Emotional Freedom Techniques also goes by “EFT” or “tapping”.

Did you know that there’s a self-help tool that’s quick and easy to learn, that you can use anytime, anywhere, and that you can use with just about anything that is challenging you? Sure, it looks a little odd (more on that below), but it works! It’s not a secure, it is effective, and it’s called Emotional Freedom Techniques – it also goes by “EFT” or “tapping”. A growing trove of research supports EFT’s effectiveness.

The basic protocol is simple: You use the pads of your fingers to tap gently on acupressure points on your face and upper body while focusing on those thoughts, feelings, emotions, or physical sensations bothering you. While there are more specific techniques to go deeper with the guidance of teacher or experienced practitioner, learning this basic protocol and doing it by yourself can be surprisingly effective.

The focus on the negative while you tap is one aspect of EFT that differentiates it from other modalities, and one that people often find counterintuitive. In other modalities we often are instructed to focus on our attitude towards a challenge or on how to reframe it. With EFT, we begin by focusing on the problem. There are different explanations for why we do this, but acknowledging the issue is paramount. I like this explanation by Dr. Peta Stapleton, from her book The Ultimate Tapping Guide, “It is as though we are engaging these negative feelings or sensations just long enough to feel them, then we hit the delete button through tapping.”

People use EFT for many reasons: stress, anxiety, pain, phobias, weight loss, and sports or test performance. The list goes on and on, and there are many anecdotes that capture how people have used it in many difference situations and found it helpful. A colleague of mine had an accident while riding her horse and broke her wrist. She tapped (with the uninjured hand) all the way to urgent care, and she said the nurse was amazed at how little swelling had occurred around the injury. When I was getting certified as a practitioner, someone asked our teacher if you could use EFT for something (I don’t remember what), and the teacher said, “I’m not sure, but try it and let us know!”

There are now more than 100 clinical studies concerning EFT, and the research supports its effectiveness for many situations and conditions. One of the most compelling studies showed the impact of EFT on cortisol, aka the stress hormone. In a 2012 study, participants showed an average 24% decrease in cortisol levels after a one-hour tapping session. They also reported significant decreases in feelings of anxiety and depression afterwards.

Many mental health professionals use EFT and other techniques to treat more serious conditions such as trauma, PTSD, and eating disorders. It is important to note that doing EFT by yourself or with a tapping coach is a self-help tool. It does not replace the care of a licensed medical or mental-health professional.

EFT can be used for stress, pain, anxiety, PTSD, and more.

In addition to other wellness practices I use, I’ve found EFT to be an incredibly supportive, effective tool. I turn to it regularly. As I mentioned earlier, it can look a bit odd when doing in public, and there are ways around that. I often tap before (or after) meetings and phone or Zoom calls, and I frequently joke that I’m a big fan of what I call “bathroom tapping”, i.e., using a bathroom break to quickly practice the technique. Some people don’t seem to mind the curious looks they get while tapping in public. Once, while waiting for a flight in the Aspen, Colorado, airport, I was delighted to see a woman openly doing EFT. No matter where or when you practice, I truly believe it’s a great addition to your wellness toolkit.