Emotional Freedom Technique:
This is an exciting approach to releasing trapped emotions from the past that works quickly, effectively and which gives lasting results. It has been called acupressure for the emotions and it is something you can learn to use for yourself too. I have helped people overcome PTSD, trauma, low self-esteem, limiting beliefs, fears and phobias, addictive cravings, allergies and even physical pain. As I am a professional counsellor too (MSc) I can offer combined EFT and counselling for my clients which is a very potent combination.
The technique involves tapping on emotional release points whilst holding in mind an issue that brings up difficult emotions. Certain phrases and affirmations are used during this process to help you stay focused on the issue being relieved.
I would like to share with you an example of when I have used EFT and it is from when I was a beginner in using it and was at the stage of trying it on family and friends. My sister-in-law Sharon had just given birth for the third time. Whilst giving birth to her second child she had needed a caesarean section and the anaesthetic did not work Therefore she experienced a whole lot of pain, fear and emotional trauma because the staff, (in her words) ‘didn’t believe her’.
She was therefore approaching her third delivery (and caesarean) with some trepidation and she clearly told the medical staff what had happened before and wanted assurances that it would not happen again. During the third birth it did happen again and she felt the acute pain of cutting, tearing and pulling deep inside her. She let the staff know and they gave her more anaesthetic which then worked. I saw Sharon a week after this and she was reliving the trauma every day. She would cry a great deal and kept being drawn back into the traumatic memory. Any mention of birth, even on the TV would start off this process.
Fear Shock and Anger relieved with the Emotional Freedom Technique
I spent an hour with her using the emotional freedom technique. I had her go through the story of what had happened. As soon as any emotional intensity arose, I asked her to stop and rate the intensity on a scale from 0-10, with 10 being the most intense. We then reduced it down to zero with EFT. I would then ask her to carry on telling the story until another intense emotion arose, which we then reduced down to zero. As you can imagine, Sharon had quite a few 10s of intensity! Some of them were fear, shock and anger, for instance when she remembered feeling the tearing and cutting. After an hour Sharon could recount the memory calmly and said that the memory had changed. The part she really remembered now was when her husband had presented her with their new-born baby girl, and feelings of love. She could no longer even make herself get upset by the memory and mention of birth etc no longer triggered any trauma in her.
In other words she now has complete emotional freedom from the trauma that she experienced – within 1 hour! That is why I love EFT!
