Does EFT really work?
Collar Bone tapping point
Are you interested in Emotional Freedom techniques and wondering if it actually works? Maybe you’ve read a lot of conflicting information online and don’t really know how to discern it’s efficacy…
This post is all about the benefits of EFT that have been identified through clinically conducted sessions and treatments for the purpose of treating certain conditions and illnesses.
Until recent years, there hasn’t been much studied conducted on EFT and all the studies that were previously undertaken claimed to be insufficient and unreliable.
The research on clinical EFT has increased substaintially in the last 5 years, and significant progress has been made to meet the APA standards for evidence-based treatment.
The use of Emotional Freedom Techniques (tapping) in many clinical trials and studies identified EFT as successful using empirically supported treatments and frameworks. (Society of Clinical Psychology, 2022).
In America, EFT tapping as a therapy is currently under review by the American Psychological Association (APA) for the treatment of PTSD and trauma.
1. Biomarkers of stress reduced with EFT
Clinical EFT Improved multiple physiological markers of health and associate psychological markers. One hour of tapping reduced the stress hormone - cortisol - by up to 40% compared to psycho-education and no-treatment groups. This included reduction in stress related symptoms, feeling more relaxed and greater sense of well-being.
2. Brain changes after EFT
Data from imaging studies are powerful indicators of the effect of clinical EFT on neural organization. Stapleton et al. (2022) reported that there were decreases in neural connectivity between areas of the brain related to regulating, modulating and catastrophizing pain in people suffering with chronic pain. Studies were conducted over six-weeks using EFT intervention. The hypothesis is that tapping reconstructs the neural circuits that maintain maladaptive mental models and allows for new positive models to be constructed.
2. EFT compared to CBT
In a study that was conducted over 8 weeks to compare the benefits of EFT against Cognitive behavioural therapy they tested psychological symptoms of co-morbid and obese adults.
EFT intervention reduced anxiety and depression at 6 and 12 month follow-ups, while CBT intervention reduced depression and somatoform symptoms at the same follow-up intervals. This data suggests that EFT is just as effective as CBT as a treatment or therapeutic intervention for depression and anxiety.
4. Psychotherapy & trauma
EFT is a type of somatic technique with neurological benefits that can be used by counselors, psychotherapists, psychologists and other mental health practitioners. Tapping regulates the nervous system and reduces the stress response. Paired with the “exposure statement” which brings the emotion front and center the person can reduce their associated emotions in a safe way while actively processing past trauma. This gives people freedom to create more positive associations and belief systems in the place of reduced pain and suffering.
5. Group EFT reduces psychological symptoms
“Borrowing Benefits” is the phenomenon that simply watching and participating in someone else’s EFT session where they focus on their own issue. It has shown to decrease the intensity of your own issues as you tap along, as it’s been found that many people have similar patterns of behaviour, beliefs and emotions to other people. After attending as little as a two-day group EFT workshop participants reported a decrease in psychological symptoms of anxiety and depression six months after the event. These results have been replicated (Palmer-Hoffman & Brooks, 2011).
6. The amygdala response
Tapping on acupressure points sends deactivating signals to the amygdala. Through repeated sessions of EFT tapping, deactivating signals outweigh activating signals of the stress response which are created by exposure to the distressing thoughts or experiences . Through the study of the brain while conducting EFT, neural imaging shows the effects occur almost instantaneously, which may account for the rapid improvement in symptoms reported with EFT tapping (Feinstein, 2019).
These are just a few, in the increasing list of the effects and benefits of EFT tapping that have been proven in the last few years by clinical trials and studies conducted.
As a qualified EFT practitioner, I might be biased but I believe that EFT tapping is a beautifully effective and simple tool to improve many areas of a person’s life.
In the last few years I have personally used EFT to address my own feelings of anxiety, panic attacks, overwhelm, anger, frustration, stress, burn out, hopelessness, feeling lost and confused, “not good enough” beliefs, negative self image, business and money success blocks.
If you haven’t tried EFT tapping then, I’ll leave it to you to make up your own mind based on personal experience, research and personal preference. There’s a lot of information out there and it’s good to keep an open, inquisitive and discerning mind. Don’t always believe what you read (especially if it’s from the government hahah - personal opinion -) and take some time to explore what EFT can do for you.
Love always,
Rachael
