What is Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT & What Can It Treat?

Emotional trauma and stress have become an integral part of the modern competitive world. People are in a state of constant stress regarding their careers, personal relationships, professional commitments and the like. In such a situation, emotional disharmony is something that simply cannot be overlooked. This disharmony in terms of our emotion can adversely affect the physical and psychological well-being, leading to disorders, both psychological and physical. It is therefore, important to address these issues and this is probably the reason why Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT has gained such prominence since the last decade of the twentieth century.

Emotional Freedom Technique or the EFT can be defined as a healing methodology that works on the principle of emotional well-being of humans. Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT is based on the premise that in order to lead a healthy lifestyle, a person has to be emotionally healthy along with being physically fit. It is believed that the physical healing procedures cannot provide optimal results if there are emotional barriers. This technique owes its operation to various theories such as neuro-linguistic programming, Thought Field Therapy (TFT) and energy medicine.

Emotional Freedom Technique is a “psychological acupressure” that works towards removing blockages in our energy system which serve as antecedents of emotional discomfort and intensity. These obstructions in the energy system can give rise to a number of personality issues such as lack of self-esteem, depression, anxiety disorders and other such behavioral issues. It is now a widely acknowledged fact that emotional stress is one of the major contributing factors towards physical disorders.

Hence, it is hardly surprising that emotional freedom technique or EFT is now being used in cases of chronic physical ailments with positive outcomes. These methodologies are quite simple and therefore, make effective self-help tools that people can use in their healing procedures. This, in turn, results in an accelerated healing process which otherwise, would have been lengthy and probably painful. This method of treatment does not discard medical or therapeutic procedures, but works in association with them.

Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT can be helpful in treating a variety of physical and psychological disorders. Emotional traumas or setbacks can often prove to be a hurdle in the healing procedure, leading to an array of behavioral issues. Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT can successfully cure issues such as lack of self-esteem and confidence, anxiety disorders, depression, insomnia and other such psychological issues. Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT also works towards-

• Removing antagonistic emotions from the system.
• The implementation of positive aims and objectives.
• Reducing craving for food.
• Reducing or eliminating pain.

Emotional stress can also act as inhibitor in the healing procedure of many chronic physical illnesses. It is, therefore, important to address emotional issues in order to gain optimal results in psychological and medical treatment.

Emotional freedom technique or EFT works by restoring faith and awareness in the natural healing abilities of the human body and mind thereby, leading to the achievement of optimal results in the treatment of physical and psychological ailments. Its reference as psychological acupuncture can be attributed to the tapping of the energy meridians located just beneath the skin with the use of fingertips rather than needles. This allows the input of kinetic energy to the target meridians on the chest and head while people concentrate on the issues troubling them and to provide positive assertions. This allows the clearing away of the emotional obstructions from the energy system of the body, thereby, restoring the psychological, emotional and physical balance. The principle behind doing so is to make the procedure simple and as much painless as possible.

Understanding the emotional factors that have contributed to a particular disorder is perhaps the first step towards implementing Emotional Freedom Technique successfully. Though treatment can be done without tapping into the emotional factors and merely focusing on the physical manifestations, the results gained by such a method may not be long lasting.

Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT also makes use of the Personal Peace Procedure according to which a person needs to address as many unresolved emotions as possible in order to become emotionally healthy.

Upon doing so, a number of positive changes can be observed in the concerned individual such as –

• Restoration of self-esteem and confidence
• Better performance
• Improved psychological and physical well-being.

There are two aspects of Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT that need to be considered in this light –

• The proper techniques and locations for tapping
• The positive assertions.

It is important to tap the proper meridians for gaining optimal results. For doing so, one could use either side of the body or both for tapping. While the tips of the index and middle fingers are traditionally used for tapping, using all the fingertips of both the hands allow for better coverage of the acupuncture areas and therefore, better results. The top of the head, eyebrow, side of the eye, under the eye, under the nose, chin, collar bone, under the arm and wrists are the areas that need to be tapped in chronological order.

It is important to understand that Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT is no magic. Like any other therapeutic treatment, this also is likely to take a certain time before any notable changes can be observed. Improvements in the condition will take place gradually. It is important to understand the nuances of the technique; it is for this reason that it is prudent to seek the help of a qualified therapist. It is also important to note that long term unresolved issues take a longer time to achieve resolution than other issues.

Emotional Freedom Technique is often used in association with other forms of treatment so as to achieve faster and optimal results. There are no known side effects as far as the Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT is concerned. However, tapping just before sleep can result in vivid dreams in certain cases. There are certain precautions that need to be taken while opting for emotional freedom technique or EFT.

• It is imperative to remain tuned in to the concerned issues and not become distracted or disengaged in any way.
• Though it is possible to carry out this technique by oneself, it is better to approach a therapist for getting acquainted with the finer nuances of Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT.
• Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT often allows people to look at their issues in a different perspective than what they are accustomed to. It is important to consider these cognitive shifts as they can yield positive results.
• It is also essential to stay hydrated as Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT deals with the flow of electrical energy through the body and water is a good conductor of electricity.
• Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT should also be practiced multiple times in a day and should not be limited to a single time of the day.

It is imperative to address emotional disharmony in order to achieve a stable balance between physical, psychological and emotional beings. It is probably for this reason why Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT has been successful in drawing the attention of a wide range of healing specialists. Though it is not yet used as widely, there can be no doubt about the effectiveness of Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT in the healing procedures. The process is virtually painless and allows individuals to welcome a life that is physically, psychologically and emotionally healthy.