EFT TAPPING GUIDE LEARN HOW TO USE EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE!
Disclaimer: This Document and all services offered by Healing & C-PTSD LLC and/or Tapping with Dani are educational in nature and are provided for general information purposes only. They are not intended to treat or cure any physical, emotional, or mental disease or issue, or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. By using this guide, you are assuming full responsibility for your mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health. Copyright © 2022 Tapping with Dani. All rights reserved. This guide or any portion thereof, may not be reproduced, relabelled, or used in any personal, professional, or commercial manner whatsoever without the expressed written permission of the publisher.
EFT & TAPPING SAFETY DISCLAIMER If you are attempting to work with traumas or complex traumas with EFT, we highly suggest working with a certified EFT tapping practitioner, as you deserve someone to hold space for you and to ensure no re-traumatization takes place. That doesn't mean you can't do EFT on your own, it just means saving the BIG stuff for when you are working with a professional.
First off, Thank you for grabbing my freebie guide and allowing me to be part of your discovery of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). Maybe you are just intrigued by this strange thing called tapping, maybe you are searching for a way to start dealing with your emotions. Maybe you are tired of feeling tired, constantly on edge, and anxious. Maybe you are willing to try anything at this point. I get it. You're tired of feeling like your emotions are in the driver's seat and you're just along for the ride. If this sounds like you, trust me - you’re not alone and I've been where you are. EFT was the first technique that gave me the tools to shift my relationship with my body and emotions and actually shift from overwhelm to inner calm and peace. Now, I find immense joy in being able to help others learn the power of EFT. Tapping is often more effective when we have someone to hold space for us in a safe and empowering way. Please reach out to me if you would like to work 1:1. A NOTE FROM DANI Did you know? Contrary to popular belief, chameleons don’t just change color to blend in and survive. They actually change color to express their emotions! Dani For all things tapping and healing, head over to @tappingwithdani To learn more about me and my journey, head over to @complex.dani To experience our community for complex trauma survivors head to @healing.and.cptsd I invite you to get social with me on Instagram!
Emotional Freedom Technique, EFT, also known as tapping works with the energy system of the body to release stress, anxiety, and physical symptoms. It is a powerful healing tool with roots coming from Traditional Chinese Medicine and modern-day psychology, and it is exactly what it sounds like, a technique that helps free you from your emotions. Traditional Chinese Medicine works on the belief that we have meridians or energetic highways that run through our body in predictable patterns. In acupuncture, they use needles to stimulate the acupressure points to release energy and remove any blockages, so that your energy can begin to flow the way it’s supposed to, and you can return to balance. Tapping is literally the same thing, but without the needles! And really— who likes needles? With EFT, we focus on the negative by using statements to bring emotional charges to the surface. Simultaneously, as we tap, we are sending calming signals to the brain, more specifically, the amygdala, which is responsible for the fight or flight response. So, as we tap, we are telling our body + nervous system: we are safe, there is no threat, and to turn off the trauma response. WHAT IS EFT + TAPPING?
WHAT CAN YOU USE IT FOR? EFT is great to use on anything related to emotions and the connection they have with our thought patterns. It has been used for stress, anxiety, traumatic memories, depression, headaches, limiting beliefs, physical pain, overeating, cravings, body image issues, addictions, PTSD, and C-PTSD, among many other uses. The majority of us spend our lives running from, avoiding, or blindly reacting to our emotions. It’s understandable — emotions can be overwhelming! They can make us feel out of control like our lives aren’t our own. We may feel hopeless, helpless, and small. The truth is, ignoring your thoughts and emotions doesn’t make them go away. And suppressing them with alcohol and drugs won’t free you from their power. (Trust me, I tried this path and can vouch for you — it gets you nowhere fast.) Instead of just sitting with emotions, EFT lets you tap through them, helping you face your emotions without becoming overwhelmed, deal with them on a deeper level, dissolve the energy blocks, and come out on the other side. I invite you to take a look at how you deal with your emotions and remind you that EFT can give you a new way to start dealing with them in an empowered way. HOW DO YOU HEAL EMOTIONS?
