Did you know an estimated 75-90% of all doctor’s visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints? Unfortunately, it’s hard to avoid many of the stressors we face in our daily lives, and we can’t go back in time to erase the traumas of our past. What we can do however, is learn new tools, strategies, and mindsets that enable our bodies and minds to handle stress and process trauma in healthier ways.
What is Tapping?
One tool for dealing with stress and trauma, both past and present, is called Tapping (also known as the Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT). If you’re new to Tapping, or energy practices in general, it definitely looks and sounds a little strange. But, it’s free, easy to learn, and backed by research, so what do you have to lose?
Tapping has been shown to be effective for many things, including:
- stress
- anxiety
- phobias
- PTSD
- chronic pain
- addictions
- weight loss
- limiting beliefs
The Tapping points are based on the ancient Chinese acupuncture system of meridians and points. Stimulating the points alone can be helpful for your nervous system. In fact, many of us instinctively place our hands in these places around our head when we are stressed or anxious. To take Tapping to the next level, there’s an added focus on emotions, sensations, and statements, which comes from modern psychology.
By stimulating this series of points, while focusing on challenging emotions or experiences, you are able to send a calming signal to your nervous system. Regular use of Tapping can help your body and brain respond in healthier ways to fears, stressors, and traumas – both past and present. And when your body starts feeling safe at that deep, physiological level, you may experience less pain, greater ease, and the ability to heal.
So, How Do You Tap?
Tapping can be done almost anywhere by anyone. From children to adults, and dogs to horses, Tapping is an extremely safe, accessible, and easy-to-learn stress management tool.
Here are 4 ways to get started:
1. Learn Tapping in the FREE Tapping World Summit
If you’re eager to learn more, sign up for the FREE Tapping World Summit. Now in its 13th year, the 2021 Tapping World Summit begins Monday, February 22, 2021. By signing up, you’ll get access to 10 days of interviews and Tapping meditations with Nick and Jessica Ortner and their team of experts. In just a few videos a day, you’ll learn the science behind Tapping and be able to add a shiny, new stress management tool to your toolbox!
2. Learn Tapping Anytime, Anywhere
If you miss the Summit, but still want to learn more, there are plenty of other free resources available. This video with Jessica Ortner gives a quick overview of the tapping points and the process:
Beyond that, TheTappingSolution.com offers a longer intro video, background research, and several free tapping meditations, both online and in their App. Once you’ve learned the basics, you can also find a wealth of free tapping meditations on YouTube. Just search “Tapping” or “EFT” plus whatever challenge or stressor you need support with. If you prefer books, you can find them on everything from Tapping for pain relief, to losing weight, to making lasting changes (affiliate links).
The Tapping Solution Foundation also offers many free resources to support their mission of Promoting the healing effects of EFT Tapping to people of all ages around the world.
3. Teach Your Kids to Tap!
Tapping/EFT is a wonderful tool that provides kids a safe, effective, and healthy way to manage their anxiety, stress, and difficult emotions. Too often, kids are only told what not to do in the context of difficult emotions (like sadness, shame, anger, and frustration). What if, instead, we gave children (and ourselves) better tools to handle and process those emotions? And, instead of stuffing down emotions, powering through, and continuing on like nothing happened, we teach kids to safely experience and work through those emotions? How much healthier, happier, and resilient might they be?
If you have kids, know kids, were a kid, or are a teacher, here are some fun resources to teach Tapping to children and teenagers:
- Videos – The Tapping Solution’s YouTube Playlist: Tapping For Kids
- Diagrams – Tapping Points for Kids
- Free Tapping Resources for Teachers and Parents
- Book – The Tapping Solution for Parents, Children, and Teenagers: How to Let Go of Excessive Stress, Anxiety and Worry and Raise Happy, Healthy, Resilient Families (affiliate link).
- Children’s Book – Gorilla Thumps and Bear Hugs (affiliate link).
4. Find a Practitioner
If you’re looking for help with past traumas or intense emotions or experiences, an EFT-certified therapist or practitioner is an excellent resource to add to your healthcare team. Two great places to look for a trained practitioner are TheTappingSolution.com and EFT International. You can also do a search for “EFT” in the PsychologyToday database of licensed therapists.
Continue Learning
If you’d like to deepen your knowledge on emotional regulation and stress management, another great resource is Dr. Joan Rosenberg’s book, 90 Seconds to a Life You Love: How to Master Your Difficult Feelings to Cultivate Lasting Confidence, Resilience, and Authenticity (affiliate link). No time to read? Listen to her interview on the Broken Brain Podcast.
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