18. Awesome: Listening to Body's Wisdom - Radical Acceptance with EFT for Anxiety and Stress

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), often known as tapping, is a therapeutic method that integrates cognitive and exposure therapy with gentle acupressure. By tapping on specific points of the body while focusing on emotions or memories, EFT is believed to calm the nervous system, reduce emotional distress, and support healing.

EFT is based on the idea that unresolved emotions can create disruptions in the body’s stress-regulation system. Tapping on specific meridian points while voicing affirmations or focusing on distressing thoughts helps restore balance and promote emotional release.

Common tapping points include:

• Side of the hand (Karate Chop Point)

• Top of the head (Crown)

• Eyebrow (Inner edge)

• Side of the eye (Outer bone)

• Under the eye (Below the pupil)

• Under the nose (Between nose and lip)

• Chin point (Midway between lower lip and chin)

• Collarbone (Just below)

• Under the arm (Around four inches beneath the armpit)

During tapping, individuals repeat short, focusing statements to bring awareness to emotions, sensations, or beliefs while maintaining a sense of safety and acceptance. The process combines mindful attention with somatic stimulation, helping the body process emotional charge and return to equilibrium.

Scientific research on EFT has expanded over the last two decades, with findings suggesting benefits for anxiety, depression, trauma, and stress regulation.

• Reduction in anxiety and depression: Studies consistently show significant decreases in symptoms after EFT sessions, often with noticeable improvement after a single round.

• Physiological changes: Measurable reductions in cortisol (the primary stress hormone) have been observed following EFT, indicating a calmer physiological state.

• Long-term effects: Several studies report sustained emotional improvement weeks or months after treatment.

• Mechanism of action: EFT appears to calm the amygdala (the brain’s fear centre) and enhance communication between emotional and regulatory regions of the brain, restoring parasympathetic balance.

These results highlight EFT as a promising integrative tool for emotional and physiological well-being.

Emerging neuroscience research helps explain how EFT may affect brain function and neurochemistry.

Brain Activity:

• A 2012 study found that EFT decreased activity in the amygdala, responsible for fear and threat processing.

• A 2013 study showed increased activation in the prefrontal cortex, the region linked to decision-making, regulation, and calm focus.

Neurochemical Effects:

• EFT has been linked to lower cortisol levels, reducing the body’s stress response.

• Some studies indicate increased serotonin production, supporting mood regulation and well-being.

Potential Mechanisms:

1. Acupoint stimulation may send soothing signals to the brain, particularly the amygdala and hippocampus, interrupting stress responses.

2. Focused attention and rhythmic tapping may produce a relaxation effect similar to mindfulness or meditation, influencing neural activity.

3. Recalling distressing memories while tapping may help desensitise emotional intensity and rewire neural pathways associated with those experiences.

When practised consistently, EFT helps strengthen emotional regulation, self-compassion, and resilience, supporting the body’s natural capacity to return to balance.

With appreciation to the 16th Annual World Tapping Summit (2024) – The Tapping Solution – for sharing educational resources, and to Dr Claire Hayes for her insights on using tapping to work with the inner critic.

💫Find me @ www.balance-psychotherapy.org

💫 These sessions use EFT-related tapping and opposite-affect work. If you would like to use EMDR-related techniques (such as the Butterfly Hug), please use the clinic’s journal: Emotional Regulation Therapy Journal – Balance & Clarity Series by Kasia Makuch-Cole, available on Amazon.