Before we begin, let s get the warnings out of the way. This is from Gary Craig:- The bottom line here is that we need to use common sense with EFT and NOT apply it to people with serious issues UNLESS we have the appropriate experience todo so. While our fascination with these procedures gives us much cause for enthusiasm, we must weigh that enthusiasm against some common sense caveats. Let me explore both sides of this issue. First, one of the delightful aspects of EFT (and its many cousins) is that, for the vast majority of people, it can be applied with little or no pain. Its gentle nature has prompted numerous psychologists to write books on the topic so that the lay public will have access to these procedures. And why not? Why deny the public access to tools that are so often transformative on so many issues...and...for most people is gentle and easy to apply? I don't know for sure how many tapping enthusiasts are now using these procedures in behalf of others but I would estimate that it exceeds 100,000 and it has probably been applied over 1 million times worldwide. This wouldn't happen, of course, unless (1) substantial results were being received and (2) perceived dangers, or negative side effects, were minimal. While no experienced EFT'er can deny seeing substantial results, not everyone is aware that, infrequently, there CAN BE negative side effects-- sometimes severe. Let me explain. Some people have been so badly traumatized and/or abused in their lifetimes that they have developed severe psychological problems... such as multiple personalities, paranoia, schizophrenia and other serious mental disorders. While EFT has been helpful even in such severe cases, IN THESE INSTANCES IT SHOULD ONLY BE APPLIED BY A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL WITH EXPERIENCE IN THESE DISORDERS. Why? Because some of these patients experience "abreactions" whereby they go out of control. During abreactions they can be harmful to themselves and others and may need to be sedated or hospitalized. This, obviously, is no place for the novice...no matter how enthusiastic one might be with the tapping procedures. Incidentally, we don't know yet whether tapping actually causes such abreactions or if it is just the memory of one's troublesome issues that precipitates such problems. Nonetheless, if you have no experience in these areas, please don't go where you don't belong. How often do these abreactions happen? In a psychiatric hospital they are common. In everyday society they are rare. I recently called several proficient tappers that have dealt with a wide variety of emotional problems and learned that less than 1 in 1,000 clients had experienced such a severe abreaction. This minimal percentage is given for perspective only It is not to suggest that EFT'ers should "play the odds" and "go where they don't belong". On the contrary, a novice EFT'er should use common sense and NOT TRY TO ALLEVIATE AILMENTS THAT ARE BEYOND THEIR CAPACITY OR TRAINING.
I am well known for the phrase "Try it on everything!" This phrase appears in the EFT manual, The EFT Course and on our web site. Its purpose, of course, is to open up our minds to EFT's possibilities. It is not meant as a license for irresponsible actions. Fortunately, people interpret this within a reasonable context and do not, for example, use EFT to get someone to fly off the Empire State Building. On some occasions, people undergoing EFT have normal tears or other forms of distress that accompany the recalling of their troublesome memories. On other occasions some physical pains "get worse" --at least temporarily. The proficient and experienced professional will greet these responses as normal and appropriately apply EFT for their resolution Again, when these responses occur, common sense must prevail. If the EFT'er is in over their head, they should refer the client to someone with more experience. Accordingly:- You are required to take complete responsibility for your own emotional and/or physical well being both during and after reading this manual and when applying EFT You are also required to instruct others whom you help with EFT, or to whom you teach EFT, to take complete responsibility for their emotional and/or physical well being. You are urged to use these techniques under the supervision of a qualified therapist or physician. Don't use these techniques to try to solve a problem where your common sense would tell you it is not appropriate. Hugs, Gary
This manual has been produced to illustrate the tapping points and how you can use EFT. It is only a brief introduction and is not a substitute for proper training, nor is it to be used without reading the warning at the beginning of this manual. By using the technique in this manual you take responsibility for your own health. If you are not getting the desired results, you would be advised to seek the help of a professional EFT Practitioner who has undergone professional training. A list of Practitioners around the world can be found at www.eftregister.com. Videos, tapping scripts, EFT phrases can also be found on the EFT Register. This manual contains extracts from the best selling book EFT for Dummies that has been translated into 3 other languages all written by Helena Fone. Available in book stores and online. Want to train in EFT? For quality, professional and accredited training in EFT, please visit www.eftandmindfulness.com. Courses available online.
