Frequently Asked Questions | Live More Fully with EFT

Founded in the early 1990’s by Stanford-trained engineer Gary Craig, EFT is the most well-known modality in the new field of “energy psychology.” It is being used worldwide by therapists, physicians, nurses and coaches, and by millions of individuals. EFT is accepted for continuing education credits by the American Psychology Association, and there is a growing body of documented scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness.

When it is applied correctly, personal shifts and changes typically come quickly with EFT, and results are typically long-lasting or permanent. Complex issues with many “aspects” (pieces or layers) require persistent, step-by-step work, but when EFT is applied skillfully in such cases, noticeable progress, lasting changes and relief occur along the way.

How can EFT help with so many different things?

To newcomers, EFTers can sound over the top with their enthusiasm. That’s because EFT has been successful in helping ease or eliminate the symptoms of a vast and ever-growing list of significant personal problems. It’s also wonderfully useful for mundane things like pain from stings and bruises. Even irritation at being stuck in traffic.

This broad range of success stems from the fact that, like its cousin acupuncture, EFT works (minus the needles) with the underlying energy system that links our body, mind, and emotions . It’s kind of like enjoying the help, at an international meeting, of a moderator who speaks all the languages. No matter where the problem is lodged in one’s system, EFT can “communicate with it.”

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What about when EFT doesn’t seem to work?

Anyone can quickly learn and successfully begin using EFT. This ease of use and beginner success can lead, however, to the misunderstanding that if EFT doesn’t seem to work right away, it’s not able to help. A similar misunderstanding is that if EFT works on a problem or issue that later returns, EFT has failed.

What is likely in either case is that an inexperienced user has not applied EFT with sufficient precision when addressing a complex issue.

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If I can do EFT myself, why would I need a practitioner?

One of my favorite things about EFT is that people can quickly and easily learn to do it for themselves. Even so, there are times when, and ways in which a qualified practitioner can be of valuable help.

If you are new to EFT and learning about it more or less out of curiosity, you may be quite happy with progressing on your own. But if you want to see timely results with a significant problem, or if you are dealing with “a can of worms,” getting help from a skilled practitioner will speed your progress.

You could try EFT on your own, and look for a practitioner when you run into something that blocks your progress. Or, decide to work with a practitioner initially, then use EFT on your own except when you get stuck.

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How many sessions will I need?

Several things affect how many sessions are needed. The main ones are:

1. The greater or lesser complexity of what is “holding a problem in place.” For example, one person’s fear of flying may be anchored by a single rough flight that had a very scary landing. Another’s fear may be held in place by dozens of bad experiences with flights and airports, and perhaps seemingly unrelated issues, such as fear of feeling personally not in control.

2. How specifically focused or how general the main problem is. Even with something specific like that fear of flying, the amount of work will vary. With something more general, like “problems at the office,” there may be several separate issues involved, such as difficulties with co-workers, anger at a supervisor, resentment over benefits, or being bored with a job but afraid to leave it.

3a-b-c. The nature of your goals compared to where you currently are with a troubling issue; how much “homework” you are willing to do; and your level of motivation in learning to apply EFT more effectively on your own.

The good news is that compared to standard therapeutical approaches, noticeable progress begins quickly with EFT, even for those with complex or multiple issues.

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Why does EFT focus on the negative?

This is an important question. Resistance to the wording used in EFT can be a barrier to relief for beginners who misunderstand its function. EFT newcomers often ask “why must I say something negative while tapping these powerful points on the body? Aren’t I pounding the negative in?”

No. EFT targets a distress or limitation that already exists, something we want to shift or change. Getting at exactly what that is, as efficiently as possible, is the function of the negative sounding words in the “set up statement” that EFT begins with. The job of the negative sounding “reminder phrase” we use is to keep EFT pointed at that problem through the rest of the process.

EFT’s negative sounding words function like the jet stream of a hose being used to get some mud off your driveway – it won’t help much to point the hose at the lush garden alongside the drive.

Further information on using EFT:

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