EFT FAQs
Please note:
If you have additional questions that weren’t answered here please e-mail me and I will try to answer them. I don’t do consultations by e-mail, however, so if you have an issue that needs clearing, please set up an appointment with me or another practitioner.
Why do people use different tapping points?
Do I tap on one side or both?
Which is better, the Karate Chop or the Sore Spot on the chest to use while doing the set-up?
Why do I have to say negative statements?
What words or phrases do I use?
Why is it important to know my SUDs level, and what does SUDs stand for?
What if I can’t figure out my intensity level?
How do I deal with an intangible issue or get a SUDs level on it?
How long do I have to tap to get results?
How many sessions will it take to deal with my issue?
Does EFT work for…? (whatever)
What’s the difference between Simple and Complex issues?
How do you deal with relationship challenges using EFT?
Can EFT be used on children, the infirm, or pets?
Can I use Surrogate EFT on children, elderly or animals?
So how does Surrogate EFT work?
What is the protocol for doing Surrogate tapping?
I have tried EFT, but it isn’t working for ME. What do I do next?
Why do I sometimes get sad, depressed or agitated after a session?
What’s the best way to learn about EFT?
FAQs from Gary Craig’s 79-page manual
How is EFT different from a Quick Fix?
Does EFT last?
How does EFT handle problems that are intense or that are old issues?
How does EFT deal with a person’s need to understand the problem?
How does EFT deal with stress and anxiety?
How does EFT help with sports performance?
Why does EFT give surprisingly good relief from physical problems?
Q. Why do different practitioners use different tapping points?
A. The body has 14 meridians that run throughout the body. These energy pathways come to the surface in several place: the face, head, upper torso, spine, ankles, wrists, etc. When Gary Craig developed EFT, one of his objectives was to make it so simple that anyone would be able to do it. You can keep EFT effective and simple by just doing the basic “shortcut” points outline in Gary’s 79 page manual. However, by adding a few more points — the inside of the wrists, the liver point (over the liver on the right side), and the crown of the head, you are stimulating the other five meridians, therefore increasing your effectiveness rate by over 50%. And it only adds a few more seconds – well worth it.
There are really no right or wrong points. We tend to do what works best for us. And for me using all the points mentioned above in Pro-ER brings extraordinary results (see the “tapping diagram” available under the "Free Stuff" tab).
Q. Do I tap on one side or both?
A. You may have already noticed that many practitioners do tapping differently. My belief is that you have a better chance of getting to the blockage and dislodging it quicker by tapping on both sides. Because what if the blocked meridian point is on the left and you’re tapping only on the right? Probably half the practitioners out there tap on just one side and still get good results. But for me, double-sided tapping gets better results. I suggest you do whatever works best for you.
Q. Which location is better to use for the set-up statement, the Karate Chop point on the side of the hand, or the Sore Spot on the chest?
A. These points are pretty much the same when it comes to effectively setting up the set-up statements. However, I use the sore spot on the chest for two reasons:
One: because the points on the chest are at the body’s lymphatic drainage system, so rubbing them consistently helps disperse the accumulated toxins there (which is why they’re sore). This breaks up the toxins, allowing them to be diluted and flushed out of your system.
And Two: because I use the Karate Chop point to do Reversal Neutralizations, thus distinguishing that from the set-up statements on the chest. But truthfully, you can use either points for both objectives, so please use whichever location is most comfortable for you.
Q. What words and phrases do I use?
A. This is a simple, yet complex question and one of the most frequently asked. The easy answer is to use this simple formula:
Add an acceptance affirmation to your problem, such as “Even though I have this __________(state your issue), I deeply and completely love and accept myself.” However, there is a bit more to it than that. What’s important to remember is you can’t do it “wrong”, but some phrases are more effective than others. Try it different ways until you get the result you want.
To learn about doing set up phrases and what’s important about them, read the article on the “9 Stumbling Blocks of EFT”, located in the "Free Stuff" tab. Being specific, finding the core issue, and getting rid of Reversals are imperative to successful EFT.
Here are some examples of set-up statements. Remember, being specific is important – this assists you in tuning directly into the ‘problem’ where the meridian’s energy is blocked.
“Even though I have this fear of speaking to groups of over 5 people, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
“Even though a part of me doesn’t want to forgive my mother for hurting my feelings at Christmas when I gave her that sweater and it looked like she didn’t appreciate it, I accept who I am without judgment.”
