On the road to sobriety, it is sometimes the more out-of-the-box ideas and techniques that most resonate to create lasting changes. At first glance, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as “tapping,” can seem like a silly and surface level approach to healing. Yet, many people who engage in this practice soon come to find that EFT is a powerful and no-frills practice that is perfect for their healing toolkit.
EFT is a healing practice that combines psychological therapy with ancient Chinese acupressure. The healing system is readily accessible and does not require any additional materials or tools other than the ability to tap oneself on various points of the body.
EFT has been tested in many clinical trial and has demonstrated effectiveness in treating various psychological and physical disorders including chronic pain, alcohol cravings and PTSD.
Tapping for Mind-Body-Spirit
EFT, and Chinese Medicine, are based on the idea that negative emotions are caused by disruption in the body’s energy system, and that physical illness, mental illness, and emotional instability are all interrelated and affecting one another.
EFT treats the whole person on all levels to promote balance throughout the system and to gain understanding of how each of the three levels affects the others.
Practitioners or participants use their fingers to tap lightly on specified points on the Chinese meridians (energy pathways) to allow for rapid release of stuck and repressed emotions.
The Practice of Tapping
EFT sessions are often led by a trained facilitator who assists in identifying patterns and subconscious beliefs that can be addressed and shifted by the practice.
Using a set-up statement- a statement that identifies the emotional issue that is bothersome- the issue is acknowledged, meanwhile tapping is done on the body on specific points in a specific sequence.
This simple process releases stuck emotions and allows negative thoughts and ideas to be bypassed for emotional freedom.
Transformation in Minutes
One of the main draws of this practice is how quickly it works to clear stagnant emotions from the body by bringing a sense of clarity to mental processes.
EFT rapidly overrides the body’s signals of distress and pain, allowing for an immediate sense of greater wellbeing and calm. EFT can change the emotional response of a person in a matter of minutes.
When on the path to sobriety, the mental and emotional swings that present can completely throw someone off of their path to healing and maintaining sobriety.
In these instances, it is imperative that there be a toolkit with various options for immediate shift in the system. EFT is a practice that is always available and can be easily implemented at any time to reset the system and provide relief.
Curb Cravings and Ease Anxiety
The EFT practice is especially effective for treating cravings and anxiety, which can be debilitating for people who are new on the path to sobriety.
The first few days of sobriety are often an emotional rollercoaster, and the mental anxiety that accompanies is often too much to handle on one’s own without proper support in place.
EFT is a practice that brings immediate release of heightened emotions that can then clear the path for other forms of healing to begin, including attendance of meetings and talk therapy.
Experiencing and managing cravings is an essential part of sobriety, and EFT can help to get to the root of unresolved emotional issues and provide a way to process them that allows cravings to subside.
When emotions are recognized, addressed and cleared, rather than stuffed down and overridden, they can be identified and cleared from the mind and body.
This practice can immediately lower the stress levels of a person who is experiencing a craving or other impactful life event that causes their cravings to come forth.
Stress is an indicator that the mind-body-spirit levels are out of balance and are not operating in cohesion. EFT is a practice that can be implemented immediately in times of stress to combat the runaway train of thoughts and emotions that threaten to overtake progress in sobriety.
Shifting Thought Systems
All people have limiting belief systems that hold them back. Using EFT can help surpass the belief systems and structures that bind people to previous versions of themselves.
Rather than staying stuck replaying the same patterns in the mind, EFT allows for the acknowledgement of old conditioning patterns and gives a tool for release of emotions so the body can move into alignment and balance with its original and true nature.
Sometimes the belief systems we have, about family, money, self-worth, etc. are operating at an unconscious level. EFT allows these beliefs to come to the surface to be examined, understood, and then released.
EFT with Ease
EFT is a practice that is simple to learn and equally as easy to put into practice. It only takes a willingness to implement a simplistic set of statements and tapping to clear the body at all levels and regain a sense of composure and clarity over the current troubling situation.
This practice is effective for sobriety, and the causes that often lead to using, like anxiety, cravings, and low self-esteem. EFT can provide a much-needed glimpse into the life that is possible when we take control of our emotions and take simple action towards healing.
EFT is a powerful practice that can lead to transformational outcomes, in some cases, in only one to two sessions.
While maintaining sobriety is an ongoing process, sensing a shift in only a few sessions can be highly motivating for people who are looking to radically change their lifestyle and need ongoing support to maintain their process of healing.
