EFT Tapping 101 ✦ Release Trauma, Limiting Beliefs, and Stress

Tapping can help you move energies that have been stuck for a while. Especially emotional trauma and anxiety. When my brain knows that the fear I’m feeling is illogical, but my stomach sinks and my heart rate increases anyway, that’s when EFT tapping is essential.

Tapping points

The tapping points are located on your body’s meridians: symmetrical pairs of energy pathways from traditional Chinese medicine. It’s the same concept as acupressure or acupuncture points, except instead of needles or pressure, we just tap with our fingers to stimulate them. There are thousands of pressure points on the meridians of the body, but these are the 9 we focus on when using EFT tapping:

Side of Hand (Karate Chop)

Releases feelings of being stuck. Helps you move forward and let go. It’s associated with the small intestine.

Eyebrow

Releases trauma, hurt, and sadness and promotes peace. It’s associated with the bladder.

Side of Eye (not your temple)

Releases resentment and anger and promotes clarity and compassion. It’s related to our gallbladder.

Under Eye

Releases fear and anxiety and promotes feelings of safety. It’s connected to our stomach.

Under Nose

Releases shame and powerlessness and promotes self-acceptance and self-empowerment. This one is associated to our governing vessel, a main energy channel that runs up the back of the body, from the crown to the root chakra. It focuses more on your Qi and Yang energy.

Under Mouth

Releases confusion and uncertainty and promotes clarity and confidence. It’s related to our central meridian, another main energy channel in traditional Chinese medicine. It goes up the front of the body’s center from the crown to the root chakra. It focuses more on organ function and Yin energy.

Collarbone

Releases the feeling of being stuck and promotes ease in moving forward. This one is connected to the kidneys.

Under Arm

Releases guilt, worry, and obsessing and promotes clarity, confidence, relaxation, and compassion. It’s associated with the spleen.

Top of Head

Opens the crown chakra and promotes spiritual connection, while anchoring in the alignment from the tapping round that has just been completed. It’s connected to multiple meridian points, since the crown chakra is a central point in the body’s energy.

This sequence is almost always the same; starting with the karate chop, going from the head down, then finishing it off back on the crown. You don’t need a lot of pressure when you tap; don’t bruise yourself. Use 2 to 4 fingers depending on the size of the area. It also doesn’t matter which side you tap on. You can even tap on both if you want. As always, do whatever feels right to you.

EFT Scripts

EFT tapping can be done without scripts or affirmations: simply focus on the negative emotion you’re feeling and tap the sequence. As you progress, the negative should lessen. Another option is to tap while saying affirmations. Whether you script it ahead of time or improvise them on the spot, I’ve found that affirmations help me not only release what’s been troubling me, but also discover how I’m truly feeling.

The goal of EFT tapping is to help you release a trauma, fear, unwanted emotion (stress or anxiety), or a limiting belief (one that’s stopping you from manifesting something or shifting). With a simple google search (or Pinterest search), you can find an EFT tapping script for virtually anything. Or, you can make your own.

Here’s my basic layout for an EFT tapping session with progressive affirmations:

EFT Tapping Script Layout

1. Identify the issue: Put a name to the emotion you’re feeling. You can look at emotion wheels if it’s a little hard to distinguish.
2. Set up statement (KC): “Even though I feel _____, I deeply and completely love and accept myself.”
3. Tapping: 3 rounds of tapping, while saying/whispering affirmations out loud. You can have one affirmation per tapping point (9), or simply tap your sequence while saying any number of affirmations.
   1. Round 1 – Acknowledge and feel the negative emotion: Release your negative feeling – let it all out. Going along each point, speak honestly and feel your negative emotion or belief
      • Side note: As a manifester I have a hard time with this step. It feels like I’m manifesting more negative energy. But, it’s important to acknowledge our feelings in order to move past them, instead of trying to ignore them.
   2. Round 2 – Begin to shift your perspective: Gently start to shift the negative feelings into positive outcomes (“What if it does work out,” “I’m still learning,” etc.). If you don’t believe what you’re saying at first, that’s okay. It’s part of the process. We’re building our way up.
   3. Round 3 – Replace the negative feelings with positive and empowering ones: Embody your ideal self who has already released these negative feelings. How do they feel? How do they speak to themselves? Do that.
4. Take a deep breath and feel the positive emotions. Be proud for showing up in this moment for yourself. You are taking steps toward healing, and you glow with love and light because of it.

Example Script: Self confidence

1. Issue: I have low self-confidence.
2. Even though I feel worthless, I deeply and completely love and accept myself.
3. Tap each point while saying affirmations aloud. Add more in the moment depending on how you feel.
   1. Round 1 – Acknowledge and feel.
      1. I feel worthless.
      2. I feel like no one needs me.
      3. I’m afraid I’ll never find love.
      4. I’m not pretty enough.
      5. I’m afraid that people don’t like me.
      6. No one notices me.
   2. Round 2 – Slowly shift your perspective.
      1. No one is perfect.
      2. Everyone is human.
      3. Everyone is beautiful, one way or another.
      4. I have friends.
      5. I have time.
      6. I am seen by those I love.
   3. Round 3 – Empower yourself.
      1. I am worthy of all I desire.
      2. I am one of a kind.
      3. I am loved unconditionally.
      4. I feel blessed by those who surround me.
      5. I feel seen.
      6. I am confident and comfortable in my own skin.
4. Take a deep breath and thank yourself for showing up. Acknowledge how much lighter you feel.

You’ll come across scripts that are shorter (one round) or longer (4 to 7 rounds). At the end of the day, do what feels right to you, and don’t be afraid to try new things.

Summary

Like anything, this practice might not be a cure-all, especially on the first try. But, it’s an excellent self-regulation technique that will at least give some relief from overwhelming feelings. Give EFT a fighting chance, and you’ll feel lighter in no time.

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