What is EFT
EFT or tapping, is a form of ‘Energy Psychology’ which is based on the traditional Chinese medicine practice of acupressure points on the body. Using your fingertips, over your clothes, you tap through a sequence of points on the hands, face, and body while focusing on uncomfortable feelings, thoughts or memories.
A lot of our core beliefs are made within our early childhood experiences, with a child's perspective. This perspective is often buried in our subconscious. When we get triggered by something, such as stress, anger, overwhelm, our body reacts before our mind. This is when we feel we have no control over our 'reaction' as our body is programmed from our specific childhood experiences that this sensory input is not safe.
When we are enabled to calmly look at the experiences from our past that have shaped our core beliefs with an adult perspective, we can often gain new information and have naturally positive realisations. You can then change beliefs that are no longer true for you, reducing reactions to usually triggering situations - allowing you to truly experience emotional freedom.
How EFT Tapping works in the body
Past wellbeing tools have focused on our minds and thoughts to then change how we feel and act (Cognitive pathway), but current research is showing that we need to use our bodies to regulate our mind and thoughts to be able to change our thought patterns (Somatic pathway) EFT uses both mind and body, with the initial focus being on regulating the nervous system, which then allows for the brain to regulate. The stimulation of the acupressure points on the body provides sensory input to the nervous system, sending calming signals which affect our emotions and thoughts.
The brain then experiences a 'system error' and reassess that which it thought was a threat - allowing for neuroplasticity and a new pattern of response to be learnt. What memory or thought was initially a trigger gently and naturally dissolves allowing you to remain calm around the initial memory or thought and reframe your perception and belief, allowing for more positive, self-compassionate thinking.
Memories stay the same but the emotional response dissolves, now you can respond in an emotionally regulated state.
Children don't have the layers of experience that embed negative beliefs and therefore can generally shift their perspective much quicker - Making EFT an invaluable tool for children to learn, by seeing the adults around them tap to self-regulate emotions.
The meaning we give our experiences informs our bodies reactions and emotions. Calm validation allows perceptions to shift and emotional charge to release - allowing for control to respond rather than react.
Sally Peacock