THE ORIGINS OF ENERGY MEDICINE Acupuncture and meridians Essentially all energy therapies can trace their earliest origins to acupressure and shiatsu, which therapies developed independently but alongside each other in China and Japan respectively. However, similar therapeutic concepts can be traced in many parts of the world, which are equally as old or older than the Chinese / Japanese therapies. French researcher Pierre de Vernejoul established the existence of the meridian system when he injected radioactive isotopes into the acupoints of humans and tracked their movement with a special gamma imaging camera. Scientific testing has validated ancient wisdom and shown that the acupuncture meridians flow in one direction only - that which was described by the original Nei Ching text. If for some reason there are blockages in the meridian, the specific emotion is going to be blocked as well. This may result in a delayed emotional process, or a specific emotion holding. A long-term emotional blockage may cause related physical conditions such as slowed detoxification, blocked metabolism and emotional disorders According to acupuncture theory, qi circulates in the body along 12 major energy pathways, or meridians, which are associated with specific internal organs and organ systems. When special needles are inserted (just under the skin) into certain points along these meridians, they help correct and balance the flow of chi. Eastern medicine purports that acupuncture alleviates pain, increases immune function, and improves a wide variety of conditions by balancing the flow of vital life energy throughout the body According to traditional Chinese Five-Element theories, emotions are processed through energy pathways, the meridians. Anger goes through the Liver meridian, joy through the Heart meridian, pensiveness through the Spleen meridian, grief through the Lung meridian, and fear through the Kidney meridian. Although the theory is preliminary, it is still the first one that suggests a connection between emotions and physical body. Apparently there are more emotions and more complicated energy pathways than the five listed above. Acupuncture has been practiced in China for more than 3,000 years. Following a series of controlled studies, the World Health Organization has cited acupuncture as an effective form of treatment for over 100 health conditions, including, allergies, addictions, stroke, ulcers, chronic pain, migraine. Evidence also suggests that acupuncture may be useful for treating environmentally-induced diseases such as toxic chemicals/metals and other environmental pollutants.. The FDA reclassified acupuncture needles as medical devices in March 1996. In November 1997 NIH endorsed acupuncture as a 'real' field of medicine in the United States. In 2009 acupuncture was accepted by NICE as a treatment for lower back pain. There is no scientific evidence for the existence of Qi or meridians. We only know that it does work but we don t know how.
Kinesiology In the mid 1960 s Chiropractor, Dr George Goodheart began to investigate the links between apparent muscle strength, the body s organs and meridians and he developed a diagnostic therapy based on muscle testing. This work continued drawing on studies by Kendall & Kendall on muscle testing, Chapman & Owen s work on neuro-vascular reflexes and research by Mann on acupuncture meridians. This work grew into the science of Applied Kinesiology. John Thie, a colleague of Goodheart published a book, Touch of Health in 1974 which first brought this combination of ideas to the general public. Also in the mid 1970 s a psychiatrist, John Diamond, applied his studies of Applied Kinesiology to his work in psychotherapy naming this new field Behavioural Kinesiology. Thought Field Therapy TFT began around the 1980s when Dr Roger Callahan (a psychologist) was becoming dissatisfied with the therapeutic models available to him to help patients solve their psychological problems. He had studied Kinesiology with Diamond and was also investigating Eastern health practices, specifically, those that involved the acupuncture meridian points Dr Callahan experimented on a patient called Mary, who was suffering from a deep and intractable water phobia and who had been receiving therapy without results for some years. A number of stories have grown up about the incident that led to Mary s cure some more spectacular than others. However, it is recorded that tapping below her eye while she focussed on her fear of water completely and rapidly removed that fear and the phobia never returned. Callahan spent the next 10 years developing his therapy and named it Thought Field Therapy (TFT). TFT differs slightly from EFT in that it focuses more on muscle testing and uses a complicated set of algorithms (tapping sequences) for each different emotion to be treated. At a higher level of TFT, practitioners are also taught a diagnostic process for determining exactly where to tap and are also supposed to use Voice Technology. A number of therapists who studied with Callahan went on to develop further talk-and-touch techniques from Callahan s ideas. EFT is one of these. TFT practitioner and Clinical Psychologist Fred Gallo reportedly tested the necessity for specific sequences of points on over 500 of his private practice clients and concluded at the end of this that sequence does not matter.
