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- Emotional Freedom Techniques: What Is It?
Emotional Freedom Techniques: What Is It?
- By Stewart Robertson
- Published March 6, 2008
- Mind and Body
- Unrated
Stewart Robertson
Copyright © 2008 Stewart Robertson. Stewart is THE seasoned Practitioner of EFT in Scotland, and the author of several EFT articles. His Running Start EFT materials are freely available, as well as a printable diagram of the EFT tapping points.
View all articles by Stewart Robertson
Emotional Freedom Techniques is a new and alternative way of healing our bodies from the various ailments and ills that are plaguing us now, whether these are emotional, physical, or psychological. It is a new form of therapy that uses the body’s meridians points to restore the natural balance in the body. This comes from the belief that negative thoughts and emotions arise from a disruption in the natural balance of the body’s energy system, and that these unresolved negative emotions will lead to physical manifestations which could eventually lead to pain and diseases.
There are many conditions that EFT Practitioners can work with, from the common cold, to depression, anxiety, stress, addictions, phobias, and even cancer. EFT has been enthusiastically marketed online, and a growing community who practice EFT swear by its effectiveness.
But how exactly does EFT work? The technique is fairly easy to learn and even the beginner can start practising after learning a few series of steps. Basically a negative emotion or thought is firmly held in the mind, and the fingers are used to gently tap the meridians in the body, which are the end points of the same meridian channels used in traditional Chinese medicine. This, along with the theory proposed by Einstein that our body (and everything else) is essentially composed of energy, supports the theory that negative emotions are caused by a disturbed energy field, and hence, the need to tap the meridians in the body to achieve a restored balanced state.
Negative thoughts are born and grow in the following stages. First, a negative experience causes the formation of negative energy in the body which in turn causes a disruption inside the body. Therefore the negative situation and the negative energy must be remedied in order to restore the body to its natural state. After the energy is balanced using EFT, typically clients report feeling “lighter”, “free-er”, and more able to enjoy life again.
Emotional Freedom Techniques has often been compared to Thought Field therapy techniques, since the former was created by Gary Craig, who was a student of the founder of TFT, Roger Callahan. However, the main difference between the two is that Emotional Freedom Techniques is a simpler version of TFT. TFT relies on an algorithm or a specific sequence of tapping points in the treatment of specific presenting problems. Emotional Freedom Techniques does not rely on this comprehensive algorithm, and only one system is used for all cases, making it simpler and more accessible for all. University degrees and countless years study are not required for emotional healing with EFT.
Several studies have been published advocating use of EFT, and it has been successfully integrated into some pioneering areas of National Health Service in the UK. Supporters continue to demonstrate and collate evidence for it to be chosen within the NICE guidelines in the UK as the treatment of choice for PTSD (currently EMDR is used). Further innovative experiments carried out by Gary Craig and others have successfully demonstrated the changes in the body’s energy system and heart coherence, while tapping is being carried out.
There are many conditions that EFT Practitioners can work with, from the common cold, to depression, anxiety, stress, addictions, phobias, and even cancer. EFT has been enthusiastically marketed online, and a growing community who practice EFT swear by its effectiveness.
But how exactly does EFT work? The technique is fairly easy to learn and even the beginner can start practising after learning a few series of steps. Basically a negative emotion or thought is firmly held in the mind, and the fingers are used to gently tap the meridians in the body, which are the end points of the same meridian channels used in traditional Chinese medicine. This, along with the theory proposed by Einstein that our body (and everything else) is essentially composed of energy, supports the theory that negative emotions are caused by a disturbed energy field, and hence, the need to tap the meridians in the body to achieve a restored balanced state.
Negative thoughts are born and grow in the following stages. First, a negative experience causes the formation of negative energy in the body which in turn causes a disruption inside the body. Therefore the negative situation and the negative energy must be remedied in order to restore the body to its natural state. After the energy is balanced using EFT, typically clients report feeling “lighter”, “free-er”, and more able to enjoy life again.
Emotional Freedom Techniques has often been compared to Thought Field therapy techniques, since the former was created by Gary Craig, who was a student of the founder of TFT, Roger Callahan. However, the main difference between the two is that Emotional Freedom Techniques is a simpler version of TFT. TFT relies on an algorithm or a specific sequence of tapping points in the treatment of specific presenting problems. Emotional Freedom Techniques does not rely on this comprehensive algorithm, and only one system is used for all cases, making it simpler and more accessible for all. University degrees and countless years study are not required for emotional healing with EFT.
Several studies have been published advocating use of EFT, and it has been successfully integrated into some pioneering areas of National Health Service in the UK. Supporters continue to demonstrate and collate evidence for it to be chosen within the NICE guidelines in the UK as the treatment of choice for PTSD (currently EMDR is used). Further innovative experiments carried out by Gary Craig and others have successfully demonstrated the changes in the body’s energy system and heart coherence, while tapping is being carried out.
