EFT ~ Emotional Freedom Technique ( Tapping )
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT/ Tapping) is a simple but highly effective self-help technique based on the combined principles of ancient Chinese acupressure and modern psychology. Tapping with the fingertips on specific meridian end points ( energy pathways ) of the body, while focusing on negative emotions or physical sensations, helps to calm the nervous system, rewire the brain to respond in healthier ways, and restore the body’s balance of energy. This technique goes by a few different names, including Emotional Freedom Technique, EFT Tapping or simply Tapping. One of the best things about EFT is that it can be done anywhere, at any time, quickly and without the use of any equipment and once you have learned the techniques you can use it for a whole array of issues. It puts you in control of your own well being.
What is it used for?
Tapping has had effective results and may offer a solution to problems in many areas including;
Stress and it’s related symptoms, anxiety, depression, reducing muscular tension, pain management, addictions, emotional problems, low self esteem, improving sleep quality, improving athletic performance, relationship issues, fears and phobias, PTSD, serious illness, fibromyalgia, decreasing fatigue and boosting energy levels plus many more. Rather than just fixing the physical issue, tapping helps to reprogram the brain so that a whole body solution can be achieved, stopping the physical automatic response to stress.
How does it work?
Tapping makes full use of the mind-body connection, acknowledging the concept that physical pain, disease and illness, and mental well being are intricately connected to our emotional states. Something highlighted by recent studies into PTSD.
The body contains energy that travels along pathways known as meridians. Tapping on these meridian endpoints helps to stimulate this system, and combined with addressing the root causes of distress, the areas of blocked energy are able to release and flow naturally. It’s a little like acupuncture without the needles.
The basic Tapping technique requires you to focus on the negative emotion at hand – a fear, a worry, a bad memory, an unresolved problem, or anything that’s bothering you. This triggers the bodily response to it. While maintaining your mental focus on this issue, you use your fingertips to tap on the meridian points of the body.
Tapping the points in sequence while concentrating on the negative emotions engages both the brain’s limbic system and the body’s energy system, encouraging a sense of safety and resolution. It literally ‘interrupts’ the negative physical response, retraining your brain to be calm and peaceful when the stress hits.
And as the scientific field of epigenetics is proving, when you change your internal environment – your emotions and beliefs – external changes in your mental & physical health will follow. EFT works on these principles.
How do I learn?
One session with an EFT coach will equip you with all of the skills you need to start tapping. You can learn for ‘general’ issues and begin working with EFT yourself. It takes around an hour to learn the process and understand how to make it as effective as possible. There are lots of online resources but as with most things, it’s better to learn in person, this way you can learn techniques and tips, have your session personalised just for you and have someone to support your progress, whilst ensuring that you have understood and can apply and adapt the process, where necessary.
You can also have one or several sessions with an EFT coach working privately on deeper or more problematic issues, with them guiding you through your process and supporting your journey. Sometimes issues need a little more work and a little more skill to identify the root cause and treat it successfully. You will then continue to work at home also, to continue the therapy and visit your coach as and when you need to make changes to your process.
Its a wonderful, simple skill, with a multitude of uses for everyday problems, easy to learn and apply, gives great results and most importantly puts you in control of your physical, mental and emotional well being. It has been used in many areas of therapy over the last 20 years and more and more people are discovering the benefits.
For details on private sessions with Victoria @ The Retreat please check the Treatment list on the website
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