1. Acupoint tapping calms the amygdala
Tapping on known acupoints sends deactivating signals to the amygdala. With repeated sessions of EFT tapping, the deactivating signals outweigh the activating signals of the stress response created by exposure to the distressing thought.
Neural imaging shows the effects occur almost instantaneously, which may account for the rapid improvement in symptoms reported with EFT tapping (Feinstein, 2019).
2. Acupoint tapping speeds up memory reconsolidation
As EFT tapping brings about a more regulated nervous system, the exposure statement simultaneously brings the distressing emotion front and center. The distressing mental image of donating blood for a person with a needle phobia is unexpectedly met with less arousal and this “prediction error” prepares the neural network for change.
The hypothesis is that tapping reconstructs the neural circuits that maintain maladaptive mental models (Feinstein 2021).
3. EFT decreases physiological stress
Clinical EFT intervention improves biological markers of stress, including resting heart rate, blood pressure, immune function, and the stress hormone cortisol.
Chronic low-level stress and repeated activation of the stress response can have long-term effects on the body, such as weight gain, high blood pressure, cardiovascular effects, and changes in the brain related to anxiety, depression, and addiction (Bach et al., 2019; Stapleton et al., 2020).
Can You Use Tapping Therapy for Anxiety?
EFT tapping is an effective treatment for reducing symptoms of anxiety experienced with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trauma, social anxiety, chronic pain, and more.
The overall effect of EFT for treatment of anxiety pretreatment to posttreatment is 1.23, which is a large effect size (Clond, 2016).
Silent tapping
When the nervous system is in a state of intense dysregulation, such as fight-or-flight, silent tapping with no setup statement is a gentle place to start to reduce heart rate, respiration, and distressing thoughts. Instruct clients to focus directly on the sensation of the pressure of individual finger taps on each of the eight acupoints.
Start with the body
A gentle beginning setup statement focuses on the physical body. Often, we can detect a change in our physical body more easily than we notice change in our emotions or thinking, and it’s encouraging to feel progress.
Start with a body-focused setup statement that identifies exactly where the emotion, thought, or sensation is being felt in the body. For example, tension in our face, butterflies in our stomach, and grinding our teeth are bodily sensations related to distress in our mind.
Identify root causes
When distress is further reduced, setup statements that go deeper into the emotions or thoughts related to physiological symptoms may be possible.
For two questions you can use to find root causes with EFT tapping, listen to this podcast episode Tapping Q & A with Gene Monterastelli.
Case study
Review this case study by psychologist Gregory Nicosia et al. (2018) as he uses combined EFT and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing to treat PTSD in a man who survived the collapse of the World Trade Center.
Tips for Using EFT Tapping for Weight Loss
EFT tapping is used to assist weight loss, reduce food cravings, and improve binge eating psychopathology.
Tip #1: Replace negative with positive
After a few rounds of successful EFT tapping on a food craving, tap on a positive statement that replaces the space where the craving used to be.
- Setup statement for craving: “Even though this craving for something sweet feels like such a burden, I completely accept myself and this feeling.”
- When self-reported stress is reduced, replace it with positive tapping statements: “I listen to my body,” “My body is satisfied,” or “I take care of my body.”
Tip #2: Tap on negative comments
To increase body confidence, clear out negative statements said by others by including them in a setup statement. For a more detailed description, read this Healing Story from Roushan Martens.
- Negative comment: “Those jeans are too tight on your butt.”
- Setup statement: “Even though my mom said my jeans are too tight for me, I completely accept the way I look.”
- Reminder phrase: “Too tight”
- Self-rate the level of distress. Continue until distress decreases to a 0 or 1.
As a follow-up, ask what the client would like to say to their mom. Tap out these responses on one acupoint each:
- “You make me feel bad about myself. Stop doing that.”
- “I like the way I look.”
- “Keep your opinions to yourself.”
Self-rate the level of distress. Continue until distress decreases to a 0 or 1.
Tip #3: Borrowing Benefits for weight loss
Borrowing Benefits as described earlier are when your distress is relieved as you observe another person use EFT tapping on their own issue.
Use this technique in group settings or as homework. Ask clients to watch an EFT video and tap along. Check out below a live demonstration with instructions as Dawson Church uses tapping to stop using sweets as a reward in an EFT workshop. You can also read these instructions for using Borrowing Benefits.