One of the greatest ways to begin healing the root cause condition of stress is through a powerful process called Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). It’s also known as tapping.
What is Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)?
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as tapping, is a psychological acupressure technique that supports your emotional health. EFT combines the cognitive benefits of therapy with the physical benefits of acupuncture to restore your energy and heal your emotions. EFT doesn’t use needles. You just stimulate certain meridian points on the upper body (seen in the diagram) by tapping on them with your fingertips.
How EFT works
The goal of EFT is to balance disturbances in your energy field. More than 5,000 years ago the Chinese recognized a series of energy circuits that run through the body. They called these circuits meridians, and today this concept is the basis for acupuncture and acupressure healing.
When you tap on specific energy meridians found on your face, head, arm and chest, you can release old fears, limiting beliefs, negative patterns and even physical pain. While you tap you talk out loud about the issue you are working to heal. Allowing yourself to emote while simultaneously tapping on the energy points sends a signal to the brain that it’s safe to relax. Our fear response, which is controlled by the amygdala, is lessened.
Guided EFT for anxiety and stress
If you feel inspired to begin addressing the root cause behind your stress, let’s begin the EFT process. Please remember to take full responsibility for your own well-being, because sometimes unexpected emotions can come up while tapping.
Start by rating your stress level on a scale of 0 to 10, 10 being the most severe.
Then take a moment to write down the most pressing issue (MPI) causing your stress. Some examples:
- I’m so stressed because of work.
- I’m stressed because of my marriage.
- I’m anxious about this health situation.
Or it can simply be, “I’m stressed out.”
Next, press play on this video and tap with me.
What to do after EFT
Now that you’ve finished your tapping session, rate your MPI on a scale of 1 to 10 again. It’s likely you moved down the scale, maybe from a 10 to a 4 or even a 0!
Take note of the emotional shift that occurred. If this worked for you, then keep tapping! If it didn’t work, keep tapping! Tapping has countless benefits, and stress reduction is one of the greatest. In order to heal your gut you have to heal the root cause condition: stress.
For more mental health resources, check out my blog post on gut health and stress as well as my blog post on spiritual and practical tips for anxiety.
I am a fairly new Gabby follower. I have loved the guided meditations offered in Miracle Membership, but tapping has been the most exciting tool I have learned in a long time. I really want to thank you … you are helping me to thrive in this second half of life. ❤
Awesome, Elise. So glad that the tools and practices are resonating with you! Keep shining your bright light! xoxo
My dr showed me tapping, but only four points, above eyebrow, cheek, under arm, collar bone. In that order, 8 times each (and hard enough to really feel it) but said to switch sides of body when moving to each area (zig zag). You didn’t move sides, what is the difference? She said it won’t work if you don’t switch sides….??? Please advise. Thank you!
Great question, Loni. Practitioners may teach and use different variations of EFT. I am sharing the method that I was taught. Here is some additional information that you might find helpful: https://www.thetappingsolution.com/tapping-101/. xoxo
My first time tapping! It really helped with my uncertainty and aniexty ! But I need more work for sure. Thank you my spirit guided me to you
Awesome, Deena! Tapping is such a great resource. So glad you were guided to this blog post and that you found it helpful! xoxo
Thank you Gabby!
XOX
Wonderful technique. So helpful!
Thank you xx
Gabby, Thank you so much for left. I am more balanced. I have cancer but my husband is let’s say void of this. no compassion. flowers. and I feel alot of self pity which is destroying me. Left helps me to calm down and focus, much love, good vibes and peace.
Grateful these tools are supporting you Sharon. Sending you much love, light and positive healing vibes. xxoo
I’ve done this yesterday and today – working with the same issue (money anxiety, not feeling financially secure enough).
What I find interesting – besides my MPI going down, is that I can feel my root chakra opening up in the second round and by the final round I can feel an easier flow throughout all of my chakras. A nice, warm, fuzzy, cosy flow of energy.
Thank you Gabby, this exercise is incredibly helpful to instantly release anxiety.
This is awesome!
Thank you for this video! I have a question – is it ok to tap throughout the day (or even back to back) on different pressing issues or is it a one thing at a time process? Let’s say I’m dealing with anger, and shoulder pain… can I treat them separately but on the same day?
Thanks!!!
Great question, Daniela. Yes, you can tap on different issues on the same day. If the issues are related, you can tap back to back. If they are not closely related, it may be more helpful to space your tapping sessions out over the course of the day. I hope this helps! xo
Thank you Gabby!!! Your blog post email that included the link to this EFT tool came at JUST.THE.RIGHT.TIME !! Thank you so much for sharing these techniques
So grateful these tools are supporting you Ashley.
Gary Craig’s EFT saved me years of strife by helping me resolve a bad familial relationship. It didn’t help me as much with physical ailments (except for the odd headache) but I never really gave those issues that much effort. The one miracle it provided was enough! I am pleased to see Gabby Bernstein is so faithful to the actual Emotional Freedom Technique Gary Craig created in 1995. There have been a lot of spin offs. EmoFree.com goes into the training pretty in depth.
Thanks for sharing Cynthia!
This was my second time tapping with you. The first time we did some in your recent live stream and I loved it. This time I felt the benefits even more. I went from a 6 to a ZERO! This practice is absolutely amazing. I can’t wait to keep doing this. I love you Gabby!
Awesome Liz! I loved reading this and so happy this supported you! <3
Hi Gabby
I found that each time I reached the top of the head in the anxiety tapping routine I burst into tears. It was like my anxiety changed to sadness.
I suspect there’s a lot of sadness in me.
Should I then change my MPI to sadness?
Hi Jane. Crying is a very natural reaction to tapping. Practicing EFT can bring stuck emotions up and out. Other reactions might include sneezing, coughing, or burping. Be gentle with yourself and let those tears flow. <3
Amazing
<3
Recent loss of my mother (March 2019)has really amped up my anxiety, plus an overwhelming sadness. I struggle to keep the tears at bay while tapping, as if I’m taking a moment for it to take over rather than lessen. But I’m really trying!! Any thoughts on this pattern of grief and the use of EFT? Thanks! ❤️ Lindee
Sending you lots of love and healing.
If you’re feel overwhelmed by grief, please tap with caution. Talk your therapist or doctor before tapping to get support on how to handle strong feelings that may come up. Here are some wonderful, supportive tapping videos on grief:
Brad Yates video for tapping on loss & grief: https://youtu.be/kDyw3MLwzmo
The Tapping Solution (Nick Ortner)’s 52-minute audio lesson and EFT guidance on processing grief: https://www.thetappingsolution.com/blog/grief-hurts/
Lindee,
I suffered a great loss and tapping saved my life! I would literally sob through it until I finally fell asleep. I couldn’t even utter any words at times because the pain was so great but I just kept tapping, praying, meditating, receiving Reiki, therapy, etc.
The loss is always a loss but we can definitely lessen our pain by acknowledging it and allowing it to move through us.
Warmest regards,
Toni
Thank you for sharing this. Tapping is the next step on my journey. I’m going to try to incorporate this into my morning routine. You are very inspiring, I’m on a similar journey and have started publicly sharing my story.
Beautiful Deirdre! Excited for your continued journey ahead!
Synchronicity at its finest again! This morning I said out loud, I don’t want to keep getting upset, I don’t want this fear and anxiety on a certain issue to keep clouding me and once again you have delivered! I opened my inbox this morning and came across your blog on detoxing with details on tapping. Once again, thank you Gabby xo
Woot woot! Love this Bec! XOX