Have you heard of EFT?

I value and enjoy studying – Anytime I feel like I am in a rut in life, feeling uninspired, facing challenges… when things feel harsh and/or stagnant… This is when I get the energy moving by learning and studying something new. I sit and meditate on what I feel drawn to learning that will help me tap into my creative Self in some way. This is why over the years, I have studied so many different areas of psychology, health and wellness. In recent years, EFT has been a fascinating area that is helping me process a lot of changes in my own life. Let me share more about what I am learning. Maybe it will inspire you in some way!

What Is EFT?

EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Technique. EFT is a powerful self-help energy tool based on research showing that emotional trauma contributes greatly to disease. Stanford Engineer Gary Craig developed EFT as a self-help method for people struggling with painful emotions that traditional medical and psychological treatments had been unable to help.

Our emotions (energy in motion) have a powerful effect on us, mind-body-soul – It is said that intense negative emotions, if not processed and dealt with, can get stuck in our energy bodies. These negative emotions then colour our view of the world, in turn attracting more of the same. Long-term stress and bottled-up emotions lead to diseases.

This is not to say that we shouldn’t feel any negative emotions or be in denial about hurtful emotions. This is not about bypassing this. We just need to find a healthy way to experience and release negative emotions so they don’t get stored in our mind-body system. EFT is a way to expunge negative emotions and bring awareness as to how we connect with them.

EFT involves tapping on certain acupuncture points on your face and body. It follows a sequence while saying sentences that help us tap into an area that we are working on. By doing these simple and effective sequences, we unclog and balance the meridian system. It works by tapping into the part of the brain called the amygdala and calming our fight-or-flight response. The light electrical impulses generated by the tapping allow the rational part of the brain to conjure solutions that were not available to it when it was subjected to stress and negative emotions.

Many people experience results from this method for their stress, anxiety, trauma and much more. As empaths and sensitive souls who connect deeply to our emotions and those of others, I feel like this form of holistic therapy is a good way for keeping in touch with what is coming up and using it to dive in and build a relationship with our emotional Self and emotional intelligence.

5 Ways EFT Can Help Empaths & Highly Sensitive People

Being sensitive does not mean that we will all have issues with emotions, need therapy or experience any of the following below. We are individuals and each of us will experience life uniquely – I believe being sensitive is a superpower, not a hindrance to thriving! That being said, there are some common things that may come up with some of us, at some point in our life.

Let me share some areas and ask some reflection questions. You can use this as part of your journal writing too. And all of these points may be linked in some way, so notice if there are any patterns or cycles that come up. EFT can work wonders in these areas.

The key to these topics is to observe the way you FEEL and your emotional Self. When you read the below points, think about: What comes up when you read each point? What limiting beliefs do you notice in each area? What emotions do they bring up for you?

Anxiety

I am glad that the area of mental health is much more openly discussed now – Anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, that can be mild or severe. Some anxiety is normal in life… we might worry about our upcoming exams or interview for example. However, some people find it hard to control their worries, feelings of anxiety are more constant and can often affect their daily lives. Awareness of our anxiety levels is important, especially in the fast-paced, high-pressure world. As empaths and HSPs, it can be common to experience this. I always recommend seeing a talking therapist (like CBT) to guide us when it does affect our life. EFT can help us literally tap into relaxation and release.

Not feeling safe in the world

This comes hand-in-hand with anxiety, although we can also feel this way without it. Sometimes it stems from our childhood and sometimes it comes up in later life as we learn to re-parent our Self while we navigate life. We all want to feel safe and belong – But when we don’t, it can be one of the biggest emotional triggers that show up in many ways. Even if we logically know that we are safe at the moment (and there are no reasons to point to us not being safe), we can still emotionally feel like we aren’t. This has a big effect on our bodies too. EFT can help us understand this and release it.

The need to be needed

This is a sneaky one because often, we may think we are doing something for another person from the heart – yet we may also unconsciously enjoy the feeling that they need us. This can be unhealthy when we are taking on other people’s responsibilities, developing unhealthy boundaries, having expectations from others and/or assuming that we are there to fix them or their problems all the time. When we have the need to be needed, we can actually be doing more harm to our own energy, as well as not really helping the other person.

For example: Alex considers him Self a good friend to Elaine – He likes it when she comes to him to share her problems because it makes him feel like he is valued. Alex initially felt great that she could trust him and that he could offer his time and advice. He was always there for her and felt needed and loved by her. Over time, this became a pattern where Elaine would only call or meet him when she was going through hard times. For Alex, what started off as a good feeling of being there for a friend was now building into a slow resentment. Alex started to pull away from her – “Why does she only want to call me to talk about her problems?… I thought she needed me as a loving friend, not just for talking about her Self! She never calls me to do fun things… She just needs me when it suits her…etc” Things started to change in their friendship – and not for the better.

Maybe you can recognise a similar situation in your life in some way? – Many empaths and HSPs are a grounding force for their friends and loved ones who may find it easy to share their life. It could be you that others come to and you are used to being needed for certain things – Or it could be the other way around, where we feel we need someone to play that role. This example can be changed into so many different dynamics. Feeling needed is a big topic.

Unhealthy boundaries

The last point leads to the topic of unhealthy boundaries – A very common issue. As empaths and HSPs, our energy system is naturally more prone to pick up everything in our daily life – from the people, the spaces, the emotions of others etc. This is why having rock-solid healthy boundaries is important – To remind our Self (and others) how we want to emotionally, energetically, physically and mentally engage in the world. Easier said than done! As we change, our values and needs also do – which often means that our boundaries change too. It’s always a good idea to reflect on this topic regularly and adjust where needed.

Do any of these areas seem familiar to you?

If you feel curious and want to explore this further, there are many EFT videos out there and sources of information. Try it for your Self as a great addition to your Self-love rituals.