Emotional Freedom Technique Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) was developed by Gary Craig who trained with Callahan in the early years of Thought Field Therapy. Gary Craig streamlined and simplified the complexity of the TFT process and turned it into a single algorithm thus reducing the tapping points considerably. EFT s emphasis is on the language and linguistic reframing patterns characteristic of NLP. Gary freely gave EFT to the world and encouraged its use by all and to try it on everything but with the added caution of don t go where you don t belong. So now the history is out of the way, let s move onto actually carrying out EFT. THE SHORTCUT METHOD What is being described here is a shortcut method of using EFT. It does not include everything that is taught by certified EFT Trainers. It omits the process called the 9 Gamut Procedure. This is because the shortcut method works very well almost all of the time for EFT Practitioners and those who want to use EFT on themselves. You can read more about how to carry out the original full version, plus learn what phrases to use for each of the emotional issues plus case studies and much more in the best selling book Emotional Freedom Technique for Dummies available in English, French, Dutch and Slovenian. It s recommended you measure the intensity of the emotion, belief or pain on the S(ubjective) U(nits) of D(istress) scale before trying EFT so you can assess if you re finding relief or not. Remember to assess how you feel now and not how you felt at the time.
SUBJECTIVE UNITS OF DISTRESS Extremely intense 10 9 8 Very intense 7 6 5 Moderately intense 4 3 2 1 Yipee gone! 0
Below is an illustration of the points on the body that will be tapped on whilst using EFT. ToH Top (or crown) of head
CARRYING OUT THE EFT SHORTCUT ROUTINE Follow the diagram above and tap on the following points in the order given before you begin working on your problem so you can familiarise yourself with their location. Usually we use any two fingers (left or right hand) but don t tap too hard, just enough to feel it.. How long you tap on each point for is up to you but often the tapping lasts as long as it takes to say the phrases which you ll learn about later. KC = Karate Chop. Fleshy part between the little finger and wrist on the side of the hand) or you can tap on the.. ToH = Top of the Head. Note: Some acupuncture trained therapists have said that tapping this point is not appropriate for those with high blood pressure. EB = Beginning of the Eye Brow; SE = On bone at Side of the Eye; UE = On bone Under the Eye in line with the iris; UN = Under the Nose; CH = Between the lip and the Chin; CB = Slightly beneath the Collar Bone; Approx 4 fingers left or right from where tie is knotted. UA = Under the Arm where bra strap would be; NOW LET S BEGIN The EFT shortcut routine consists of the following: TUNING IN First identify and tune into the problem. Gary Craig describes this as. In bowling, there is a machine that sets up the pins by picking them up and arranging them in perfect order at the end of the alley. Once this setup is done, all you need to do is roll the ball down the alley to knock over the pins.. In a similar manner, the setting up of your energy system is like setting up those bowling pins. This routine is vital to the whole process and prepares the energy system so that EFT can do its job. Your energy system, of course, is not really a set of bowling pins. It is a set of subtle electric circuits and the purpose of the Setup is to make sure your energy system is properly oriented before attempting to remove its disruptions.
PHRASING THE SET UP Now you ve tuned into the problem, you now create a Set up Phrase which is a description of the problem followed by a self-acceptance. This usually follows a format something like even though I have (this problem).i deeply accept myself You repeat the above approximately whilst continuously tapping the Karate Chop point. If you re not comfortable with saying that you love and accept yourself, you can say I m OK or I m OK anyway or I m doing the best I can or I choose to show myself some compassion. The number and type of phrases you can use are infinite but below are some examples where you can fill in the gap with the problem. Even though [I have this anger].i deeply and profoundly accept myself. Or Even though [I have this anger] I love and forgive myself. You may get results with this simple phrasing but if you don t, you may need to be a bit more specific and narrow the problem down. For instance instead of saying Even though I m angry.for instance, try Even though I m angry with Joe for not being on time again." Instead of saying Even though I have this pain.. try Even though I have this gnawing pain in my left temple. Repeat this 3 times before moving on to. 2. The Sequence... Tap on each of the following energy points while naming a shortened description of the problem (reminder phrase). Example: Top of the Head (ToH) Eyebrow (EB) Side of eye (SE) Under eye (UE) Under nose (UN) Between lip and chin (CH) Collar bone (CB) Under arm (UA) Karate Chop (KC) Tapping on the remaining points whilst saying a shortened description of the problem keeps you focused and tuned in. For instance, it wouldn t be a good idea to be thinking of what you re having for dinner whilst tapping! EFT can be very forgiving if you miss a point or tap in the wrong order and you will most likely still get results, however, keeping tuned in whilst tapping is important. Do remember though to bring the SUD level down to zero to ensure the problem has been completely neutralised.
