Emotional Freedom Technique- A Summary

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a psychotherapeutic tool that claims to relieve many psychological conditions including depression, PSTD, stress, addictions, anxiety and phobias. The technique has been quite controversial though it has proven successful in a large number of clinical cases. Proponents claim that “it applies in just about every physical and emotional issue you can name and it often works where nothing else will”.

Put quite simplistically, the Emotional Freedom Technique consists of holding a disturbing memory or emotion in tight mental focus. This triggers the natural responses of the body. The practitioner than uses his finger-tips to tap on a series of twelve specific points on the body. These points correspond to meridians used in Chinese medicine.

Like Chinese medicine, the theory behind EFT believes that negative emotions are caused by disturbances in the body’s ‘energy fields’. When these energy fields are blocked, the body is believed to fall ill. Tapping on the meridians while thinking of a negative or disturbing emotion alters the body’s energy field and restores the balance.

EFT was created by Gary Craig, and is believed to be an adaptation of Roger Callaghan’s Thought Field Therapy techniques. Some practitioners claim that it is similar to acupuncture - minus the needles. The underlying theory is that the cause of all negative emotions is a disruption or breakdown of the body’s energy system. Since the body’s physical processes are connected to the emotions and thought processes running through the body, the body becomes ill when negative emotions pervade it.

The Emotional Freedom Technique consists of two complementary parts. The first is of course the tapping which helps to release the negative emotions. This also rebalances the energy centers. Then there is the verbal part. This consists of making appropriate statements that direct the body to correct the imbalances that are present in the body.

In some circles, it is commonly believed that the tapping employed in the Emotional Freedom Technique has little to do with its healing techniques. The success is due to the positive statements made along with the tapping. If that is true, EFT is just an extension of self-improvement techniques like NLP.

Practitioners of EFT have observed that the resolution of one emotional issue often opens up other emotional issues. This is a direct result of the excitement and euphoria that follows resolving one issue. Practitioners advise clients to make use of this golden opportunity to tap and resolve other emotional issues. In this way a number of issues get resolved in one session itself.

In case of a highly traumatic experience, EFT is often applied gently and in stages. This ensures that the intensity of the pain is broken down and a lot of the ‘steam’ goes out of the experience by the time the issue is finally confronted for resolution. Therapy is rounded off by acceptance statements that urge one into:
- Accepting oneself
- Accepting the experience
- Accepting the other people involved in the experience
- Accepting that everybody else involved in a situation have done the best they can
- Exaggeration of the situation till it appears ridiculous and humorous.

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