MTT: Meridian TapTechniques: EFT

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a technique aimed at reducing negative emotions by gently tapping/tapping on certain acupressure points.
This technique is used for a variety of complaints, including anxiety, depression, pain and stress.
EFT can be commonly described as a quick, easy and effective way to feel free of emotional blocks again

  Origin/background:

EFT: Emotional Freedom Techniques

Founders:
Dr. Roger Callahan (Thought Field Therapy, TFT) and Ir. Gary Craig (Emotional Freedom Techniques, EFT)

It all began in the 1980s, when Dr. Callahan, a cognitive psychologist, brought in a patient named Mary with a lifelong, severe phobia of water.
She suffered from frequent headaches, nightmares and nausea.
She had already visited a succession of therapists when she came to him.
He deployed his entire repertoire of techniques to help this woman, but it failed time and time again.
He decided to look at it another way. Out of interest, Callahan had begun studying acupuncture and kinesiology and became fascinated by the theory that energy flowed through meridians in the body.
The points on these pathways seemed to act as important forces in healing and growth of the body.
When these energy points are blocked or out of balance, we experience emotional disturbances or, as Dr. Callahan calls it, "perturbations" (to perturb means to upset).
He found that by immediate treatment of those blockages in energy flow caused by a disturbing thought, the accompanying disorder or discomfort disappeared. In fact, this treatment eliminated all negative feelings associated with the preceding thought! In an effort to help Mary get rid of her fear of water, he tested this theory.
He asked her to think of water, and tapped a point on the stomach meridian with two fingers, and to his surprise, her fear of water disappeared completely.
"The fear is gone!" she cried and walked straight to the pool located behind his practice.
Not only was her fear gone, removing the blockage proved to have lasting effects .
Callahan continued to research further and eventually arrived at a series of short treatments or 'algorithms'.
Algorithms are step-by-step procedures, in this case tap or tap sequences on so-called 'meridian nodes' of the body.
Meridian Nodes of the body, tailored to the patient's specific problems.
About 10 years later, Gary Craig, an engineer fascinated by Psychology, discovered this Callahan method called TFT (Thought Field Therapy).
He was very excited about the technique, which apparently could really help people.
He studied it thoroughly but found TFT to be rather technical. He tried to find a way that was simpler but still as effective as TFT.
This gave birth to EFT, or Emotional Freedom Techniques.
A technique whereby the performer does not have to think about all those algorithms, but just taps on ALL the points, related or unrelated to the problem.
EFT is without precise diagnosis, low-threshold and simple, safe, quick and easy to perform, also applicable as a self-help tool and works for almost all problems.
Meanwhile, EFT has become a worldwide renowned and scientifically proven technique.
From Dr. Callahan's discovery, several other forms have emerged such as EFT and e.g. BSFF (Be Set Free Fast). Some examples of other forms are: TAT (Tapas Acupressure Technics), Body Talk, Matrix Reimprinting, etc....

So EFT is a highly effective self-help method and a form of energy psychology that frees you from negative emotions and gives you back the space to achieve your goals.
Simply put, EFT is a unique version of acupuncture, without the use of needles.
As such, it has its origins in Chinese Neigong. Instead of sticking needles, we stimulate energy meridian nodes on the body by tapping on them with the fingertips.

'The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption of the energy system in the body'

'Our unprocessed negative emotions are the triggers of physical pain and illness.'

When the mental burden becomes too heavy for the brain it looks for an outlet: we develop physical complaints such as headaches, muscle aches, impassiveness, in short all kinds of diseases and illnesses with serious-or less serious-symptoms.
This technique is safe and easy to apply.
It can be applied to children and adults of all ages. It does not require the use of needles, there is no pain or invasive techniques, works quickly, effectively and often gives permanent results. EFT works at the level of our body's fourth "operating system," also known as the energy or meridian system, which exists alongside the other three: the circulatory, lymphatic and nervous systems.

'When the soul is hurt and finds no language, the body speaks'

  How it works, 5 steps:

1) Identify the problem you want to work on and rate it from 0 to 10 for intensity.

2) Say a start-up sentence acknowledging your problem and accepting yourself while tapping/tapping the karate point on the side of your hand.

3) Tap a series of acupressure points on your face and body while saying a memory sentence summarizing your problem.

4) Repeat step 3 with variations in the memory sentence until you have tapped all the points.

5) Rate your problem again and notice the difference.

Tapping points:

Description of points:

Intention sentence: cutting edge of hand, just before starting point of little finger.

Short repeat sentences:

1. Inside of your eyebrow, just above your nose.

2. The side of the eye (on the bone).

3. Center under the eye (on the bone)

4. Midway under the nose

5. In the middle of your chin, just below the lip

6. The bump just next to the dimple of your throat

7. On the side of the chest, at a point at the level of the rib about two inches below the nipple.

8. On the side of your chest 10 cm. below your armpit

Finally: Top of the skull: Draw an imaginary line from one ear to the other. Do the same starting from your Atlas vertebra (neck) to the tip of your nose. The intersection of these lines, i.e. where they cross, forms the tapping point.

For whom: for everyone (men/women/children...) To what is applicable: to everything (fears, phobias, stress situations, disorders, addictions...).

                                                                                                                           Marc Verheyen

Disclaimer: Although EFT has achieved remarkable results, it should only be used adjunctively. EFT, of course, should never replace medical treatment.