Have you ever experienced pain after accidentally bumping into something? As a reflex response, we automatically tend to hold that area to provide physical comfort due to the interconnection between the mind and body.
In therapy, it is common to find that there is many links between the mind and body. Therefore, treating the mind and body as a whole is important when addressing concerns such as trauma, anxiety, distress, etc. One tool that is beneficial in promoting balance between the mind and body is the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as tapping. The concept of this technique is similar to acupuncture; however, instead of needles, fingertips are used to apply a gentle tapping motion on specific spots.
The body has energy hot spots that are called meridian points. Tapping stimulates these energy hot spots and activates the connection between the mind and body by sending messages to the areas that control stress responses. In return, this process promotes and strengthens self-healing. There are nine common meridian points used during a tapping sequence:
- Karate chop = (KC)
- Top of the head = (TH)
- Eye brow = (EB)
- Side of the eye = (SE)
- Under the eye = (UE)
- Under nose = (UN)
- Chin = (CH)
- Collarbone = (CB)
- Under the arm = (UA)
There are many forms of setting up a tapping sequence based on what feeling/thought has been identified and the set intention. See one example below:
1. Get into a comfortable position, sitting or lying down. Start with using deep breaths to bring awareness to your mind and body. Where in your body do you feel the tension? What kind of thoughts and feelings are coming up?
2. Once identified, use a scale of 0-10 to rate the intensity of the feeling and/or thought.
3. Use your two fingers to create a gentle tapping motion and begin to tap on the Karate Chop (KC) spot
4. Begin to choose an intention that will acknowledge the feeling/thought while empowering yourself despite the feeling.
5. Continue the EFT tapping sequence by tapping on each of the nine meridian points while expressing a positive affirmation. Before moving on to the next meridian point, continue your deep breath sequence to remain present and intentional with each affirmation.
6. Check in with yourself and rate the intensity again. Repeat the sequence until the intensity decreases.
Most importantly, remember to be patient with yourself during the process of healing and acceptance and keep a journal nearby to help you with processing any feelings that may come up.