“Even though I have this sinus headache above my eyes and it really hurts, I deeply love and accept who I am.”
“Even though I have anger towards my father for yelling at me last night about how I parked the car, I deeply and completely love and accept myself. ”
“Even though I have this stiffness on the right side of my neck, I accept myself and love my body.”
“I deeply accept myself unconditionally, even though I have a killer craving for chocolate right now.”
“Even though I have this fear of snakes, I love and accept myself anyway.”
” Even though I’m really sad over my breakup with ________, I deeply love and accept myself.”
Q. Why do I have to say negative statements?
A. This is, indeed, a frequently asked question and a valid one. By stating the problem (usually something negative) it brings to the surface the feelings and emotions about an event or issue, alerting the body and its sensitive energy system to where the blockage might be (remember, the cause of all negative emotions is a blockage in the body’s energy system). By saying the negative but true statement while stimulating the meridian points, you are sending tiny vibrations or shock waves throughout your energy pathways. By doing so, you are gently nudging away the blockage or disruption that causes the negative emotion. It’s important to say the statements while tuning into the emotion you’re focused on releasing, and these types of statements assist you in holding that at the forefront of your mind.
If you stated a positive affirmation instead, such as, “Even though I was just robbed and beaten, that’s okay, I feel safe and secure now” your system would surely rebel. There would be a giant “tail ender” saying “What?! Are you kidding me? I don’t feel secure or safe at all!” Your subconscious (or even conscious) would have the same reaction if you left off the negative occurrence as well and made only a positive statement.
Believe me, many have tried this approach and got limited results. It is true that when we tell ourselves “It’s okay, I’ll be alright” we can sometimes calm ourselves down. But calming ourselves is not the purpose of EFT. The purpose of EFT is to completely eliminate the negative emotion, pain or issue.
That said, however, once the intensity is at a lower SUDs level (3 or less) you can then switch to a more positive choice statement.
Q. Why is it important to know my SUDs level and what does SUDs stand for?
A. SUDs stands for Subjective Units of Distress (the ‘s’ at the end is superfluous, but is commonly used anyway). It’s important to know your intensity level so you’ll know where you are and where you need to go. If you simply say, “I’m really upset” that doesn’t give you much information. If you can put a number to it, say a 9, for instance, even if it’s subjective, you at least have a guesstimate of a starting point. Then as you tap and get in touch with your decreasing SUDs level on subsequent rounds, you’ll know you’re making progress. You’ll also have a handle on how far you still need to go to completely resolve your issue.
Conversely, if your number hasn’t changed after a couple of rounds, you’ll know you’re missing something and will need to make some adjustments. Likewise, if you get down to a 2, you know you’re close, but not quite finished. You’ll want to keep going until you can say for certain that you’re at a zero.
It’s important to remember that the objective of EFT isn’t just to “feel better” (although that’s certainly nice). The ultimate goal is to realize a complete cessation of a negative emotion or issue. So don’t stop just because you start to “feel better”. Keep tapping until you’re feeling great and the issue has been completely put to rest. If you truly get to a zero on the event, issue, pain or whatever, it’s unlikely it will return. To make sure that you’ve really neutralized a problem, test yourself by trying to get upset. Revisit the issue, even the formerly painful aspects and see if the intensity rises at all. If it does, you still have some work left to do.
If the event, pain or issue seems ‘fuzzy’, hard to remember or difficult to grasp, and there’s no “charge” left, then you are likely done. When my clients get to a zero, I ask them how they know that. Often it is the cessation of a physical manifestation, such as tightness in the shoulders or neck, or an upset stomach. Or they might feel profound relaxation, feel lighter and experience renewed energy or peace of mind. I love using the SUDs rating and check it usually after every round of tapping in the course of eliminating an issue.
Q. What if I don’t know my intensity level?
A. It’s not always easy to figure out, on a scale of 1 to 10, how much your shoulder hurts, or how angry you are at your brother-in-law, or how afraid of spiders you are. At best it’s a subjective guess. While many people come up with their SUDs level right away, many others struggle with this little, but important aspect of EFT. If you can’t figure out your level, just guess what your number would be. Try saying this sentence out loud rather fast, “Even though I don’t know what my intensity level is, if I had to guess I’d say it was a…..”.
