears, or physical sensations. Be honest and specific.
Examples:
- "I feel so stressed and don’t know what to do."
- "This fear feels heavy in my chest."
- "I’m worried I’ll fail, and it feels overwhelming."
Acknowledging your feelings helps bring them to the surface, which is the first step toward releasing them.
3. Transition to Empowering Statements
After acknowledging the negative for a few rounds, shift to more positive or calming statements. This will encourage your mind and body to adopt a new perspective.
Examples:
- "I choose to release this stress and feel safe now."
- "I trust that I am capable of handling this."
- "I feel calm, centered, and ready to move forward."
4. End with Appreciation or Peace
Conclude your session with statements of appreciation, peace, or affirmation.
Examples:
- "I am grateful for this moment of calm."
- "I feel at peace and trust everything will work out."
Tips for Crafting Your Words
- Speak in your own voice. Use words that resonate with how you truly feel.
- Focus on one issue at a time. This helps you stay present and make deeper progress.
- Stay flexible. Adjust your statements as new emotions or thoughts arise during the session.
How Long Does EFT Tapping Take to Work?
One of the most awesome things about EFT tapping is how quickly it can create noticeable changes. For many people, tapping can bring relief within minutes, especially for issues like reducing stress or calming immediate anxiety. You might feel a shift in your emotional state or physical tension as you go through just one tapping session.
However, the time it takes to work can vary depending on the complexity of the issue you're addressing. For example:
- Immediate Relief: Simple issues, such as momentary stress or a mild fear, can often be resolved in a single tapping session.
- Deeper Emotional Healing: For more entrenched challenges, like chronic anxiety, trauma, or limiting beliefs, tapping may require multiple sessions over days or weeks. Consistency is key for lasting results.
- Ongoing Benefits: Tapping is more than just a quick fix. The more you practice, the more you’ll notice cumulative benefits as you release layers of unresolved emotions and energetic blockages.
The best approach is to start where you are and let tapping become part of your daily routine. Whether you have a few minutes or a full hour, every session helps move you closer to emotional freedom and healing.
My favorite tapping resources
The best way I recommend learning is to download The Tapping Solution app. (I am not affiliated with this app; it is just what I personally use.) This app shows you how to tap and has several free meditations that are always accessible.
If you want to go deeper, they also have a monthly membership called the Tapping Insiders Club. The app is sufficient, but the club goes into way more topics. I used to be subscribed to both when I was learning EFT and needed the guidance and support. I consider them both to be essential in their own way.
EFT tapping books
While I have mostly learned about EFT tapping through the tapping app and videos on YouTube, there are a few great books you can check out if you're wanting to learn more thoroughly about tapping. Here's the ones I recommend:
- The Tapping Solution
- Manifesting Your Greatest Self
- The EFT Manual
- Tapping Into Wealth
- The Tapping Solution for Pain Relief
EFT tapping is an easy yet transformative tool for healing and reprogramming your subconscious mind. Whether you're dealing with stress, trauma, or limiting beliefs, tapping helps you regain control over your well-being.
Tapping has been one of those things that I share with everyone because of how much it has helped me and continues to be one of my top go-to's for healing any aspect of my life.
I truly hope you give it a chance and see if it works for you.
EXPLORE FURTHER
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this article and found something to take away with you.
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With love,
Jessica
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Merry Street
EFT, aka Tapping, is a wonderful tool. It was brought to the masses by GARY CRAIG who was aided by his then girlfriend, Adriana Fowley. It is often credited to others but it was Gary who developed and gifted this wonderful modality to the world. As Gary famously says, ‘Try it on everything!” Great article and thanks for sharing.
Jessica Dimas
Thank you for adding this context, Merry, it’s such an important reminder of EFT’s roots and the power of the modality. I completely agree: “Try it on everything” is a wise motto! So glad the article resonated with you ✨