What is EFT…or Tapping?
Tapping was developed by an engineer called Gary Craig and it became known as EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). This method is a Fusion of Eastern and Western therapeutic techniques and Gary Craig’s focus was to create a technique that was simple and available to all.
In the 1970s, a psychiatrist, Dr Roger Callahan became increasingly dissatisfied with the current psychotherapeutic options. He had studied kinesiology and was also investigating Eastern Health Practices which involved working on the energy meridians. In the 1980s he started using a combination of meridian work in conjunction with the Western therapeutic models to help his patients. He called this technique: Thought Field Therapy (TFT).
EFT developed from Thought Field Therapy. There are certain points along the energy meridians which are pressure points for stress. In other words, if we want to relieve symptoms of stress, we will work on these areas, either through pressure or by using acupuncture.
Very often, we have deep-seated emotions which are not always accessible to us through talking (i.e.: the psychotherapeutic models that have been most commonly used in the West). By tapping on these stress points, while talking about our issue, we are able to activate what is ‘hidden’ in the cells and tissues of our body.
Whenever we have a stressful experience, we have a physical response. If that trauma or stress is not released, it can accumulate and make us more susceptible to being triggered by other events in the environment. In order to have a whole body healing experience, we need to work with the body and the mind. Neither can be fully effective when used in isolation. Numerous studies on various conditions are being conducted to test the efficacy of EFT.
EFT is a powerful means to release old emotional issues, especially those events which occurred prelinguistically. Have you ever said: ‘I don’t know why I get so tense when this happens’ or ‘why do I clench my jaw every time someone says this?’ This could indicate that there may be old stored fear and tension held in your body which is probably not relevant to your life as it is now. In other words, we live our present reflexing to our past fears. And the more we do this, the more it will happen because we build on our fears and we reinforce the habit. This becomes our focus. Eventfully, we could even say: ‘I know where this issue comes from but I can’t seem to move past it. It’s so frustrating. I feel totally stuck.’
Personally, EFT has been a breakthrough technique in my life. No amount of talking about issues or analysing why I did what I did solved anything. Even having studied psychology did not change how I responded to events or how I lived my life. It was only when I discovered EFT seven years ago that I truly felt what life could be like when one is fear free! It is an awesome feeling to let go of old pain and baggage and tension and live a life of freedom and choice.
I can recommend this form of therapy with absolute trust. It changed my life.