What Do You Say While Tapping?

what to say while tapping?

One of the two most basics components of Emotional Freedom Techniques or EFT Tapping is phrases. But a lot of people don’t know how the ‘talking part’ of an EFT session works or what they’re supposed to say. We’ll answer these common questions today.

Have you ever suggested people to just “talk it out” when they are struggling mentally or emotionally? Or perhaps, someone suggested you to “let it out” and “just vent”?

Generally, people tend to consider talking as a form of therapy at the most simplistic level.

The common belief is that talking or letting it out lightens the emotional or mental burden and allows a person to function no matter how temporary or short-lived that functionality is.

“Talk Therapy” is one of the most popular modalities of therapies. In a therapy session, you sit with a trained professional who provides you with a safe space to open up about your issues and vent out fully.

It’s a two-way discourse where you can speak freely without any fear of judgment. In essence, it is a communication-based therapy that focuses on assessing, diagnosing, and treating issues related to emotions, thinking and behavioral patterns. (1)

Now, the question is: how does talking about how one feels or what bothers them form the basis of Emotional Freedom Techniques or EFT Tapping?

WHAT IS EFT TAPPING?

Emotional Freedom Techniques, generally referred to as EFT Tapping, is a form of alternative therapy method which involves intentionally tapping (gently with fingertips) on acupuncture meridian end-points on the face and upper body while speaking out statements founded in truth.

An EFT intervention works similarly as traditional Chinese energy medicine does, while at the same time, it capitalizes on our ability to think about or "tune-in" to our problem or issue in proactive ways.

EFT or “Tapping” is an easy-to-learn method and flexible enough to be used by anyone.

It allows us to change the way we respond to uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, and troubling memories (with pain, tension or stress, for example).

Whether done alone or together with an experienced practitioner, EFT can bring surprising–and lasting–relief, change the energy we bring to any life situation, and so much more.

As we explore EFT for ourselves, we can become more aware of how our thoughts, beliefs and emotions affect us physiologically and psychologically, which is the first step towards change.

WHAT ARE THE TWO ASPECTS OF EFT TAPPING?

As we alluded to above, EFT Tapping is an alternative therapy that involves two primary aspects – talk and touch.

Talk:

The first aspect of EFT Tapping, like several other therapies or healing techniques, is talk. The importance of talking in therapies can be assessed from the fact that it is a core component of psychotherapy.

Talking about emotions and feelings can actually help shift perspectives and bring real change. Techniques like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) also involve this aspect of talk in its practice. (2)

Touch:

One of the five love languages, touch is a crucial aspect of EFT Tapping. Touch can be an extremely important factor in healing as it communicates care, affection, and presence.

Research shows that babies who receive safe touch are less likely to face mental health problems later in life than the babies who did not receive enough or any safe touch. The way EFT Tapping uses touch is through tapping on specific points on the body simply called as Tapping points.

HOW ARE EFT TAPPING AND TALKING CONNECTED?

A major reason why talking is elemental in EFT Tapping lies in the fact that mere talking help us change how we think, feel, and act in reaction to a problem.

This shift in the understanding or assessment of a challenge may even help a person come up with an action plan they would need to deal with it.

The name of the therapy itself—EFT Tapping—does not explicitly imply that there is talking component to it. Contrary to this initial perception, we have seen how crucial talking is during EFT Tapping sessions.

EFT Tapping involves verbalizing the apparent problem and tapping while putting different aspects related to it in words.

It is different from positive affirmations. Instead of uttering affirmations, EFT Tapping focuses in speaking the truth of a situation. Basically, it is about accepting that you are facing some challenge instead of negating those experiences.

But, what exactly is the protocol to go about using EFT Tapping?

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IS THERE ANY STANDARD EFT PROTOCOL (aka Standard EFT)?

The Standard EFT Protocol is the “Setup” and “Sequence” of tapping points that comprises one full round of EFT.

It is based upon the shortcut to the original EFT Basic Recipe and is designed to align with EFT developer Gary Craig’s Gold Standard EFT protocol.

