EFT is a simple sequence of points on the body that one can tap on themselves with fingertips to alleviate a wide variety of physical and emotional symptoms. The location of the points is based on the principle underlying the energy meridians which are the basis for acupuncture and acupressure. Several different opinions have developed as to what precise recipe to use, but they all seem to share the foundational principles.

When I first read about EFT on Gary Craig’s website, I thought it sounded a little far out. I decided to try it because, I thought, a) there are no side effects, b) it costs nothing except a little time, and c) an awful lot of people seem to be having results, and d) I was a desperate, second year grad student with flagging motivation. Five years later, I am still using it. Not nearly as frequently, mind you, since it seems that I just don’t seem to need it as much these days.

For awhile, I used to tap for everything, including test and performance anxiety, procrastination, menstrual cramps, neck tension, stomach pain, headaches, flashbacks, cravings, social anxiety, and any time I was feeling overextended, tired, exasperated, or flooded with emotions that interfered with logical decision-making. EFT was also a phenomenal adjunct to talk therapy. I can’t say it worked perfectly every single time, but in the times of  extreme emotional distress or physical pain, it always reduced the intensity of the feelings, sometimes to zero. What’s more, I found, and still find, that I experience relief that seems to continue to grow over the course of a week..

Nowadays, I am guessing, I don’t need it as much partly due to the amount of the “forest” of junk I have cleared from my system during the last five years. I do still use it when I have surprising bursts of emotion not equal to the situation – cut off by other drivers, resentments over the division of labor, and other life stuff – but I can also choose to experiment with waiting for the emotion, craving, or pain to peak and fall. But, when I recognize something cyclic and sense the “stuck energy”, like a broken record playing over and over, I know it’s time to tap.

The inspiration for this post is that I just discovered a new Gary Craig EFT Manual as a book due out March 15. It’s quite affordable (7 bucks and change) and appears to be much more comprehensive and explanatory than the one I learned with. I just cannot emphasize strongly enough how much this technique has helped me with cope with daily stress during a very difficult period, and allowed me to grow past some very painful and entrenched ways of reacting to life. Take a peek at the book The Promise of Energy Psychology, or Dr. Mercola’s EFT page, or Gary Craig’s former home page or resource page, and see if you want to add this tool to your toolbox. You can also find a trained practitioner here or on Gary Craig’s site to help you get started, if you learn better that way. I personally found the in-person guidance to be extremely helpful.