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EFT - Emotional Freedom Technique

Tapping Therapy

 

Emotional Freedom Technique:

Using EFT to Relieve Anxiety

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Anxiety can be life-disrupting, so much so that it can even cause your life to feel like it’s come to a stand-still. Indecision, panic and the emotional weight of anxiety can make one feel paralyzed, like they are no longer in control of their emotions or their body’s responses to them. Traditional therapy and medication may not work as imagined, thus compounding the frustration.

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The truth is, there is no such thing as an anxiety treatment method that works for everyone. Another truth is that, once more conventional methods of treatment have been unsuccessfully attempted, emotional freedom techniques could be a long-awaited answer.

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What is Emotional Freedom Technique?

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Emotional freedom technique is also known as EFT, tapping and psychological acupressure. It functions similarly in some ways to acupuncture to alleviate symptoms of physical pain and anxiety.

Founder of the technique Gary Craig believes that pain and anxiety are the resulting symptoms of energy misalignment. 

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Disrupted energy could be the culprit behind many mental health afflictions, physical conditions and that general feeling of unwellness that many people experience every single day. Therefore, it is the focus of EFT to restore the balance of energy within the human body toward the goal of achieving a healthier mind and body.

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What Does EFT Treatment Consist Of?

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In Eastern medicine, acupuncture is commonly used to treat a host of ailments. Through the application of needles to apply pressure to the body’s meridian points, or “hotspots of energy,” this practice is praised for its effectiveness worldwide. EFT similarly focuses on these meridian points – but instead of using needles, the practitioner’s fingertips apply the pressure.

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The tapping of fingertips along these points is believed to send a signal to the hypothalamus, the region of the brain that signals the adrenal glands to dispense stress hormones. In truth, emotional freedom technique is relatively new to the world of modern medicine. Quite fortunately, however, EFT has begun to make a foothold for itself in the world of mental and physical healthcare. Many people are no longer satisfied with “going through the motions” and trying treatment techniques that just don’t work.

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That being said, EFT isn’t as simple as figuring out where your body’s meridian points are and strumming your fingers along them. This technique requires that you put conscious effort and deliberate thought into addressing the concerns in your life, accepting them, and resolving them within yourself. When undergoing EFT, it is vital that the patient do this lest they experience diminished success with the technique.

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There are twelve meridian points in the human body. While tapping these areas, the patient should put their negative feelings to the forefront of their mind. Whether it’s a bad memory, a recent event or any other negative emotion that they carry with them, it must be addressed during EFT for maximum effectiveness.

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The Meridian Points of EFT Tapping

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Implementing the technique typically calls upon nine of these meridian points, which should be tapped upon 5-7 times in a session. This is easy to remember because the points are in descending order on the body. Each meridian point correlates to a different organ or system in the body.

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  1. The Karate Chop (KC) – Small intestine

  2. The Top of the Head (TH) – Governing vessel

  3. The Eyebrow (EB) – Bladder

  4. The Side of the Eye (SE) – Gallbladder

  5. The Spot Under the Eye (UE) – Stomach

  6. Under the Nose (UN) – Governing vessel

  7. The Chin (CH) – Central vessel

  8. The Beginning of the Collarbone (CB) – Kidneys

  9. The Underarm (UA) – Spleen

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Does Emotional Freedom Technique Work?

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Emotional freedom technique has been implemented for thousands of years, but only now are we beginning to understand the science behind this method as modern technology allows us to. As of now, it is largely viewed as an “alternative medicine,” one that is used when conventional cognitive therapies and medications do not work as hoped for. However, there is hope for EFT being accepted as medicine that isn’t “alternative.” Some studies have indicated that this method not only works but can work better for some patients than other forms of care.

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The greater an understanding we achieve of this practice, the more likely it will become to see EFT being touted as a serious treatment option for anxiety sufferers worldwide.

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Call Dr. Clare Albright, Psy.D. CA Psychologist License PSY11660 at (949) 454-0996 at http://DrCAlbright.com

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949-454-0996

©2024 BY DR. CLARE ALBRIGHT, PSY.D., CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST - CA  LICENSE PSY11660

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