Anxiety is one of the most common concerns that our clients come to see us about. Much more than simply feeling nervous or occasionally worried, an anxiety disorder is something that can be all-pervading in your life and sneak up at the most unexpected moments. Luckily, there are many great forms of therapy that are proven to be incredibly successful in treating anxiety. So, does EFT help with anxiety? It sure does! Here, we go into more detail about EFT to help you familiarise yourself with this incredibly effective form of therapy.
What is EFT?
First developed in the 1990s, EFT has been rapidly growing in popularity in recent years, as this evidence-based therapy becomes more widely understood. It can be used as a stand-alone therapy or in combination with other types of therapy offered by your therapist.
When treating anxiety specifically, using a combination of therapeutic techniques is often the most successful approach. These therapies may include general counselling, and can include both cognitive and physical elements. EFT is a form of therapy that taps into the physical side of things, to help change the way your mind works in situations when anxiety arises.
EFT, or ‘Emotional Freedom Techniques’, is a psychotherapeutic tool based on the assumption that the underlying cause of negative emotions such as anxiety is an imbalance in the body’s energy system. The technique was developed using principles of ancient Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and recent advances in kinesiology to literally ‘tap into’ the body’s energy meridians. EFT is often called ‘tapping’ therapy, as it involves the very simple and accessible technique of using tapping against specific points on the body to relieve stress, depression, phobias, anxiety, and much more. Not only are the tapping techniques simple to perform (when instructed by an experienced practitioner), the effects are often instantaneous, and sufferers will notice immediate calming outcomes. For these reasons, EFT is becoming one of the most popular treatments for anxiety.
How does EFT work?
When we experience negative events, the negative emotions experienced are stored within the body, leading to a disruption in the body’s energy system. Effectively, a negative physical reaction is embedded or stored within the body in response to these negative emotions, and this can result in repeated anxiety, stress, depression or other symptoms, which can go on for years and even, in some cases, the rest of our lives. EFT works to reprogram the body’s subconscious response by realigning the body’s energy and disassociating the physical discomfort connected with the emotion. This not only relieves the symptoms we experience but allows for healing to take place on both a conscious and subconscious level.
Of course, like any form of therapy, EFT should be undertaken under the instruction of an experienced and qualified therapist. Although the techniques themselves may be simple to perform and can be used any time you feel the need arise, they require a deep level of understanding to be performed properly and effectively. At Integrated Health Specialists, we have many years of experience in EFT and can teach you to effectively utilise these techniques; empowering you to take your healing into your own hands and transform your life.
Can EFT help with anxiety?
No matter how long you’ve suffered from anxiety, you will know all too well that not only is anxiety felt in your mind, but also involves a number of involuntary physical reactions. These physical reactions can range from mild to quite severe, and can include shakes, stomach pains, nausea, headaches, rapid breathing, fatigue, sweating, and a pounding heart.
If you’ve been experiencing anxiety for many years, you might have tried a number of approaches that have resulted in limited success and be wondering, “can EFT help with anxiety?” The answer is, yes! EFT can be an incredibly effective treatment for anxiety, as it taps directly into the physiological reaction experienced during an episode of anxiety, to allow for healing and reprogramming to begin.
What other techniques are used alongside EFT?
Treating anxiety is about much more than simply addressing the negative emotions causing your symptoms – although doing so is an integral part of tackling the underlying causes for your anxiety. The very real physical aspects of anxiety are another essential component in overcoming and managing anxiety on an ongoing basis. Because our physical reactions to anxiety are so embedded into our bodies, failing to address these can mean that treatments for your anxiety are short-lived, or have limited success. That’s why, here at Integrated Health Specialists, we combine a number of complementary therapies to address your anxiety. In fact, we’ve developed a program designed specifically to help you overcome anxiety by combining a number of our specialised therapeutic techniques.
This intensive 8-week program is individually tailored to help you reduce stress, anxiety, and panic attacks, using not only EFT, but a mixture of NLP (neuro linguistic programming), hypnotherapy, relaxation techniques, and breathing techniques. Together, these powerful techniques uncover the roots of your anxiety, and treat not only your conscious, but your subconscious reactions to it. You’ll notice an immediate relief of your symptoms, but most importantly, have the ability to manage your anxiety on an ongoing basis and be equipped with the tools to overcome feelings of anxiety whenever and wherever they arise.
We understand that anxiety, if left unchecked, can quickly take over your life and leave you feeling powerless. If you’ve been wondering, “can EFT help with anxiety?”, now is the time to get in touch. To find out more about how Emotional Freedom Techniques can help you to successfully overcome your anxiety and start taking back control of your life, contact us today.
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