The Setup: Speak aloud, “Even though I have [this issue], I deeply and completely accept myself” (state 3x while tapping the Side of Hand point).

The Sequence with Reminder Phrase: Speak aloud, “[This issue]” while tapping each point in the Sequence:

Top of Head (TOH),
Eyebrow (EB),
Side of Eye (SE),
Under Eye (UE),
Under Nose (UN),
Chin Point (CH),
Collar Bone (CB),
Under Arm (UA)
Thumb
Index Finger
Middle Finger
Little Finger

Options Tapping Methods:

The Setup phrase can be spoken only 1x at EFT Advanced Practitioner Level.
Additional points like Gamut Point or the Finger Points may be added
Top of Head may be tapped last or for positive phrases
Additional strategies like the 9 Gamut Procedure, Under the Breast, On the Wrist, Ankle Points, Thymus Points and Sore Spot may be used as needed.

Sample round of EFT:

Round 1:

The Setup:

Tapping the Side of Hand: “Even though I have this headache, I deeply and completely accept myself,” Repeat 3x

Round 2:

The Sequence with reminder phrase:

Top of Head :

This Headache

Eyebrow:

This Headache

side of the eye:

This Headache

Under The Eye:

This Headache

Under The Nose:

This Headache

chin Point:

This Headache

collar bone:

This Headache

Under The Arm:

This Headache

thumb:

This Headache

Index Finger:

This Headache

middle Finger:

This Headache

Little Finger:

This Headache

Round 3:

Closing The Sequence:

Tapping the Side of Hand: “Even though I have this headache, I deeply and completely accept myself.”

WHAT IS THE SETUP or “Setup Phrase” IN EFT TAPPING?

The EFT Setup is the first part of the Standard EFT Protocol, done at the beginning of a tapping round to prepare us for the changes we seek and/or to help us refocus the tapping when a separate Aspect arises. It is not necessarily a component for every tapping round, but is highly recommended for achieving optimal results.

The Setup Phrase itself is a two-step process:

The first step is to tap on the SOH (Side of Hand, originally called the KC or Karate Chop) Point while speaking aloud a phrase acknowledging/ tuning-in to the energy of the problem, uncomfortable feeling, thought, challenge, or body sensation (e.g. “Even though I have this ,”)

The second step is to continue tapping while stating an affirmation of self-acceptance, acknowledgment, or positive intention to “balance” the negative focus. This allows stepping back from the problem and evaluating it objectively (e.g. “…I deeply and completely accept myself)

For example: “Even though I have this pain in my neck, I deeply and completely accept myself.”

Either part of the Setup Phrase can be flexed in style, language or emphasis, based upon on the needs of the EFT client, e.g., Even though I have this pain in my neck, it feels better than it did 5 minutes ago.

The Reminder Phrase

The Reminder Phrase is the issue-at-hand from the first half of the Setup phrase–the words that describe the subjective experience of the client (feelings, thoughts, body sensations, etc.). It is used to maintain focus on the specific Aspect the client has chosen to address.

Emotional Freedom Techniques or EFT Tapping is a touch and talk therapy that involves tapping on meridian points while verbalizing the truth of the situation. Talking, being an important part of EFT Tapping sessions, differs from affirmations.

In essence, EFT Tapping refrains from using overly positive phrases while tapping and stresses upon speaking and accepting the truth of the matter. There is a process that we need to follow if we want effective results.

I hope this article helped you gain insights on how phrasing works and what we say during tapping.

Love,

Dr Rangana Rupavi Choudhuri (PhD)

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In summary, Emotional Freedom Techniques or EFT Tapping is a clinically proven alternative healing therapy that get you faster results, vitality and happiness. It combines touch with talk. Touching consists of tapping on specific meridian points and talking consists of phrasing statements that declare the truth of the issue you are facing. These phrases can then be understood as Setup and Reminder phrases.

References:

Disclaimer: The information on this website is purely for educational purposes and does not in any way replace the requirement for medical and psychological diagnosis and treatment. Please seek professional medical and psychological diagnosis and advice for all medical and mental health conditions. It is advised to always book any consultations with qualified professionals.

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