Blog 1: What's EFT, after all?

19.02.25 09:35 AM

EFT/ tapping: mix of ancient wisdom and modern science

EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Technique, though most people know it as "tapping." That’s because you quite literally (gently) tap on certain areas (pressure points) on your face and upper body while focused on particular emotions or topics.

EFT: alignment of mind, brain and body

I’ve been using EFT for years, and the impact I’ve experienced firsthand is exactly why I am so passionate about it.

The way I explain it to my friends is this: Imagine you're playing a video game, driving a car around a track. Doing inner work is like pressing the accelerator - it helps you move toward your goals. But when you add tapping, it's like hitting the boost button, it gives you that extra push, helping you move forward faster and go even deeper.

What is EFT?

It’s based on the same principles as acupuncture, which has been a key part of Ancient Chinese medicine for over 5,000 years - that is, the meridian lines. These are energy pathways that run through our bodies. By stimulating specific points along these lines, we help disrupt or interrupt energetic blockages, cleaning up the energy system, improving its natural flow and balance.

Because EFT points coincide with acupuncture points - by targeting the endpoints of meridian lines, it is usually referred to as “acupuncture without needles.”

While that’s all still true, stopping the description there wouldn’t do justice to the full power of EFT.

Chinese Medicine & the Meridian System

Chinese Medicine has long been based on the meridian system - energy pathways that run throughout the body. In acupuncture, needles are used to stimulate specific points along these lines to release blocked energy. In EFT (tapping), we use our fingers to tap on these points, achieving the same goal: unblocking energy and restoring balance.

Physiological effects

Recent research has shown that meridian lines are not just energetic pathways - they are also part of a physical vascular system.

Back in the 1960s, Professor Kim discovered a new anatomical vascular system that he believed was the foundation of the acupuncture meridian system. Fast forward to 2002, researchers revisited his work using ultrasound and blue dye, finding clearly that acupuncture points line up with this system, now called Primo Vascular System, which runs through the body and connects to the brain.

This discovery helps explain the real physiological effects of tapping, showing that it’s more than energy - it has a measurable impact on the body.

Nervous system regulation

When we tap on points along this Primo Vascular System, it generates an electrical signal that travels to the brain, especially to the amygdala.

Part of the limbic system, it plays a key role in our survival instincts. The amygdala’s job is to assess whether a situation is dangerous. When it senses a threat, it triggers the release of stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline, preparing the body for the fight or flight response.

But here’s where tapping comes in - EFT sends calming signals to the amygdala, helping to dial down the cortisol levels and reduce stress. This is why EFT is often called a powerful stress-reducing tool - it literally helps rewire the brain’s reaction to stress, bringing us back to a state of balance.

Brain & Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to adapt, change, and rewire itself. When we experience stress or trauma, negative thought patterns and emotional responses can become deeply ingrained, shaping how we think, feel, and even impacting our physical health.

Tapping helps us to ‘talk to the brain’ by sending signals that disrupt these existing patterns, creating space for new, healthier and more positive patterns instead. Slowly, research is and brain scans, including fMRI studies, are showing that these changes are real and measurable. For example, a clinical trial found that EFT can really influence brain activity in people dealing with chronic pain.

I truly believe this is just the beginning. As research progresses, we’ll continue to uncover even deeper ways EFT supports the brain’s ability to heal and adapt.

Gene expression & epigenetics

You may have heard of Bruce Lipton - he challenges the idea that our genes determine our fate. Instead, he argues that genes are like blueprints, with their activation influenced by both external (like nutrition and toxins) and internal (like thoughts, emotions, and beliefs) elements.

This means that our mindset and perception of the world can truly influence how our genes express/behave, affecting our health, stress levels, and overall well-being. Since EFT works on a cognitive level, it gives us a tool to actively influence our biology - even down to potentially altering our DNA.

And science backs this up. In one study, researchers found 72 genes showed different activity before and after a tapping session. Another study, on PTSD-related genes, found that six genes significantly changed their expressions after EFT. Research is just beginning, but the evidence is clear - tapping can help us release thoughts and emotions and in turn have a measurable impact on our biology.

Shared goal with Cognitive Therapy

EFT and cognitive therapy share a common goal: helping us break free from negative thought patterns and emotional distress. Cognitive therapy focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts, teaching us to reframe them in a healthier way. EFT takes this a step further by combining cognitive awareness with a physical process - tapping on acupressure points - to release emotional charge from the body and the mind.

Does EFT tapping really work? Is EFT tapping evidence based?

Out of the 600 recognised psychotherapy modalities, energy psychology ranks in the top 10%. With over 320 publications as well as case studies and 100+ papers in peer non-English journals, 99% of the studies indicate the effectiveness of tapping. And it’s not just about the positive subjective outcomes (when people say they feel better), research using functional MRI scans and DNA analysis show real, measurable changes in the brain and body. Science is catching up to what so many already know (and have experienced): EFT has a powerful impact on both our emotions and our physiology.

Sixty-six studies involving 7,265 participants compared stimulation on acupressure points versus sham (non-acupoint) stimulation across various health conditions. The results? The real acupressure groups showed significantly greater effectiveness than the sham groups, proving that stimulating actual meridian points makes a measurable difference.

In 2017, the Acupuncture Evidence Project revised over 13,000 studies and 2,500 reviews across 122 medical and psychiatric conditions and only five were rated at ‘no evidence of effect’. EFT proved effective for 117 conditions, highlighting its broad impact across a wide range of health issues.

This is such an intriguing and exciting field that more and more researchers are interested in understanding how our mind-brain-body work together. As they explore alternative and holistic approaches, we’re bound to see even more evidence supporting the benefits of EFT.

Simple, but hyper-effective

It might seem a bit "woo-woo" or too simple to be true, but don’t let that fool you.

EFT/tapping is a powerful psycho-physiological technique, a body-based tool that helps release emotional tension and physical symptoms, reducing stress, transforming belief systems and reprogramming patterns, with real physiological effects, like regulating the nervous system and even rewiring the brain.

When I tell my family and friends that EFT was crucial in helping me change my life, I am not exaggerating. I do wish you also can experience the benefits this process offers - and I will be more than happy to guide you through the journey.

Try it for yourselft - book a free session

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