“The mind is like water. When it’s turbulent, it’s difficult to see.
When it’s calm, everything becomes clear.” — Prasad Mahes
What is Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques?
Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a somatic method using gentle techniques used by a certified clinical EFT practitioner to safely help a person heal their nervous system, manage stress and any intense, unpleasant emotions, and reprocess any difficult memories, and release persistent negative thoughts or limiting beliefs, in order to gain a newfound healthier perspective of themselves, gaining a sense of self-compassion, understanding and personal empowerment.
Basic EFT is a stress management tool that anyone can learn and self-apply to calm the mind and body and be more focused and more relaxed when feeling stressed out or overwhelmed by something.
When the body is under stress, both adrenaline and cortisol production are increased to put the body into “survival mode,” more commonly known as the body’s “fight or flight” response.
When in survival mode, it is difficult for a person to think clearly and see a situation for what it really is. When stressed out, one may literally be unable to think straight.
Applying basic EFT regulates one’s nervous system, thereby reducing both adrenaline and cortisol levels, allowing the mind to come back online and allowing the body to relax. A person becomes more present and be able to think more clearly.
Please click here to read about the scientific research done on the effectiveness of clinical EFT.
Please click here to read the results of a meta analysis on the effectiveness of clinical EFT.
Please visit Dr. Peta Stapleton’s website to learn about the effectiveness of EFT/Tapping and why it works.
For an overall review of EFT and the research behind its effectiveness, please click here.
Why traditional therapy can sometimes fall short.
Traditional therapy often uses a top-down, cognitive based approach to help people gain a healthier perspective by looking at their past intellectually using various cognitive techniques, such as CBT or traditional psychotherapy.
In contrast Clinical EFT uses a bottom-up, somatic approach to regulate and re-train the brain and nervous system to be less reactive to triggers (sights/sounds/smells/people/experiences) associated with a past traumatic memory/event and reduce the intensity of any negative emotions that may still be stored in the body.
Clinical EFT helps to release trauma from the brain and body, thus allowing a person the ability to reprocess any meaning given to a specific memory or event, and choose a healthier perspective. EFT provides you with a sense of calm and self-compassion.
When working with a clinical EFT practitioner, you spend less time talking and more time “tapping” to resolve your issues. Clients experiencing clinical EFT can often see noticeable results within a single session!
Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT or “Tapping”) sessions can be done either in person or over video chat either through Zoom, FaceTime or Skype. Online sessions are just as effective as in-person sessions and offer the convenience of remaining in the comfort of your own home. You can also live anywhere in the state of California (and beyond) to have online EFT sessions, as long as you have reliable internet service, a private, quiet place where you won’t be interrupted during the session, and you have a device through which you are able to connect remotely.
I was a featured guest on the "Ted in Your Head" podcast
in which I explain what EFT is and how it is used with clients for daily stressors
as well as heal trauma.
Below are videos by clinical researcher, Dr. Peta Stapleton
on the effectiveness of EFT.
EFT has been scientifically researched.
