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 EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUES (EFT)

What is it?
DEFINITION AND EXPLANATION OF EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUES
Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a psychotherapeutic body/mind tool based on a theory that negative emotions can create a dysfunctional cycle of disturbance in the body's energy field.  It is referred to as “an emotional, needle-free version acupuncture.”  This therapy is based on tapping or rubbing on specific points on the body while thinking of a negative emotion can release the emotion and realign the body's energy field, restoring it to lasting balance.

What is it used for?
CONDITIONS EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUES CAN HELP
EFT's founders encourage those interested to try it on anything that is out of balance. They claim that there is virtually no problem it cannot improve, and that 80% of those who try it feel significant, permanent results.  EFT does not require any special qualifications to be learned or applied; however, they caution only experienced practitioners should administer the technique on individuals with severe long-standing emotional problems.

EFT has been shown to help lessen or resolve:

- Addictive cravings
- ADD-ADHD
- Allergies
- Anger
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Breathing difficulties
- Children's issues, including bedwetting
- Compulsions and obsessions
- Depression and sadness
- Eating disorders
- Dyslexia
- Fears and phobias
- Grief, loss and love pain
- Guilt
- Habits
- Insomnia
- Nightmares
- Pain & symptom management
- Physical Trauma
- Post traumatic stress disorder
- Procrastination
- Sexual abuse issues
- Side effects from medications
- Stress
- Stomach problems
- Weight loss

EFT has been known to enhance:

- Ability to concentrate
- Emotional stability
- Rate of healing
- Educational and career performance
- Relationship success
 - Self concept and self esteem

Where did it come from?
HISTORY OF EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUES
Gary Craig, a Stanford-trained engineer in lifelong pursuit of personal well-being, introduced EFT in 1995.  Craig is a certified master practitioner of Nuero-Linguistic Programming (NLP), an ordained minister, and a dedicated student of "A Course in Miracles."  Craig is a personal performance coach that has quested for personal improvement since childhood, when he observed that the content of his thoughts influenced the quality of his daily life.  In an effort to disseminate information to all who need it, Craig offers a free downloadable manual of his basic techniques through his website http://www.emofree.com, along with free videos, a free newsletter, as well as training DVDs, books, and information about live workshops.

EFT is based on a simplification of California psychologist Roger Callahan's trademarked "Thought Field Therapy" (TFT), described on tftrx.com as  "A brief, effective psychotherapy for the rapid resolution of negative emotions and psychological problems including weight loss issues, stress relief, trauma, anxiety and others."

What is it based on?
THEORY OF EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE
EFT utilizes the fourteen energy pathways, or "meridians" identified by Traditional Chinese Medicine. Acupuncture, acupressure and other energy modalities use needles, manual pressure or other means to stimulate specific points along those paths to restore the normal flow of chi, or healing energy, and improve health. EFT uses gentle tapping on these same points to release stored emotional energy.

In the EFT paradigm, a negative experience occurs and negative emotions are felt in response. If the emotional energy of the negative experience is not released or expressed, the body will store the experience in the muscles, organs and other tissues, and can lead to inappropriate programming inside the body.

EFT's premise is that tapping on key acupuncture points while focusing on a specific problem can eliminate or significantly reduce physical, mental, or emotional symptoms. The combination of tapping and mental focus releases both the energy block and the problem it causes. This simple procedure gets to the imbalance’s underlying cause, so the imbalance itself disappears.

How is it done?
WHAT AN EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE SESSION IS LIKE
The founders of EFT seek to make the techniques accessible to everyone, so it may be practiced on oneself or by a layperson. Many health care, mental health, and helping professionals practice it in conjunction with their primary specialty.

One of the basic EFT procedures involves first recalling a painful memory or emotion.  While the negative experience is held in the mind the individual taps with his fingertips on group of twelve specific physical points.  These points connect to meridians established and utilized by Chinese medicine.  A session with a professional may take up to sixty minutes.

Who does it?
EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUES PRACTITIONERS
Gary Craig's World Center for EFT has recently begun offering a certification.  He states, "The primary goal in developing this program is to emphasize EFT video instruction as the standard, and to bring more consistency back to the instruction and practice of EFT. The EFT Certification Levels available in this program are designed to certify only your knowledge of the EFT process."