Emotional freedom technique (EFT) is often termed a modern meridian therapy. It has evolved from therapies that can trace their origins back many thousands of years to acupuncture and shiatsu, which developed independently but alongside each other in China and Japan respectively.

EFT is an alternative treatment for physical pain and emotional distress. It’s also referred to as tapping or psychological acupressure. People who use this technique believe tapping the body can create a balance in your energy system and treat pain. According to its developer, Gary Craig, a disruption in energy is the cause of all negative emotions and pain.Though still being researched, EFT tapping has been used to treat people with anxiety and people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). EFT is based on modern psychology and the principles of acupuncture’s meridian or energy system, without using needles. By tapping on specific meridian points on the face or body, while focusing on a problem, it’s possible to go from the stress response to the relaxation response, often in minutes.

EFT is designed to help you reduce feelings of anxiety and stress by tapping pressure points on the head and body. The theory behind EFT tapping is that tapping various points on your head and body releases negative emotions. So the release of things like anxiety, stress or fear, signal the amygdala (the ‘fight or flight’ part of the brain) to calm down and relax. As soon as this happens, it immediately reduces anxiety, which allows you to move forward in a calmer way.