This simple little trick typically bypasses the conscious mind and allows the subconscious to provide the answer. It may not be 100%, but it gives you a reference point. Good practitioners generally know where someone stands as they talk about their issues. So if a client’s number is far off from the estimate of the practitioner, he or she would have occasion to question the client’s answer. When working with yourself, however, you can only guess and do your best. Chances are if you don’t analyze it too much and just go with your gut, you’ll be just fine. As stated in the above question, it’s important to get the SUDs rating so you’ll know where you are and where you need to go. Also, some people ‘see’ the number and some people ‘hear’ the number – so just trust what comes to you.
Q. How do I deal with an intangible issue or get a SUDs rating on it?
A: So, what if you have a problem like procrastination, or lack confidence around new employees, or want to lose 30 pounds, or I’m just stuck and can’t get going? How do I measure or test issues like that?
To deal with intangible or hard-to-measure issues, I use what is called “The Ultimate Truth Statement.” This is a multi-step process but the general idea is this: Develop a statement that represents the most positive outcome you would like to achieve –essentially your ‘goal’ – and write that down. Then write down all the ways your life will be different once you’ve achieved this goal. Then write down how you would ‘feel’ if you achieved this goal. Then take words from all 3 of these steps and construct your present-tense Ultimate Truth Statement. After this, check for your level of believability by reading your statement and seeing where your subconscious says “no way that’s true” or “that’s never gonna happen” and write down all those limiting thoughts, beliefs and attitudes. THIS is where you start tapping. You must tap away all your ‘resisters’ first before you can ever bring your Ultimate Truth Statement into reality. Please call me for an appointment and I’ll take you through all the steps – this is a wonderful process for goal-setting. It works great for weight loss, procrastination, and success goals.
Q. How long do I have to tap to get results?
A. The short answer is: Until you get the result you want. Normally you can resolve an issue in 3-4 rounds, which only takes a few minutes. Simple issues are particularly quick and easy to deal with. Sometimes, however, it may take 5-6 rounds, or even 10-12 to resolve a difficult issue. You may need to go through several “doors”, look at many different aspects, and dig for the core issue, to get the optimal end result of complete resolution. That takes time. But hey, what’s an hour or maybe two to completely resolve a painful, lifelong issue?
Traditional therapy could take months or years to resolve the same problem. We often get spoiled with “one-minute-miracles” and get impatient when something is taking too long. But, we must keep things in perspective and realize that even the most difficult or complex cases can be resolved to completion in a fraction of the time any other therapy might hope to offer. Patience and Persistence are the keys to successfully resolving challenges issues. Time should not be a factor.
It’s also important to make sure an issue is completely resolved before leaving it. Some people say “Gee, I feel better now” and stop at that. Later when they feel a negative charge again about the same issue, they think that EFT didn’t work. I hate it when that happens! If you truly get all of the aspects resolved and get an issue to a zero on the SUDs scale, it’s likely gone for good.
That’s not to say that at some point, an aspect that was missed might not pop up for you. But resolving that should be very easy, since the bigger components have already been collapsed. So stay with it until you’re sure an issue is completely resolved. Test yourself by trying to get upset about it again. If you just can’t find a charge, then you’re likely done. That’s how long it takes.
Q. How many sessions will it take to deal with my issue?
A. There is no easy, pat answer to this question. There are so many variables among people and issues that it could take 1 session or 5. Some might even be more than that. Complex issues, weight issues, abuse, trauma, and many others often take several sessions. Often a session can be done in 30 minutes, depending on the circumstances. However, many people have multiple issues making it hard to tell without really getting into the matter.
One lady, for instance called because she was ’stuck’ at work and couldn’t seem to get the recognition she wanted. That seemed, on the surface like a relatively easy matter to be dispensed with quickly. As it turned out, however, there was a considerable physical trauma in her life that had to be dealt with, the suicide of a family member, an eating disorder and much more. And while “Ann” didn’t think any of those things contributed to her problems at work, they were actually critical to her success (or lack thereof).
So the answer to this question is “It depends”. Just know that however long it takes, it will still be considerably less than tradition therapies of any kind, and likely much more effective.
Q. Does EFT work for (insert any…)?
A. One of the most common questions EFT Practitioners hear is, “Can EFT help with…. PTSD, diabetes, hepatitis, Multiple Sclerosis, pimples, etc?” To which we almost always respond “Probably! Try it on everything!” A more thorough and accurate answer, however, would be “Many others have experienced great results with your issue, so it is highly likely that you’ll get resolution too.” It’s safe to say EFT has been tried on just about every issue, problem or physical ailment you can image.
