Overview:

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), or “tapping,” became one of the most practical and reliable tools in my healing journey. When you’re lost, confused, or emotionally numb, EFT allows you to reconnect with your body and gently begin expressing what’s been buried inside. Unlike journaling, which is powerful in its own right, EFT combines physical tapping with spoken affirmations to build a bridge between mind and body.

Why It Helps:

EFT works because:

  • It calms the nervous system.
  • It gives form to vague, repressed emotions.
  • It reintroduces communication between body and mind.
  • It can help bring relief when nothing else seems to reach the pain.

In my early recovery, I couldn’t identify my feelings. I didn’t have the language. I had been silent, dissociated, and emotionally shut down for so long that even speaking out loud felt foreign. EFT helped reawaken that inner dialogue.

The EFT Sequence:

Use two to three fingers and tap gently on the following points while speaking aloud. You don’t have to get the words perfect. Just be honest.

Tapping Points (in order):

  1. Top of the head
  2. Eyebrow (inner corner)
  3. Temple (side of eye)
  4. Under eye (cheekbone)
  5. Under nose
  6. Chin (below lower lip)
  7. Collarbone
  8. Under arm (side of rib cage)
  9. Back of hand (karate chop point or side)

How to Begin:

Start with whatever you’re feeling—even if it’s uncertainty. There are no wrong words.

Example Round 1:

“Even though I’m at a loss for how I feel…”
“Even though I can’t explain what’s going on inside…”
“Even though I feel completely depleted and confused…”
“I still deeply and completely love and respect myself.”

Breathe deeply. Repeat another round as emotions begin to surface.

Example Round 2:

“Even though I feel so sad about what I’ve lost…”
“Even though I feel fearful of the future…”
“Even though my body feels frozen and my mind won’t stop racing…”
“I’m willing to listen to what I’ve been avoiding.”

Tips for Use:

  • When to Do It:
    • When you feel emotionally numb.
    • When your head feels overloaded.
    • When fatigue is overwhelming.
    • When you’re triggered but unsure why.
  • How Often: Start with once or twice a week. It doesn’t have to be daily. Even short, consistent sessions can be powerful.
  • What to Expect:
    • Vivid dreams (your mind may begin processing suppressed material).
    • Exhaustion (emotional release can drain energy—be gentle with yourself).
    • Sudden emotional insights or unexpected memories.

Follow-Up Practices:

  • Journaling: After a tapping session, take 5–10 minutes to write freely about what came up.
  • Breathwork: Always end with a few deep breaths. Ground back into your body.
  • Compassion: If intense emotions arise, pause. You’re not doing it wrong—your body is learning to trust you.

Final Thoughts:

EFT doesn’t require you to be eloquent. It just requires honesty. When the mind is spinning and the body is tight with unspoken pain, tapping gives you a simple, direct path inward.

It helped me find my voice. It softened my nervous system. And over time, it helped me process decades of buried emotion, one round at a time.

Try it. Be gentle. Keep returning. You’ll be surprised what’s waiting behind the silence.

“Even though I don’t know where to begin… I’m willing to try.”

You’ve already started.

 

PreviousNext