Stress Buster Tip # 1 - Have you ever heard of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as Tapping?



 

The underlying principle of Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT is that all emotions and thoughts are forms of energy; this energy, whether positive or negative, has very real physical manifestations that affect all functions of the body.

 

The concept of EFT can also be explained as combining acupressure with talking therapy. It involves tapping along the end points of “energy meridians” located around the body in order to reduce tension and promote a deeper mind-body connection. The specific points used for tapping promote physical and emotional healing. This is typically combined with speaking out the emotions that are being experienced by the person at the time. These could be either in conjunction with a past situation or right there in the moment of feeling a certain negative emotion. For example: It can be used right there in the moment to calm one’s self down when experiencing stress or anxiety or anger or even pain.

 

People use EFT tapping techniques for:

·      Reducing short-term or chronic stress

·      Reducing muscular tension and joint pain

·      Decreasing fatigue and boosting energy levels

·      Decreasing tension headaches

·      Coping with emotional problems such as low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety



What I love about EFT is that there is actually clinical evidence that support its effectiveness. The Pharma geek in me is always looking for such scientific evidence to prove the effectiveness of an alternate therapy.


·      A 2016 meta-analysis published in the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease found that among 14 different studies emotional freedom technique treatment led to a significant decrease in anxiety scores among adults experiencing psychological distress (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26894319/)

 

·      According to a 2014 review published in Medical Acupuncture, “Clinical EFT has been shown to regulate stress hormones and limbic function and to improve various neurologic markers of general health. The epigenetic effects of EFT include upregulation of immunity genes and downregulation of inflammation genes.” (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6381429/)

 

·      Another 2012 study also published in the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease found that when subjects were randomly assigned to either an Emotional Freedom Technique group, a psychotherapy group, or a no-treatment group, the group receiving EFT treatments decreases in cortisol levels and a number of improvements in psychological distress markers (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22986277/)

 

And here’s a lot more scientific evidence for those who are interested in reading clinical studies  https://journals.lww.com/jonmd/Pages/results.aspx?txtKeywords=EFT


Clinical evidence aside, the best evidence one can always be convinced of is, using a technique on one’s self. I can only speak of my experience with EFT when I was learning the technique and now that I am practicing it on myself and on case study clients (I have been trained in the technique and am on my way to becoming a certified practitioner soon!).

 

Speaking from my own experience, during my first class I was suffering from some pain in my back and shoulders due to stress/ tension. As I tapped along with the teacher and the person who’d volunteered to be the live demo for pain reduction – lo and behold! I felt my pain gradually ebb away and eventually disappear. I was floored by the results and even more by the immediate relief that was felt from a single session. Over the next four days, I witnessed significant changes come across in our group. There were phobias being cleared, emotional trauma from past traumatic events being healed, anxieties were being dissolved – it was a whole, new world I’d stepped in.

 

And this world, was one that delved into a person’s inner world and helped them release any negative emotion being stored and from there came healing and then freedom. Freedom from pain, from trauma, from a phobia and sometimes even from a chronic disease.

 

Yes, EFT is an alternate healing therapy – but as demonstrated above there is enough and more scientific evidence being compiled in its effectiveness. Its an amazing tool to know of and learn. Always comes in handy and has no age limit or side effects to its usage. So, give it a try! Drop me a message if you’re interested in learning more. 


*With excerpts from https://generalhealthmagazine.com/2017/11/18/5-emotional-freedom-technique-or-eft-tapping-benefits/



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How to Have That Difficult Conversation with Your Boss: 3 Steps to Lead You to Productive Conversations

My story