When using EFT with children or if children are using it on themselves, they can omit the Even though and just say I felt angry at being left out of the team but I know I m a good kid anyway. Children can use their arms or some other type of device to measure their feelings, beliefs or pain instead of the SUD scale above. The set up follows the same general format. an acknowledgement of the problem followed by a form of acceptance of the self or the problem. You can also vary the acceptance phrase by saying: I accept myself even though I have this. Negative emotions disrupt your energy system which have been triggered. To bring about effective change, you may need to tap on all or some of the following:- Senses: what you see, hear, or smell Example: Even though the smell of roses reminds me of my mother, I truly and deeply accept myself. Even though the sound of that music makes me sad..i want to let this sadness go Emotions: anger, sadness, fear. Example: Even though I m angry because that driver didn t stop I accept myself anyway. Physical: heart racing, legs shaking. Example: Even though my legs shake when I go into that meeting, I deeply accept who I am Behaviour: want to run away, need to hide or jump out of the way Example: Even though I want to run away when I see that man, I want to stay calm. Belief: usually established in childhood. Example: Even though I m not good enough.i want to accept myself one day. Gesture: raised hand, sudden movement, certain look Example: Even though that movement scares me..i want to remain calm [Above extract from Level 1 Student Manual available to purchase from www.eft-training.net] If there is only partial relief after carrying out the routine, you may need to do more additional rounds of tapping. If you still haven t found complete relief then you may need to introduce the full routine. Alternatively, there may be other interferences (such as psychological reversal) that are explained in the book EFT for Dummies - or you may need the help of an EFT Practitioner. If you are using EFT to heal yourself (and you ve read the warning at the beginning of this manual) you may want to write down (say) 10 emotional issues that are bothering you and give them a number from the SUD scale. Start with the biggest number and work on that then work your way down. In EFT we often find after working on the bigger issues that the smaller ones no longer have the same impact or emotional intensity.
What do I do if it s not working? The term Psychological Reversal or PR was and still is widely used amongst Practitioners and is assumed to relate to Psychological Reversal. Gary Craig tested for Psychological Reversal in his videos using muscle testing. He has removed the use of PR from his trainings but information on both concepts is given here for your information. Polarity Reversal Concept Polarity Reversal is a concept that originated from Kinesiology. Every movement and thought involves electrical activity and it is postulated that every organ and cell in your body is polarized (like a miniature battery) and a person s health is determined by the natural flow of energy through the body. Polarity refers to the positive and negative charges of the body s electromagnetic energy field. It is said that EFT helps with this flow and thereby induces restoration of the body s energy system. Psychological Reversal Concept Callahan hypothesized that psychologically reversed individuals have subconscious blocks to feeling happy. They therefore subconsciously resist letting go of their emotional distress symptoms such as fears, depression, addictions or angers. Although only present in a small number of cases, Roger Callaghan recognised that when a negative force is introduced into the body s energy system such as an unpleasant experience, then it can disrupt this energy or put your polarity into reverse (similar to batteries being put the wrong way into a device). This interfering blockage takes the form of a polarity reversal within your energy system. This is different from the energy disruptions that cause your negative emotions. The term Psychological Reversal is gradually being replaced with the more familiar phenomena of secondary gains which is self-defeating, negative thinking that can sometimes be outside conscious awareness. It may be referred to as secondary gains. Here are some examples:- Belief: I can't get over this Worthiness: I don't deserve to get over this Safety: It is not safe to get over this Authority: My doctor told me I will always have this Identity: I can't release this issue, it is part of who I am Secondary gain or loss: I will lose... if I get over this or, if I get over this I will have to... Attention: I receive attention by having this problem Loss: If I let go of this problem I will lose (benefit could be compensation for injury)
There are many more. The Set up Phrases for the above reversals might be something like:- Even though I don t believe I will never overcome (this problem)..i want to accept myself anyway Even though I don t deserve to get over (this problem)..i deeply and profoundly forgive myself Even though I m scared to get over (this problem) as it s not safe.i accept myself as I am. Even though the doctor told me I will always have (this problem)..i allow my body to heal naturally Even though I can t let go of (this problem) because it s part of who I am..i give permission for that part to let go Other reported impediments to EFT working :- External Dehydration (drink more water) Toxicity (test yourself for allergies) Electrical interferences (distance yourself from a mobile phone, computer etc) You aren t tapping on the correct aspect (see below). If you re tapping for fear of mice then you need to identify what is it about the mouse that scares you. Is it the tail or how fast they run? When you ve finished a round of tapping and the SUD has reduced below (say) a 3, then think of the mouse s tail or imagine it moving for example. This will truly test whether EFT has done it s work. You need to work with a professional Practitioner! Note: You may not believe EFT will work for you, you may not even feel much effect as you tap and you may not notice any difference immediately. As long as the SUD scale is coming down, then it doesn t matter. The effects of EFT may be delayed. It s not unusual for people to report a few hours or days later that there has been a positive improvement. Some describe it as a lightbulb moment and others report subtle improvements. Aspects There are many parts to a problem and each one can trigger a negative response. If we take fear of flying as an example, the trigger may be about being closed in, fear of crashing, losing control etc. Rate which is your biggest fear and tap on that one. The wonderful thing about EFT is that working through these different aspects can be quick and easy and because EFT has a generalised effect, you may find after dealing with the biggest aspect that the rest don t have the same intensity.
