Sarah Maxwell explores the benefits of EFT

A while ago I developed hives on my face and neck during a particularly stressful period.
After several months of tests and multiple prescriptions for lotions, potions and pills, the hives were still spreading and showing no sign of calming down.
Fortunately, I was introduced to a book called The Body Keeps Score, which helped me understand why I wasn’t healing and the hives weren’t shifting.
It was then that I got in touch with Kate Munden, a trauma and embodiment specialist and EFT practitioner.
She taught me how to use EFT Tapping to help me clear the underlying issues causing my hives.

What is EFT/Tapping
EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) is an alternative treatment for emotional distress and physical pain.
It uses a highly effective combination of talking therapy and acupressure, swapping needles for fingertip tapping and drawing on aspects of modern cognitive therapy to enable you to safely get to the root of your problem.
Our emotional, subconscious minds are far more powerful than our conscious minds. Stress causes our bodies to go into flight, fight or fear mode and, in turn, this raises our cortisol levels and puts us at risk of a suppressed immune system, high blood pressure, weight gain, increased blood sugar and heart disease among other issues.
Tapping sends signals to the brain to react calmly, reduce stress and trauma and treat the negative emotions associated with anxiety, sadness and fear.
Some of the many benefits of practising EFT

  • Reducing stress and anxiety
  • Improving physical health and wellbeing
  • Increasing energy levels
  • Enhancing mental clarity & focus
  • Enhancing emotional wellbeing
  • Releasing negative emotions & thoughts
  • Enhancing self-awareness

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (formerly NICE) has found EFT to be clinically- and cost-effective for PTSD, and research is ongoing on how it can help with health and wellbeing across the board. Check out their research for yourself at
nice.org.uk/guidance/ng116/evidence.
The beauty of EFT is that you can learn it quickly as a self-help tool or go to a deeper level with a trained therapist. Great if you are looking for a way to reduce stress and anxiety, improve physical health and emotional wellbeing.

How to do it at home:
Think of a number from 1-10 and rate how you currently feel about a situation you are going to tap about. Here are a few ideas as to what you could say whilst tapping:

  • ‘Even though I am upset/stressed/unhappy about […] I deeply love and accept myself’
  • ‘I am strong and I can get through anything’
  • ‘Even though I’m scared, I know I have the courage to do this’
    Tap gently between 3-7 times on each point (to follow) whilst repeating a sentence that refers to how you are feeling.
    Points to focus on:
  • Eyebrow point – where the eyebrows begin, closest to the bridge of the nose.
  • Side of eye – on the bone directly along the outside of either eye.
  • Under eye – on the bone directly under either eye.
  • Under nose – the area directly beneath the nose and above the upper lip.
  • Chin point – this is the area just below your bottom lip and above the chin, right in the crease.
  • Collarbone point – starting from where your collarbones meet in the centre, go down an inch and out on either side.
  • Under arm – on your side, about four inches beneath the armpit.
  • Top of head – directly on the crown of your head.

When you finish tapping, rate how stressed you feel about the same situation on the scale of 1-10.
You can practise EFT on your own, it doesn’t need special equipment or location. It’s easy to learn and flexible enough to adapt to any circumstances or worries you have.
If you do feel you need support, I highly recommend you go to an experienced therapist who can guide and teach you for the best possible results.

To find out more about the support that Kate Munden offers, see katemunden.com

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