EFT can bring miraculous results to virtually anything… especially in the hands of an accomplished practitioner. And since EFT has never been known to harm anyone, it’s painless, and it works when nothing else has, go ahead and try it on your issue.
In experienced hands, EFT delivers significant relief over 90% of the time (the medical profession would love to have those results). Many cases, however, especially if they’re complex, require more than just applying the basic sequence. So, if you’ve already tried EFT and aren’t getting the results you want, it’s likely not a shortcoming of EFT, but rather that you’re missing some important element. Virtually all complex issues should be dealt with by a competent EFT Practitioner.
There is an art to EFT that goes far beyond what you can learn in the 79-page manual available on Gary Craig’s site or even by watching all of Gary’s wonderful videos that only comes with experience and practice. For instance, there are several obstacles that can impede EFT’s progress. I suggest you read the article “The 9 Stumbling Blocks of EFT” by Lindsay Kenny, which you can find on"Free Stuff."
Q. What’s the difference between Simple and Complex issues?
A. First let me broadly define “Simple” issues. There are no hard and fast rules, but typically simple issues are problems that are usually:
• Single faceted, like the hiccups, or your boss embarrassed you at the sales meeting, or you’re disappointed that you didn’t get the promotion you wanted, or you’re stressed after a tough day at work.
• Recent, as opposed to something that happened years ago, or has been going on for a long time.
• Not chronic; something that’s not a persistent problem like chronic pain, anger or grief
• A simple pain or injury, as opposed to a complex medical issue or a serious illness
• Fear or simple phobias
• Emotions like stress, frustration, anger, embarrassment, cravings, etc.
• Ones you can generally work on and resolved yourself, with some basic knowledge of EFT
I believe there are Two Tiers of complex issues, which almost always involve more than one aspect. Tier one issues include things like grief, chronic pain, “minor” traumas, allergies, some abuse issues, weight issues, food addictions, stuttering, and most non life-threatening illnesses. Many of the examples used in the “9 Stumbling Blocks” article are examples of Tier 1 complex issues. Some of these you can work on yourself. If you’re not getting a resolution, you should contact an EFT practitioner.
The second, or more-difficult-to-work-with, Tier 2, includes child abuse, sexual or ritual abuse, traumatic or life-altering accidents or deaths, severe and sustained physical or emotional abuse, drug addictions, morbid obesity, and so on. Tier two complex issues are usually highly charged emotionally or often a result of very traumatic occurrences. Also included in these more difficult cases would be psychological problems such as bi-polar, schizophrenia, multiple personalities, serious illnesses and so on.
Here’s what’s important to remember: Most simple issues can be handled by anyone, including yourself. Complex issues, especially Tier 2, need to be dealt with by an experienced practitioner.
Q. How do you deal with relationship challenges using EFT?
A. Relationship challenges, whether they are personal or professional, are usually just symptoms of a bigger, underlying cause. There’s ALWAYS something underneath the problems — jealousy, anger, frustration, hate, guilt, etc. Often the husband reminds the wife of her controlling father, or the wife reminds the husband of his dominant, non-affectionate mother (or whatever.)
Many times someone brings all their hurts from past relationships into the new one, punishing the “innocent” new partner for sins from the old partner – that’s what’s usually the cause for their friction, not the current relationship.
First I work with each person individually, neutralizing any traumas or “emotional” charges from the past. I deal with the cause for the strife that results in anger, resentment, frustration, etc. Most people see significant positive change after the first session. Once each person is “clean”, I then exercise the option of seeing them together. While each person and each couple has their individual issues or problems, the formula is pretty much the same; deal with the cause and the symptom easily dissipates. The number of total session depends on many factors including the severity of the issues and the willingness of the participants to do the homework between sessions.
Q. Can EFT be used on children, elderly or animals?
A. Yes, EFT can be used on virtually anyone (including pets) with good results. For babies, pets, the elderly and those unable to tap themselves, you can use surrogate tapping, which is tapping on yourself, for them. To learn more about this phenomenon, search for articles on Gary’s site (www.emofree.com).
Q. Can I use Surrogate EFT on children, elderly or animals?
A. Yes. When people first find out about animal EFT, they immediately think that it’s about tapping ON animals and ask where they should tap their animals. Of course animals do have a meridian system, but many of the points are in places where animals truly do not like to be touched, much less tapped. The wonderful thing about animal EFT is that you DON’T tap on the animal directly, but you tap on yourself to make the changes happen.
