EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE (EFT) FOR STRESS RELIEF: Tapping into Calmness

There are various techniques available to alleviate stress, one approach that has gained significant attention is the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). In this article, we will discover what EFT is, how it works, and the potential benefits it offers in terms of stress relief.

EFT, short for Emotional Freedom Techniques - is a method of releasing emotions - and thus broadly understood stress. It is also known as tapping.

It combines psychological knowledge and the most important concepts of Chinese Medicine - knowledge about meridians and acupuncture points. It is sometimes jokingly called psychological acupuncture.

Tapping harmonizes mind and body, and brings the body back into balance. It lowers the level of cortisol (stress hormone), which reduces stress and reduces its symptoms, and this translates into healthier cells and higher immunity over time.

You to feel better about yourself, be calmer and more satisfied with life, discover your potential, and bring about the changes you want.

This method has been known since the 90s of the twentieth century and is popular mainly in the USA, but also increasingly in European countries. It is used not only by coaches or broadly understood trainers but also by psychologists and psychiatrists to treat various types of disorders.

Imagine your body as an energy system with various pathways known as meridians.

When you experience emotional or physical distress, these pathways can become blocked or disrupted. EFT involves tapping on these meridian points using your fingertips, which helps to clear any blockages and restore the energy flow. While tapping, you'll also repeat affirmations or acknowledge the issue you're dealing with. This combination of physical touch and mental focus is what sets EFT apart and makes it so effective.

The EFT method allows you to reprogram your brain and body to act and react differently, more harmoniously.

Working with this method stops the stress reaction and lowers cortisol levels. In addition, it harmonizes both cerebral hemispheres, but also individual parts of the brain - the brain stem responsible for instincts, the limbic system responsible for emotions and feeling, and the neocortex, the so-called rational brain, responsible for thinking and creativity.

And how does it work from the "user" point of view?

For people who come into contact with EFT for the first time, the fact that we tap our heads and face with our fingers and repeat some sentences may seem strange.

It can be even weirder when we see the reactions of people tapping themselves - violent crying or laughing can be surprising. However, these are the most natural and even desirable ways in which the body relieves and releases emotions. The more tension comes out, the less we have inside of us.

The important thing is that it's not just about tapping. Equally important - if not more important - is to focus on the problem and what we are saying when tapping. By repeating sentences related to our problem, we focus the mind on specific neural pathways that connect events with emotions.

The brain is neuroplastic, so the neural connections are not set in stone. We can weaken various neural pathways by creating new ones. Thus, we can retrain various events and situations, create new ways of reacting and acting, and change the way of thinking about problems.

EFT has garnered attention for its potential to provide relief from stress and various other emotional challenges. Some potential benefits include:

There are always those who act and test everything for themselves and those who need to be convinced first. The former, through experience, will quickly find out that EFT works. For others who need proof of effectiveness, here are some science-based facts.

Since the 1990s, EFT has proven to be the most effective method for many different problems. The effectiveness reaches 90%, and the results are permanent.

There is a lot of scientific evidence, I refer interested people to the book "The Science Behind Tapping" by Dr. Peta Stapleton. This is a great compendium of scientific knowledge about the EFT method, it compiles over 100 (!) Clinical studies that confirm the effects of EFT. There are more such studies, there are several hundred, not all of them clinical.

I also encourage you to visit THE TAPPING SOLUTION

The EFT method is entering the therapeutic world for good, in some countries it already has its well-deserved and well-established place, in some it enters slowly but surely. For the sake of curiosity, it is, for example, part of the program in France at several universities (e.g. "Complementary approaches in psychotherapy and traumatic dimensions" in Metz and at the prestigious Faculty of Medicine in Lyon under "Short-term therapies").

Not to mention the countless courses you can find online, but be warned, you can find a bit of everything, so it's worth getting your bearings!

Integrating EFT into your daily routine can be a straightforward process:

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) offers a unique and holistic approach to managing stress and promoting emotional well-being. By combining physical touch with focused attention, EFT taps into the body's energy system to alleviate negative emotions and physical discomfort. If you're dealing with everyday stressors or more profound emotional challenges, EFT has the potential to become a valuable tool in your self-care arsenal.

Consider exploring EFT and integrating it into your routine to experience its potential benefits firsthand.