What Is EFT?
EFT, or Emotional Freedom Technique, is a gentle and effective method that combines elements of acupressure, cognitive therapy, and exposure therapy. Using light fingertip tapping on specific acupressure points, EFT helps calm the nervous system, reduce stress, and release tension stored in the body.
The body holds onto unprocessed thoughts and emotions. When these remain unresolved, they can show up as chronic pain, tension, anxiety, or emotional imbalance. EFT offers a practical way to move these emotions and memories through the body so they can be processed and released.
How EFT Works
EFT works directly with the body’s energy network, the meridian system, which influences the nervous system and emotional regulation. By tapping on key meridian points while focusing on a specific issue or feeling, EFT helps the body shift out of stress and into balance.
Clinical research shows that EFT can reduce cortisol levels, improve emotional regulation, and support both physical and mental well-being.
EFT and Physical Pain
Pain is rarely just physical. Emotional stress, memories, or beliefs can amplify discomfort and slow recovery.
For example, after an injury such as a broken leg, there’s pain from tissue damage—but also emotional layers such as frustration, grief, or fear. EFT helps release the emotional charge connected to those feelings, which often reduces the physical pain itself.
We intuitively recognize this mind-body connection in everyday language: “It’s a pain in the neck,” “It weighs on my shoulders,” “I take it to heart.”
By addressing both the emotional and physical sides of pain, EFT helps restore comfort and ease.
EFT in Combination With Massage
A few minutes of EFT before a massage can help your body prepare to relax and release more deeply. Tapping allows you to set aside any stress or thoughts that might prevent full relaxation, so the massage can reach deeper layers of tension sooner.
This short integration often leads to more noticeable results—physically, mentally, and emotionally.
What a Clinical EFT Session Looks Like
A Clinical EFT session is a personal, guided process centered on your comfort and pace, where I pay attention to the words you use and how your body responds. These details help identify where tension or stress may still be held and guide us in our tapping session.
We may pause to tap on key phrases or sensations as they arise. The focus isn’t on retelling the full story, but on connecting with the thoughts, emotions, sensory impressions, and physical signals that surface in the moment. Tapping while recalling the issue sends calming signals to the brain, helping the body release stored stress and emotional intensity. I follow your language closely, and if something I say doesn’t feel right, please tell me—it’s important that the words feel authentic to you.
In Clinical EFT, we often describe issues using the table analogy. The “tabletop” represents a general problem—such as anxiety, low self-esteem, or chronic stress. The “table legs” are specific events or memories that support and reinforce that issue. By safely identifying and clearing those individual “legs,” the entire table (the larger problem) weakens or collapses, allowing relief and emotional freedom.
It’s important to let me know if you’ve experienced severe trauma so we can proceed gently. If we touch on something you aren’t ready to work on, we can use techniques to safely “pack it away” or work without revisiting the full details.
Emotional release during a session is entirely normal. You may cry, yawn, feel tingling, or notice other sensations as the body releases stored energy. If emotions feel strong, try to keep your eyes open, continue tapping or holding a point that feels comfortable, and breathe. You are always in a safe space and in control of the process.
Please have water and tissues available. Hydration helps the body process and release energy after tapping.
What EFT Can Help With
Clinical EFT can assist with:
- Physical pain and tension
- Stress, anxiety, and overwhelm
- Goal-setting and performance blocks
- Unwanted habits or cravings
- Confidence and self-esteem
- Relationship or parenting challenges
- Life transitions and decision-making
- Coping with loss, illness, or trauma
- Fear, phobias, or procrastination
Important Information and Consent
EFT is a complementary approach and not a substitute for medical or psychological care. I do not diagnose conditions or prescribe treatments. If you have a physical or mental health condition, please remain under the care of your licensed healthcare provider.
Any information you share in session is always kept strictly confidential.
Summary
EFT bridges the mind and body through the meridian and nervous systems. By releasing stored emotions and reducing stress, it supports balance, clarity, and greater ease in everyday life.