EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE: Tapping Into Calm
- Michele McNiff
- Jun 8, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 28
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT): Tapping Into Calm
Stress, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm can feel like they hijack our nervous system. In those moments, it’s easy to forget that we have simple tools, right at our fingertips, that can bring us back to balance. One of the most accessible and powerful is Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), often called tapping.
What is EFT?
EFT is a self-help therapeutic practice that combines gentle tapping on specific acupressure points with mindful affirmations. These points come from the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), where energy pathways known as meridians connect body, mind, and emotions.
By tapping on these meridians while focusing on an emotion, memory, or stressor, we can “reset” the nervous system, release energetic blocks, and open space for healing. Research has shown EFT may lower cortisol, calm the amygdala (the brain’s stress center), and promote emotional regulation.
The Main Tapping Points
Here are the most common EFT tapping points, their general location, and their TCM connection:
Karate Chop (KC) – Side of hand (Small Intestine Meridian)
Top of Head (TH) – Crown of head, convergence point for Governing Vessel and crown chakra
Eyebrow (EB) – Inner brow near bridge of nose (Bladder Meridian)
Side of Eye (SE) – Outer edge of eye socket (Gallbladder Meridian)
Under Eye (UE) – Below the pupil on cheekbone (Stomach Meridian)
Under Nose (UN) – Between nose and upper lip (Governing Vessel)
Chin (CP) – Center crease below lower lip (Conception Vessel)
Collarbone (CB) – Just under collarbone (Kidney Meridian, where fear is stored)
Under Arm (UA) – Side of body, 4 inches below armpit (Spleen Meridian)
Wrists (WR) – Inner wrists, lightly tapped together
How to Practice
Identify the stressor – name the emotion, thought, or physical tension you’d like to shift.
Set your statement – begin with an acknowledgment:
“Even though I feel anxious, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
Tap through the points – move in sequence, tapping gently 5–7 times at each spot while repeating your reminder phrase.
Release & affirm – breathe deeply, exhale what no longer serves you, and affirm what you’d like to invite in: calm, courage, love, clarity.
Why EFT Works
From a holistic lens, tapping resets the body’s stress response by stimulating acupressure points that connect directly with the nervous system. Pairing this with compassionate self-talk creates a two-way healing loop:
Physiology: calming the body through the meridians and vagal tone.
Mindset: rewriting beliefs and softening negative self-talk.
Together, these open the door to emotional balance and greater resilience.
Try It Today
The next time you feel tension rising, pause for just 60 seconds and tap. Whether you’re at your desk, in the car, or even in the bathroom (yes, my favorite “emergency bathroom technique!”),
THANK YOU @WAHMUSIC.com
EFT can quickly bring you back to your center.
At Blue Heron Holistic, I guide individuals and groups in practices like EFT, sound healing, and functional wellness to restore balance and support the body’s natural healing. Remember — your body already knows how to heal. Sometimes, it just needs a gentle reminder.
Tap into calm. Reset your nervous system. Return to balance.
References
Bach, D., Groesbeck, G., Stapleton, P., Sims, R., Blickheuser, K., & Church, D. (2019). Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) improves multiple physiological markers of health. Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine, 24, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1177/2515690X18823691
Clond, M. (2016). Emotional Freedom Techniques for anxiety: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 204(5), 388–395. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000000483
Church, D., Yount, G., & Brooks, A. J. (2012). The effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) on stress biochemistry: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 200(10), 891–896. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0b013e31826b9fc1
Stapleton, P., Buchan, C., McGrath, J., Porter, B., Sheldon, T., & Carter, B. (2019). Emotional Freedom Techniques for food cravings in overweight adults: A comparison of treatment and waitlist control. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 11(2), 374–392. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12155
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