side of hand: small intestine meridian top of head: governing vessel eyebrow: bladder meridian side of the eye: gallbladder meridian under the eye: stomach meridian under the nose: governing vessel under mouth/chin: central vessel beginning of the collarbone: kidney meridian under the arm: spleen meridian The great thing about EFT is that you can get started today, in the comfort of your own home. Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started with EFT &Tapping. First, familiarize yourself with the meridian tapping points. There are 12 major meridians that are mirrored on each side of the body and correspond to an internal organ. However, the basic EFT recipe mainly focuses on nine points - in this specific sequence: Most EFT practitioners focus on nine meridian points, however, if you tap with me 1:1 or take any of my full courses, you’ll learn how to benefit from all 20 meridian points!
Side of Hand Point Under Arm Points Collarbone Points Top of Head Point Side of Eye Points Eyebrow Points Under Eye Points Under Mouth Point Under Nose Point
Most people will use two fingers, their index and middle finger, to tap. However, if more or fewer fingers feel better to you, go for it! You’ll want to tap firmly about 5 to 10 times on each point, before moving to the next one! (Tap firmly to feel it, but not to hurt yourself). Before beginning your tapping sessions, you will want to wash your hands prior to starting. You will be putting your hands on your face, so it is beneficial in making sure you are not putting any germs close to your nose and mouth. PRO TIP: Even tapping on these 9 points all on their own without the added layers of words can be used to invite feelings of relaxation and calm. You can hone your tapping technique and learn to cultivate safety and calm in your body with my course, Reset Minutes. So you’ve got the tapping basics — let’s talk about the EFT Recipe. TAPPING STYLE & FORM
All you do here is make a mental note of what ails you. This becomes the target at which you "aim" the EFT Tapping Basic Recipe. Examples might be: Anxiety about an event, a Sore shoulder, my friend embarrassing me at my birthday party, or being overwhelmed about a project..... Be sure you are only targeting one issue at a time. As you will learn later, trying to combine issues in the process will compromise your results. REMINDER: When working with traumas or complex traumas with EFT, we highly suggest working with a certified EFT tapping practitioner. You deserve someone to hold space for you and to ensure no re-traumatization takes place. That doesn't mean you can't do EFT on your own, it just means saving the BIG stuff for when you are working with a professional. STEP 1: IDENTIFY THE ISSUE STEP 2: CHOOSE THE INTENSITY After you identify your problem area, before you begin tapping, you need to set a benchmark level of intensity. This scale assesses the emotional or physical pain and discomfort you feel from your issue. The intensity level is rated on a scale from 0 to 10, with 10 being the worst or most difficult. A one is a low intensity and not bothersome. Example: Overwhelmed = 8/10
You will use this rating system to assess the change in intensity as you check in with yourself during tapping. 0 5 10 low intensity high intensity Step 3: CHOOSING YOUR SET-UP STATEMENTS The setup statement is what we use to start each round of tapping. By creating a simple phrase and saying it while tapping, you are letting your system know what you are trying to address. The two goals to achieve in designing this statement are to acknowledge the problem and accept yourself in spite of it. You’ll need two phrases prepared — a set-up phrase, and a reminder phrase. The phrases you choose are important and need to directly target the issue, the more specific the better. In the beginning, it is helpful to actually write these out, so having a pen and paper handy is useful. You’ll use the set-up phrase to directly target the issue and your intent with the practice. A common setup phrase is: “Even though I feel [fear or problem], I deeply and completely love and accept myself.”
If saying, "I deeply and completely love and accept myself” as part of your setup is triggering, you can always change the words to what feels more aligned and true for you. A few wording choices that embody acceptance are: "I completely accept how I feel." "I deeply and completely accept how I feel." "I deeply accept myself." "I allow and accept these feelings." Or "I accept myself and how I feel." The second phrase is the reminder phrase, which you use to 'wake up' and hold the negative emotions you want to tap through and transform. So if your set-up phrase is, “Even though I feel overwhelmed about this project, I allow and accept that this is how I feel.” Your reminder phrase might be, “I feel so overwhelmed.” PRO TIP: The biggest struggle my clients find is figuring out what to say. The advice I give is: Start with what you are aware of. As you tap, you may have more awareness surface with the specifics for phrases that target the issue better. Follow that. Many times people think that EFT is not working, but the problem is that their phrase and/or the problems are too general. You really need to take the time to get to the base of the problem and be specific.
