22 Sunday Territorian. Sunday, September 22, 2013. www.sundayterritorian.com.au

PU

B:

NT

NE

WS

DA

TE

:2

2-S

EP

-20

13

PA

GE

:2

2C

OL

OR

:C

MY

K

body+soulsundayterritorian.com.au SUNDAY LIFESTYLE

www.bodyandsoul.com.au

bodyandsoul.com.aubBODY+SOUL Tap into other ways to boost

your wellbeing at bodyandsoul.

com.au/wellbeing PH

OTO

GR

AP

HY: E

FTD

OW

NU

ND

ER

.CO

M, G

ETTY

IM

AG

ES

When my therapist

suggested I “tap”

away my troubles,

I admit I was sceptical – especially

when I saw the technique in action.

I had to visualise a situation that

caused my anxiety (in my case,

my late husband’s death) while

tapping different “energy points”

on my body in sequence.

It seemed way too simplistic.

And yet emotional freedom

technique (EFT), as it’s known,

is being used to treat a range of

physical and mental complaints,

from migraines and panic attacks,

to depression and addiction.

After 9/11 it was even used to

treat survivors suffering from

post-traumatic stress disorder.

HOW IT WORKS

EFT was developed by US

performance coach Gary Craig in

1995, and follows a similar theory

to acupuncture and kinesiology.

These therapies claim that energy

pathways or meridians form an

interface between our physical

and mental bodies but can

become blocked or unbalanced,

often by stressful events, resulting

in distress and disease.

EFT practitioners say the right

sequence of vibrations, created

by tapping on “acu-points” in a

certain order, can rebalance our

energy template. At the same time

a “set-up statement” is said aloud,

which is, “Even though I feel [insert

problem, such as sad, stressed,

in pain] right now, I deeply and

completely accept myself.”

Sarah Cleghorn, an EFT

practitioner from Melbourne, says

many people fi nd verbalising

their problem confronting. “We’re

accustomed to therapies focusing

on positive affi rmations such as,

‘I’m strong, I’m brave,’” she says.

“However, ignoring a problem

won’t solve it.

“By focusing on a limiting belief,

negative emotion or traumatic

memory, you go to the heart of the

issue, while activating a relaxation

response in the body through

tapping on the energy points.”

TAP YOUR WAY TO HEALTH AND

HAPPINESS

Can a technique of tapping on the body’s invisible energy pathways cure physical and

emotional problems? Amy Molloy investigates

A recent study published in the

Journal of Nervous and Mental

Disease found that EFT can lower

stress hormones in the body. The

research by Dr Dawson Church

looked at the effects of EFT after

a one-hour session and found it

reduced cortisol levels by 24 per

cent, compared to 14 per cent

after psychotherapy.

TAPPING INTO EFT

You can either tap at the time

of a stressful event, such as

an argument, or as a regular

wellbeing ritual, the experts say.

Sydney psychologist Jacqui

Manning recommends her new

clients practise EFT every night

for one month: “Replay a ‘movie’

of your day in your head and tap

through it, focusing on particular

moments that caused distress.”

It may not be convenient to tap

your forehead in a board meeting

but experts say EFT can be used

to pre-empt stressful situations.

“I use it to calm my nerves

before public speaking,” Manning

says. “I visualise standing in front

of a room full of people, then

tap through the fear. Many of

my corporate clients are initially

sceptical but [are] astounded

by the difference it can make.”

There are also more discreet

techniques that can be subtly

practised, even at the offi ce.

Psychologist Steve Wells and

medical practitioner Dr David Lake

have developed a set of “simple

energy techniques” (or SET).

One SET involves tapping on

fi ve points of one hand for exam

stress or performance anxiety.

Holistic therapist Julie Cottle

teaches EFT to expectant

mothers. “I ask mums to write a

list of worries and tap through one

each day during their pregnancy.

I know women who’ve tapped

through labour and said it helped

them immeasurably,” she says.

Diagram 1

Sore spot

Eyebrow

Under eye

Under nose

Chin

Collarbone

Side of eye

Under arm

“Even though I feel [insert

Diagram 2

Thumb

Index finger

Middle finger

Little finger

GamutKarate chop

SET-UP STATEMENT

“Even though I feel [insert problem] right now, I

deeply and completely accept myself.”

SHORTSEQUENCE

EyebrowSide of eyeUnder eye

Under noseChin

CollarboneUnder arm

ADD FOR THE LONG

SEQUENCE:Thumb

Index fingerMiddle fingerLittle fingerKarate chop

Gamut

THE TAPPING SEQUENCE

USE YOUR DOMINANT HAND TO RUB ON THE “SORE SPOT” MERIDIAN (SEE DIAGRAM 1) WHILE REPEATING THE SET-UP

STATEMENT THREE TIMES. THEN USE YOUR INDEX AND MIDDLE FINGER TO TAP FIRMLY ABOUT SEVEN TIMES

ON EACH OF THE MERIDIAN POINTS IN THE SHORT SEQUENCE (ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BODY), WHILE REMAINING

FOCUSED ON YOUR PROBLEM. IF NECESSARY, REPEAT OR ADD THE LONG SEQUENCE MERIDIANS (DIAGRAM 2).