Emotional Freedom Techniques to Calm the Nervous System

“If we stimulate an acupuncture point, whether that’s with Tapping or using a traditional acupuncture needle, the amygdala, that stress center, does deactivate – and quickly.”

- Dr. Peta Stapleton, Pyschologist, PHD

Commonly known as “Tapping”, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), uses cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and Exposure Therapy, alongside Chinese acupuncture, and is commonly called “Tapping” because instead of needles, gentle tapping with the fingertips is used on the acupuncture points. As we tap on and activate these points, a message is sent to the amygdala in the brain to tell it that it is safe which turns off the alarm response. EFT is like a coin because it has two sides: the physical tapping on acupuncture points on one side (EFT Tapping) and the counselling/therapy on the other side. A certified EFT Practitioner is trained to provide counselling while guiding the tapping at the same time. It addresses the cognitive (mind) and the somatic (body) together.

There have been many studies on the effectiveness of EFT.  It is an evidence-based therapy and it continues to be researched in a wide number of areas having first become known for it’s effectiveness with trauma and PTSD. For more information about research on EFT you can visit Dr. Peta Stapletons’ website: https://www.petastapleton.com/

“The best way out is always through.”

- Robert Frost

EFT offers a beautiful and unique framework for addressing our emotions and thoughts. The whole purpose of EFT is to get to what are called “the core issues”, the heart of it all so they can be processed and cleared. This means addressing “the emotional shadows”, the past trauma, feelings, memories and beliefs. We must look at what is uncomfortable because it is from the experiences that we have lived, especially as children, that we have made meaning about ourselves and our world that is not necessarily true, and adopted false and limiting beliefs and behaviours that are not serving us now.

“You might not remember it, but your nervous system does”

– Victoria Erickson

And it is these deeper emotions and beliefs that can trigger the fight, flight and freeze responses that happen in the body because they are stored in the body. We know the nervous system goes into alarm in response to physical threats, but we are just coming to fully grasp that the nervous system also goes into alarm, and thus self-protection, in response to emotional threats.

Someone makes a remark at a social gathering that you feel insulted by. Plans you were really excited for fall through at the last minute. A co-worker gets fired. You haven’t received a response from an email you sent. There is no physical danger in any of these scenarios, but the nervous system sees these as threats, or potential threats, because it reminds the nervous system of some hurt you experienced in the past and it is trying to protect you now from feeling that hurt again.

“There are three key reasons for EFT’s efficacy, and they work hand in hand. One is that EFT reduces stress. The second is that EFT diminishes the intensity of emotional trauma. The third is that EFT modifies the way the brain processes emotional information.”

- Dawson Church, PhD

EFT not only gives us a gentle and effective tool to calm down the alarm response but provides a gentle tool to feel and face what is uncomfortable. It tells the brain it is safe right now despite the existence of uncomfortable feelings, thoughts, memories or sensations in the body, thus setting the stage to do the inner work without re-traumatizing. It’s like being given a life jacket in rough waters and then being pulled gently to shore (because there is no magic in healing, lasting healing takes some work).

In today’s world there is an abundance of self-help resources readily available on just about everything, and that includes EFT. The tapping side of EFT is an excellent self-help tool for those who are wanting to manage their day-to-day emotions, reduce general stress and help keep the nervous system calm and balanced. It is my #1 go to! It is important to be aware however, that the EFT commonly demonstrated on social media and in popular apps, is a shortened version of the EFT Tapping, presented with a scripted talking in place of the counselling.

The truth is that in a professional EFT session, a longer version of the EFT Tapping is used, along with additional tapping points and a technique called the 9-gammut procedure which provides bilateral brain stimulation similar to Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep and EMDR, and there is no scripted tapping.  The EFT Practitioner uses her/his expertise and tailors the session to what is specifically needing to be addressed for the individual client in the moment, uses a variety of therapy techniques including inquiry with the goal of getting to the heart of the matter, and it is a collaborative process. It is important to be aware that scripted tapping is too general to address and accommodate personal, specific issues and process, and often turns to the positive too quickly.

While we can absolutely improve our self-talk and learn to process most emotions and struggles on our own with practice, we often can’t be objective with ourselves and we can’t see our own blind spots. If you are struggling with such things as trauma/PTSD, painful memories, intense emotions, anxiety, or depression, please reach out for help from a certified EFT Practitioner or a counsellor/therapist.

In Part 2, I will outline the EFT Tapping points and give some tips on how you can use EFT Tapping as an effective self-help tool where, with consistent practice, you can achieve more calm, clear-mindedness, emotional empowerment, and enhance your mental, emotional, and physical well-being.  

Written by Michele Venema BScN, RN, Psychotherapist, cEFT2 AEFTP

Nurse Psychotherapist/EFT Practitioner

From Shadows to SoulLight Counselling 2023