Keep tapping through the points until the intensity starts to decrease with a new rating and repeat as necessary. If you have more negative thoughts pop up, that is fine too. This is your subconscious mind bringing forward more thought patterns that are associated with what you were originally tapping on. If they are closely related to the original thought or issue, then you can include them as you tap. If they are semi-related but would take you in a different direction, write them down and set them aside for a separate tapping session with yourself. You’ll begin by tapping on the side of your hand while repeating your set-up phrase three times. Then you can use your reminder phrase to keep your emotions active and engaged as you tap on all the other points. You’ll tap on each point between 5-10 times before moving down your body to the next point, although if you feel drawn to stay on a point longer, I always say listen to your body! Step 4: THE BASIC EFT TAPPING RECIPE
After a round of tapping, you will want to retest your intensity rating. You can compare to your original rating to see how much progress you have made. In an ideal world, you would want to get the intensity to zero. But with many issues being interconnected, reducing the intensity at all is a step in the right direction. The goal is to continue rounds of tapping until you get down to a 3 or below before you introduce a new way of framing the issue. (You'll learn how to do this next). If your rating plateaus and can't get it down to a 3, this is normal as well. It may help to reframe your setup statements and see if there are any meta-emotions involved in the problem. (Meta Emotions are emotions you have about your emotions, don't worry I have a micro-course to help you rewire these!) Step 5: TEST THE INTENSITY
Once you feel the intensity of emotions associated with your two phrases is less, you can begin rewriting your thoughts with a positive statement. Positive affirming statements you can try include: “I am learning to accept myself, ” “I am worthy of love, ” and “I am okay as I am.” The goal is to get the intensity down to a 3 or less—then start tapping to replace the old with a new reframe of the situation. You can actively re-frame the original thought and use that to tap-in the positive or tap into the possibility of seeing things in a new way. As you are Tapping through the points, say your new thoughts. If you feel resistance, go back to the original issue—you may need more tapping before moving forward. It may also be helpful to begin your new thought with “I’m open to the possibility of _____.” Tapping in the positive should feel great! If it doesn’t then adjust the positive phrase you are using. It needs to be believable in order to be accepted by your subconscious mind. Grounding your statement in your current reality and putting a positive spin on it can be helpful. Possible examples: "I’m open to the possibility of being calm at this event". Or, "It is safe for me to be present and socialize at this event." Step 6: TAP IN THE POSITIVE: BEGIN RE-WRITING YOUR THOUGHTS
STEP 2: CHOOSE THE INTENSITY RATING EXAMPLE OF USING THE EFT FORMULA: Reminder Phrase: I feel overwhelmed Even though I'm feeling overwhelmed, I accept myself and how I feel. (it's okay to use variations of this during the tapping as well.) Positive statement: I'm open to the possibility of being okay no matter how this project turns out. STEP 3: CHOOSE SET-UP STATEMENTS STEP 1: IDENTIFY THE ISSUE side of hand: Even though I'm feeling overwhelmed, I allow and accept that this is how I feel. (x3) top of head: I'm feeling overwhelmed. eyebrow: I'm feeling very overwhelmed. side of the eye: I'm tired of feeling overwhelmed. under the eye: I don't want to feel overwhelmed. under the nose: I feel so overwhelmed. chin: I'm so sick of feeling overwhelmed. beginning of the collarbone: I feel so overwhelmed. under the arm: I'm feeling so overwhelmed. STEP 4:TAPPING SEQUENCE Overwhelmed about a project Overwhelmed 8/10
After the underarm, you’ll finish the sequence at the crown of your head, which is one round of tapping. AN IMPORTANT REMINDER: I complete 2 full rounds of "I'm open to the possibility of being okay no matter how this project turns out." After one round of tapping, I was at a 6 out of 10, so I continued for 3 more rounds of tapping until it was brought down to a 3/10 and moved on to step 6. It can take multiple rounds of tapping to experience a shift in your intensity rating going down. STEP 6: TAP IN THE POSITIVE STEP 5: TEST THE INTENSITY This is normal! Please remember that using intensity ratings is simply a practice of checking in with yourself and noticing what and how intensely you feel something. If you find yourself getting stuck with the intensity ratings. Just remove that step and follow what feels right to you.