If the SUD levels go up during tapping, then that s an indication that another more important aspect or problem has come into conscious awareness. If that happens either work on it there and then or make a note and come back to it. Whilst tapping for (say) the anger at your son you may find yourself thinking of a childhood memory. When this happens, it s usually an indication that the anger has been neutralised and another memory is allowed to surface. Specific If you re not specific enough with describing the problem then you are tapping on a generalised statement. For a quicker resolution, target the Set Up Phrase to suit the problem more accurately. For example, instead of saying I have this anger describe why you feel the anger. Testing How do you know if the problem has been cleared? Well testing is an important part of working with EFT and should be carried out regularly to ensure nothing is being missed. To test, go back to the problem and feel, hear, see, smell or touch what you did then and if there is any emotional intensity left, no matter how small, then do another round of EFT. Never test out your problem live unless you are absolutely convinced you will not have a reaction. This is another reason why working with a professional is recommended.
Trauma and complex problems The beauty of EFT is that there is no need to be re-exposed to the pain and horror of the traumatic memory. There are many gentle techniques designed to approach the memory in a stepwise manner such as The Movie Technique, Tearless Trauma Technique, Tell the Story Technique etc. It s also possible to skip words or names or just to Guess even how intense the emotion might be if you were to think of it. These instructions on these techniques are not included in this manual as they are not designed for experiential learning (through observation). Physical issues Scientists have begun to recognise the connection between emotion and pain. Eastern medicine has recognised this for centuries however. With EFT we are using an energetic response which travels faster than the speed of light so is therefore quick and has no side effects. Hypnotherapy and acupuncture are used for pain relief so why not EFT? So next time you have that headache, just tap! Warning! Do not substitute EFT for medical advice. How to use EFT on Physical issues: 1. Describe the pain Where exactly is it in your body? How does it feel (aching, throbbing, piercing) How severe is it? When does it hurt most? 2. Origin When did the pain begin? What was happening in your life around that time? Did something happen to cause you emotional pain? 3. Emotion If there were an emotion attached to this pain, what would it be? If you don t know just guess. How does it make you feel? Aggitated, depressed, angry? Now just tap for all of the above:
Example: Even though I have this throbbing ache in my left knee that makes me angry.i forgive myself and anyone else who may have contributed to it. If the SUD levels are not coming down, move onto the emotional event at the time of the pain. It is not unusual to find that someone suffering from back pain years after their partner left them unsupported for example. After working on the emotions surrounding that memory, the physical symptoms often disappear. EFT works extremely well on pain and produces some astounding results. However, there is too much to cover in this manual unfortunately. Remember that EFT: Often works where nothing else will. Uses no drugs or equipment. Is safe and painless. Is usually rapid, long lasting, and gentle. Can be easily learned by anyone, even children. Can be easily self-applied. Can be used at anytime, anywhere. You don t have to work on every issue to find relief You don t have to believe in EFT for it to work Well I hope you have found some benefit from reading this manual. If you re inspired to book an appointment with an EFT Practitioner or wish to learn how to apply EFT on yourself and others, you can search for a Trainer from the EFT Register (www.eftregister.com) Thank you EFT Register