Ann Smith David Snodgress | INstride

Acupuncture without the needle.

That’s a common, quick way to describe Emotional Freedom Techniques, or EFT for short.

The idea is to release blocks in your body that are causing stress or worry.

The instrument: your fingers. They work on 10 or so areas throughout the body as a form of release.

Like a piston, your fingers dance up and down on a spot; and then rotate to the next. A round of tapping takes about one minute, and most EFT-users complete three to five rounds.

Your voice helps guide the movement as well. The talking while tapping counters the negative with positive affirmations. Think of it as Drain-O for the body, removing all the gunk that builds up and slows you down.

So why is tapping so therapeutic?

Ann Smith of Bloomington knows first-hand. She started studying the ancient Chinese practice 5 years ago and has since led more than 1,500 sessions as a life coach.

“It’s medicine in your fingertips,” Smith said.

Every negative thought results in a feeling, Smith explained, caused by a blockage in the body’s energy system.

Tell yourself you’re fat so many times and see how you feel. Destructive thoughts and bad feelings create obstacles.

What EFT does is focus on the disruption, and hit all the meridian points with finger tapping. The idea is by tapping on all the meridian, it will dislodge the disruption, wherever it is. In return, energy will be moving again.

One of Smith’s clients shared how easy and effective the practice is on her Web site (www.insideoutwitheft.com) as a testimonial.

“EFT allows me to bring feelings I may be unaware of or in denial of to the surface in short order so I can experience them and respond to them. EFT gets me quickly to unbury the things I’ve hidden. It’s almost seductive in the way it works. It is a deep self approval process that seems to be heading off in the wrong direction. I start off expressing what I’m telling myself and in the process I see its untruth. It creates a safe environment while doing this.”

Sitting recently in her home office, Smith explains that people tap for a variety of reasons, and for a range of symptoms. The onset of a headache or an argument with a friend, for example.

“Anything that doesn’t feel good,” Smith said of the self-help tool.

She taps by herself every day, in addition to tapping out the problems with her clients.

Most of Smith’s clients turn to tapping to help with complex issues such as weight loss. One has been with her for three years; they arrange weekly taps for about 15 minutes. Smith usually recommends 12-weeks of sessions to address the blocks.

“Long-term support is vital to weight loss success,” Smith said.

She meets with people in her home, but also over the phone with clients in other states and even one in Holland. Smith is EFT-certified and is registered on the group’s Web site.

Smith explains that EFT is not a mind trick. It’s an easy technique that can be done in three minutes and requires no tools.

“It’s beautiful in its simplicity,” Smith said.

She’s sharing the techniques with students at Ivy Tech with five workshops (Emotional Freedom Techniques, Introduction to EFT Workshop, Using EFT for Stress Reduction, Using EFT with the Law of Attraction, Using EFT with children) this spring.

“EFT is easy to do yet produces powerful results quickly. While focusing on the problem, whether physical, emotional, or mental, we tap on acupressure points with our fingertips. Amazing healing can be achieved with persistent use of EFT, producing a sense of wellbeing, physical health, and, of course, emotional freedom,” the class description reads.

Sometimes the students split into small groups for tapping circles not unlike prayer circles in which bonds are formed.

EFT is not for everyone. Smith said some get discouraged and quit. But for others, the benefits are visible.

That was the case for a client on the brink of knee surgery. The woman chose her fingers not those of a surgeon for relief. For relief, she would sneak away for a few minutes to tap in privacy at work.

“I want to empower my clients, that’s my goal,” Smith said.

EFT: How it works

Measure the intensity of your craving, negative feeling or pain on a 1-10 scale. At the end, measure again to see if the number has dropped. Repeat the sequence until you are at a 1 or 0. This may take 3-5 rounds of tapping.

Set-up phrase: While tapping the karate chop

point on the hand, say three times: Even though

I have this (issue, problem, concern), I deeply and completely accept myself.”

Tapping points: Say what the (issue, problem or concern) is while tapping on each of the following:

1. Top of the head

2. Beginning of either eyebrow

3. Outside of either eye

4. Under either eye

5. Under the nose

6. Below the mouth, above the chin

7. Under the beginning of either collar bone

8. Under either arm (about 4 inches below armpit)

9. Inner wrists

10. Back of one or both wrists

Source: Ann Smith, EFT hand-out