It works the same as with surrogate tapping on people. Therefore the below protocol applies whether it’s an animal, a child, an infirmed person or someone in another country.
The advantages of Surrogate tapping:
• You can do it any time and any where - you don’t have to be in the same room with the animal or person.
• You can do it much more often than an animal would generally permit.
• You can help wild animals, animals that don’t belong to you, and animals that you can’t really touch much, such as birds and fish.
• Once you have learned the simple technique, you can use it on any problem, on any animal or person and you don’t have to know anything at all about their various meridian systems or points.
Q: So how does Surrogate EFT work?
A: When you focus your attention on an animal, a child or an elderly adult you connect your energy system with theirs. When you keep the focus of your attention on a specific aspect of that energy system (a problem, disease, behavior, state of mind and so on) you change YOUR system by tapping on the points, YOU ARE ALSO CHANGING THEIRS through the connection you established.
This was originally discovered when a woman, distraught because she was sitting by the side of her premature baby’s incubator and could not touch him, treated herself for the baby’s problems and the baby responded by breathing more easily and slower, and finding from somewhere the will to live and to fight on more strongly than before.
Since then, people all over the world have been absolutely astonished to find that tapping on themselves while holding another living being’s problems in their mind can make changes without touching them or even being in the same room.
I don’t expect you to believe this right away. But I tell you, when your neighbor’s dog 100 yards away stops barking after an hour just because you have tapped a round of EFT on yourself, a shiver goes down your spine and you KNOW you made that happen as if by magic, it is a really convincing experience.
Q: What is the protocol for doing Surrogate tapping?
A: Here is the Surrogate EFT protocol:
1. Focus Your Intention
Think about the animal or person and what specifically you would like to release, relax, soothe or change.
2. Make A Statement Of Intent
Find a phrase or a sentence that describes the problem succinctly and clearly to you.
You can say, “Sally has this terrible allergy.” or “Rover never stops barking.” or, “This brown horse is distressed.” if you don’t know the animals’ name. This is the main part of directing your attention to the problem.
3. The Setup statement
Surround the statement of intent with the words, “Even though (Rover) (is hyperactive), I deeply and profoundly love and accept (Rover).” This helps bring you closer to the animal for deeper changes and handles permission issues as well as having positive benefits for YOUR system.
4. The Full Opening Set-Up
Place your flat hand on your chest, either left or right, just above your heart. Wait until you can feel the warmth of your hand through your clothes, rub the hand round in a small circle and say the opening statement which is the statement of intent inside the blessing:
“Even though (insert name or description)(insert statement of problem), I deeply and profoundly love and accept (name or description).”
Repeat this opening statement three times in a row, continuously rubbing the chest area just below the collar bone known as the Sore Spot (or the Karate Chop point on the side of your hand).
5. Tapping All The Points
We now use a shortened version of the opening statement which is called the Reminder Phrase and tap lightly with three fingers, about seven times, on the following spots (both sides is best) while saying the reminder statement of “this——(whatever the issue is)”:
Start Of The Eyebrow - Where the bone behind your eyebrow turns into the bridge of your nose.
Corner Of The Eye - On the bone in the corner of your eye.
Under The Eye - On the bone just below your eye, in line with your pupil if you look straight ahead.
Under The Nose - Between you nose and your upper lip
Under The Mouth - In the indentation between your chin and your lower lip
Collarbone - In the angle formed by your collarbone and the breastbone
Under Arm - in line with a man’s nipples on the side of the body
Liver Point – where the underwire of your bra hits
Wrist – where the hand and forearm come together, bump together
Top of Head – the crown area – be gentle
When you’re all the way through, take a deep breath in and out. You can repeat the treatment with a different statement - often something comes to your mind as you do this. Different statements create different charges, so experiment with as many different forms of wording and ways of saying something until you feel comfortable.
Repeat this process until the issue dissipates. Surrogate tapping for complex issues should be administered by an experienced practitioner.
Q. I’ve tried EFT, but it’s just not working for ME. What now?
A. When people try EFT for ‘old’ problems or complex issues and aren’t getting the results they want, they may think EFT just isn’t working for ‘them’. Others think that maybe the testimonials they have heard aren’t real. Actually, neither is true.