JOURNAL GENTLE WALK SHOWER or BATH If at any point you begin crying, yawning, feel sleepy or relaxed, feel thirsty, or experience tension, these are all completely normal. Even shaking, burping, or other physical sensations can be experienced — don’t worry. These are all well-known signs that your emotions are rising and being released. AFTER CARE: Take some time with yourself after you practice EFT. NAP/REST LISTEN TO MUSIC CUDDLE WITH PET WHAT TO EXPECT:
DRINK WATER! Literally before, during, and after your sessions. Dehydration itself can cause a wide range of symptoms including anxiety, headaches, and lack of focus. On a deeper level, the human body is made up of up to 75% water which is a fundamental element of the body. Tapping is working with the body’s electromagnetic energy and water is the perfect conductor to ensure energy flows along the meridians. Hydration is fundamental to your health and well-being and it will also help you to get the most out of your EFT sessions. Sipping water helps reassure your body that it's being taken care of, even though you are processing strong emotions. 3 TOP REASONS WHY EFT ISNT WORKING: Long-lasting results build with consistency over time. Give your body and mind time to integrate the energetic releases you will be experiencing with tapping. You won’t always have big AH-HA moments and energetic shifts each time you tap. Sometimes the more subtle shifts are easy to overlook. Stay consistent, you've got this! For example, there may be something that used to trigger a big emotional response in you. But since embracing the practice of tapping you also notice that the emotional charge becomes less intense, more manageable, or fades away completely. DEHYDRATION IGNORING THE WEB OF CONNECTION IT ACTUALLY DID WORK FOR YOU! While sometimes tapping can bring immediate results -- for bigger issues, it can take repeated tapping sessions and awareness to process what is under the surface. If you are saying: "I got the intensity down but the next day it was back up, why did this happen and what do I do?" You may feel like tapping didn’t work for you if the issue is interwoven with other patterns of thoughts and emotions. I invite you to look at emotions as a spider web. The bigger issues are in the middle of the web. Then branching off from them are connections to smaller but related issues. They are connected, and as you continue to address each one, the web begins to weaken.
Maybe you’ve gotten angry after feeling the familiar tingles of fear... If you’ve ever had a feeling about your feelings, you’ve experienced meta-emotions. Put simply, meta-emotions are the emotions we experience about our emotions. They often reflect the judgments we learned growing up about what’s okay for us to feel, and what isn’t. Learning to identify our meta-emotions is the first step to giving ourselves permission to truly feel our feelings. When we start doing this, we can actually decrease the intensity of our emotions and learn to navigate and influence our emotional experiences with more skill and ease. But the first step? Learning to identify and work through metaemotions, which is why I created: Once you start working with your emotions, you may realize that you have a lot of emotions about your emotions. Have you ever felt bad about feeling bad? TAPPING FOR META EMOTIONS MICRO COURSE
Are you hooked on EFT + TAPPING? Consider the below options to take your tapping practice to the next level! RESET MINUTES COURSE This course gives you the tools to regulate and calm your nervous system, cultivate inner safety and peace, and strengthen your ability to move through and work with your feelings no matter what they are. EMOTIONAL EFT COURSE This course is all about EFT. It gives you the tools to navigate your daily feelings and cultivate emotions that make you feel empowered, confident, and in control of the way you navigate your emotions and your life. WORK WITH ME 1:1 EFT Tapping Sessions with Dani for hands-on support in applying EFT toward emotional freedom, shifting limiting beliefs, and cultivating inner peace.