Tapping Your Way to Wellness

“I wish I could just press a button and make this go away!” Whether “this” is something physical or psychological (or both), chances are you’ve made such a wish at some point in your life. The proverbial magic button may not exist—if only!—but proponents of EFT (emotional freedom technique) have discovered something that often comes pretty darn close.

EFT, commonly known as tapping, combines elements of cognitive therapy with acupressure principles from traditional Chinese medicine. The practice involves tapping on specific points on the body while focusing attention on a particular problem, discomfort, or emotion—the more specific the better, though multiple sessions of tapping can be used to address complex issues. This dual mind-body intervention is designed to reduce stress and promote both emotional and physical healing.

A simple but powerful intervention

Whether it’s the quick easing of a headache at work or the resolving of complex psychological issues, EFT results are routinely remarkable.  Stephanie Wood, a certified EFT practitioner with more than 20 years’ experience, recalls her amazement when she began working with clients: “Phobias and fears vanished within a few sessions; anxiety and depression lifted with more intense work. I had a client who wasn’t even able to eat alone or drive due to anxiety, and in less than a year, they were able to step back into a normal life. It blew me away.”

What’s going on when we tap?

Thanks to the work of researchers such as the Australian clinical psychologist Dr. Peta Stapleton, we now have good insights into the science behind EFT tapping.

When it comes to mental health benefits, studies suggest that tapping works by calming the amygdala, the part of the brain involved in the stress response, thereby reducing the production of cortisol, a key stress hormone. Mental health concerns that EFT has been clinically shown to improve include anxiety, PTSD, depression, and stress.

Other research highlights EFT’s effectiveness in easing physical pain. It seems that focusing our attention on the pain we’re experiencing while simultaneously tapping acts to reduce brain connectivity in areas tied to pain processing. This phenomenon can lead to significant drops in pain severity and interference, along with improved quality of life and mental health for chronic pain sufferers.

The body as messenger

In addition to demonstrating the efficacy of tapping as a therapeutic tool, EFT clinical trials provide compelling evidence of the mind-body connection. “There is no denying that the mind and body are inseparable,” Wood says, “and that becomes most evident when viewing disease, pain, and discomfort.”

Through her work, Wood has encountered fascinating examples of the body acting as a messenger—often a strikingly literal one—of the subconscious mind. For example, she says, “a neck ache may mean that a person has something in their life that’s ‘a pain in the neck,’ or a pain in the foot may be something that the person ‘can’t stand’ in their life.”

Whatever “language” your own body uses to communicate, somatic (body-focused) therapies such as EFT tapping can help you to understand and respond to its messages more effectively.

EFT might not be a magic button to make problems disappear instantly. Nevertheless, it’s an efficient, proven, easily accessible tool for addressing both physical and emotional discomfort. Give it a try using the steps in our quick guide (see sidebar), or, to work through more complex issues, consider teaming up with a certified EFT practitioner.

This article was originally published in the October 2024 issue of delicious living magazine.

This article originally appeared on alive.com as “Tapping Your Way to Wellness“.