As wonderful as EFT is, there are several impediments that can get in the way of its success. For one, beginners should only try using EFT on “simple” issues, leaving more complex problems to experienced practitioners.
Please read the article about the 9 Stumbling Blocks of EFT, available on my site under "Free Stuff.". If, after reading the article, you are still having problems, you may need assistance. The article explains why that is true. Sometimes, even we experienced practitioners need the eyes, ears and intuition of others to get to the heart of the matter…especially for complex issues.
Q. Why do I sometimes get sad, depressed or agitated after a session?
A. It’s not uncommon to have reactions like these. There are several possible reasons:
1) You may be regretting the previous choices you’ve made in life (or things that have happened to you) and “opportunities wasted” in your life due to the issue you just worked on. These feelings are not usually at a conscious level, however, until EFT is introduced and stirs things up. It’s as if one part of you is blaming yourself for an unfulfilled, or less-than-satisfying life, and another part is eager to step into a new role. So two or more elements of you may be battling or even raging against each other.
2) The “new you” feels out-of-sorts because “it” doesn’t know how to behave in this new paradigm, with a different identity. Some people who have been victimized, for instance, may blame others for their crummy life or bad choices, and not know how to live an accountable life. Once the curtain has lifted using EFT, however, they might feel angry, or fearful, like a fish-out-of-water as they begin to see life from a more accountable, optimistic perspective.
3) There’s still a part of you resisting change. After clearing major traumas or blocks with EFT, you see the possibility of living life with a different set of rules. This might mean risking rejection rather than living behind a wall of protection (the previous excuse for your challenges.) Therefore you feel a bit unsafe or on unfamiliar ground.
4) There may be a payoff for having your issue (I’m not suggesting that you would choose to have your problems.) However, some people are financially compensated for a disability, may get attention, sympathy or special favors as a result of their issues, so a part of them is reluctant to change. Don’t get mad at me here for suggesting this. I’m not saying you’re consciously choosing to stay ill, or in pain or whatever, only that a part of you may have latched on to some secondary benefits of your issues.
5) A part of you is sad (or even sick to your stomach) for the ‘old’ identity you’re striving to leave behind. And sometimes there’s a reluctance to do that…for reasons that vary among different people. Just as people stay in bad marriages because it’s at least familiar, we sometimes want to stay with what we perceive as a safe place, habit or personality. To change what’s become so familiar is disconcerting to some, while exciting and uplifting for others.
6) And most likely…you’re simply not done yet! You’re only partially into your issues and are stirring things up. You may (or may not) have cleared out some blocks and resolved some issues, but there’s still more. Often people feel they should be “fixed” after one or two sessions, and that’s just not likely…in most cases. Confusion, “foggy-headedness”, anxiety, headaches, anger, or sadness simply means you’re not done! Be patient with the process and continue to work on your own, between sessions, or with an experienced practitioner.
If you’re experiencing any of the above problems, it’s highly likely you are working on issues far too complex for you to handle alone. EFT is magical and extremely effective in the right hands. Beginners, however, should stay with simple, rather than complex issues. One of the ways you’ll know if your issue is over your head is if you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms. If so, find a competent practitioner to help you out.
Q. What’s the best way to learn EFT?
A. There’s so much to EFT that you should take several routes. EFT is elegant in its simplicity, however, there is SO much more to it than meets the eye. EFT is effective for hundreds of simple issues and can be self-applied, however, for more complex issues you should see an experienced practitioner.
• Start the learning process by downloading Gary Craig’s free 79-page manual at www.emofree.com.
• Another way to learn EFT is by seeing a practitioner for your own issues and learn as you go.
• One of the best ways to learn EFT is by doing an approved EFT workshop. Level 1 is for beginners. Move up to Level 2 after doing 1 and when you have more experience with EFT. Take Level 3 when you're ready to take your knowledge to the next level. While Level 3 is not exclusively for aspiring practitioners, it’s often the serious student who will take that course.
The following are FAQs as published in Gary Craig’s EFT manual.
If you haven’t already done so, I recommend that you read it to get started with EFT. Download your free copy at www.emofree.com. There is also a new MTT manual available for free download at www.meridiantappingtechniques.com
Q. How is EFT different from a “quick fix?”
A. The label “quick fix” carries with it a negative connotation and is often used to label the questionable healing techniques of hucksters and cheats. The term goes hand in hand with the term “con man” and, when used, often brings about thoughts of suspicion and caution. EFT offers rapid relief from numerous emotional and physical ailments without meriting the negative label “quick fix.”
This is obvious to any observer of the case histories in this course and is even more obvious to those students who have experienced the results first hand. I use the term “rapid relief” instead of “quick fix” to put across the same idea but without the negative connotation.
Now here’s an important note: Throughout history healing techniques of various kinds have usually been low and inefficient until someone finds the true remedy for the ailment. When the true remedy is found, everything changes and the old methods become relics of the past.
Polio is a case in point. Until the Salk vaccine was discovered, Poliomyelitis was considered incurable and all manners of medications and therapies (including the Iron Lung) were employed to help the sufferers. They didn’t do much, of course. They helped ease some of the discomfort and limited some of the long term damage caused by the disease. But that was about it.
And then came the Salk vaccine. It did away with all the antiquated, inefficient attempts at curing Polio and replaced them with a true remedy. It was, indeed, a “quick fix” without the negative connotation.
The eradication of Polio is only one example where inefficient methods give way to true remedies. Penicillin, for instance, has been another “quick fix” miracle drug that has provided instant cures for illnesses ranging from respiratory diseases to gonorrhea.
The examples go on and on, of course, but the point is that these procedures are replacing all the inefficient techniques used on behalf of emotional health. The fact that they give rapid relief to seemingly difficult emotional problems is impressive evidence that they represent the true remedy. If they took forever to do very little then they should simply take their place among the other ho hum techniques of the past. But they don’t. They hit the bull’s eye and perform as a true remedy should…quickly, easily, permanently.
Q. Does it last?
A. This question is usually a companion to the above “quick fix” question. After all, the “logic” goes, any problem that can be relieved that fast must be temporary. Lasting results, at least in the minds of most people, must take time to produce.
Not so. EFT’s results are usually permanent. The case histories are filled with people who have had lasting results…even though the problem was relieved in moments. This is still more evidence that EFT is addressing the true cause of the problem. Otherwise, the remedy would not be so long lasting.
Please remember, however, that EFT doesn’t do everything for everyone. Some problems seem to reappear and that is usually caused by different aspects of the original problem showing up at a later time. The experienced student of EFT will recognize this and simply reapply The Basic Recipe for this new aspect. The experienced student will also break the problem down into specific events and apply EFT to those underlying causes. In time, after all aspects and specific events have been addressed, the problem usually goes away completely and does not return.
Q. How does EFT handle emotional problems that are very intense and/or have been with a person for a very long time?
A. The same way it handles every other emotional problem. To EFT, the intensity of a problem or how long it has been around is immaterial. The cause is always a disruption in the body’s energy system and using The Basic Recipe to balance it gives relief…regardless of its severity.
This question usually comes about because of the belief that intense and/or long resident problems are more “deeply ingrained” than other problems. Therefore it should take more effort to relieve them. This seems very logical when viewed through conventional approaches because conventional approaches don’t directly address the true cause.
Conventional approaches tend to take aim at one’s memories or other mental processes and ignore the energy system (where the true cause lies). When slow progress is being made it is convenient to blame the problem because it is presumed to be “deeply ingrained” or otherwise difficult to deal with. In this manner, conventional approaches can…and do…explain away ineffective results.
When EFT requires persistence it is NOT because of the intensity or resident length of a problem. It is usually because of a problem’s complexity. Complexity, to EFT, means the existence of several aspects to a problem each of which must be relieved before total relief is felt. The notion of aspects is covered repeatedly in the manual, the videos and the audios.
Old issues, however may be ingrained in the body’s memory or subconsciously the body wants to hang on to the problem. This is what is called a psychological reversa). If a reversal is in place, and it often is with old or serious issues, you’ll need to neutralize it before EFT will work.
Q. How does EFT deal with one’s need to understand their problem?
A. This is one of the most astonishing features about EFT. A shift in a person’s understanding of their problem happens simultaneously with the relief. After EFT, people talk about their problem differently. They put it in a healthy perspective. The typical rape victim, for example, no longer carries a deep fear and distrust of men. Rather, she considers her assailant(s) to have the problem and in need of help.
People who use EFT for relief from guilt no longer take blame for whatever event gave rise to the guilt. Anger turns to objectivity. Grief turns to a healthy, more peaceful perspective about the death of a loved one. Notice how you and others respond to your former problem and you will see what I mean. Your understanding shifts right along with the relief.
Here’s a final note on how powerfully EFT shifts understanding. In the hundreds and hundreds of people I have helped with EFT not one of them…ever…has made any request to better understand their problem. Why would they? There was no need. Furthermore, people don’t have to ‘believe’ in EFT in order for it to work. In fact, some of my biggest successes, and now advocates, are those who were the biggest skeptics in the beginning.
Q. How does EFT deal with stress and anxiety?
A. In EFT, stress and anxiety have the same cause as all other negative emotions…a disruption in the body’s energy system. Accordingly, they are addressed with The Basic Recipe the same as any other emotional issue. Anxiety has a specific meaning in clinical psychology. It refers to an intense fear or dread lacking an unambiguous cause or a specific threat. In EFT, however, we give it a much broader definition to include that general state of uneasiness, which is more commonly known as anxiety. Under that definition stress and anxiety fall into the same category.
Stress and anxiety tend to be ongoing problems because the circumstances that create them are ongoing. An abusive family situation or a stressful job environment are but two of a long list of possibilities. EFT does not do away with the circumstances, of course, but it is an important aid in reducing your anxious responses. In most cases, EFT will need to be used persistently (most likely daily) because the stressful circumstances tend to show up every day.
After a while, you should notice that your response to difficult events is much calmer. Things just don’t get to you like they used to. You smile more. Your health improves and life seems easier.
Q. How does EFT help with sports performance?
A. Ask any accomplished athlete and they will tell you emphatically that their mental set is critical to their performance. The difference between good days and bad days for the athlete is almost always due to emotional causes. Barring sickness, the athlete always brings the same highly skilled body into the field of battle. The only thing that changes is the effect that emotions have on the body.
Everyone, including athletes, has their share of negative thoughts and self-doubt. By now you are quite familiar with the fact that those negative states of mind disrupt the body’s energy system and cause negative emotions. These negative emotions show up in the body in a variety of ways (pounding heart, tears, sweat, etc.) and this includes some tension in the muscles.
In athletics, timing is everything and even the slightest tension in the muscles affects it. Hitting a baseball, tennis ball or golf ball requires perfect timing and being off by just 1/8 of an inch is the difference between hitting a home run and flying out…or…hitting a killer serve or one that hits the net…or…making or missing a putt. And so it goes.
Athletes are well aware of this problem and many hire sports psychologists to help them in this regard. Any negative emotion…even the mild ones and the subconscious ones…can be critical to an athlete’s performance.
EFT provides a remarkably effective solution to this problem. One of the most common responses to it is that people feel relaxed which, by the way, is another way of saying that the tension has left their muscles. This is ideal for the athlete because it neutralizes any unnecessary emotional tension in the muscles without affecting the rest of their athletic ability. It allows their potential to flow through without being hindered by any resistance in the muscles.
Q. Why does EFT give surprisingly good relief from physical problems?
A. This is easy to understand in light of the emerging attitudes toward the existence of the mind-body connection. EFT provides striking evidence of this connection. What more obvious proof could one want than to watch changes in both mind and body occur as a result of tapping on the body’s energy system?
But the evidence goes even deeper than this. Applying EFT for emotional issues often brings on the cessation of physical problems. Breathing problems go away. Headaches vanish. Joint pains subside. Multiple Sclerosis symptoms improve. I have witnessed this phenomenon for years. The list of physical improvements brought about by EFT is endless.
The logical inference from this is that EFT effectively addresses any emotional contributors to one’s physical symptoms. Once the emotional contributors are out of the way the symptom subsides.
There are those, of course, who believe that one’s emotions or mental processes are the only cause of their physical diseases. I don’t know how to prove or disprove that notion but I offer here the rather obvious fact that emotions, at the very least, substantially contribute to one’s physical health. And EFT is an efficient tool for relief in this regard.
One final note on this. You might wonder what is happening “behind the emotional scenes” when you apply EFT directly to a physical symptom (such as a headache) without zeroing in on a specific emotion. Stated differently, if the physical symptom is caused by some emotional issue then why does the physical symptom experience relief when no specific emotion was addressed?
I don’t know for sure. There is much to learn about these techniques and the future, I’m sure, will bring us some exciting revelations on many fronts. For now, I believe that the subconscious mind brings up whatever emotional issue is contributing to the cause of the physical symptom. Applying EFT automatically addresses that emotion.