Emotional Freedom Technique

Scribe: Darlene Bower Editor: Beth Brownell

Our very own Jim Caverly conducted our program this week.  Jim’s extensive career in law enforcement, along with his compassionate nature, makes him uniquely qualified to help others deal with stressful situations.

While working for the FBI, Jim attended a training session on the Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT.  Though skeptical at first, Jim was soon convinced using this simple method could help those suffering various illnesses or stresses find relief.  Jim states this technique can help with anxiety, chronic pain, addiction, fear, weight control, stress relief, insomnia, managing allergies and improving relationships.  Some stress is good for us but too much can cause stress-related illness.

The method is sometimes referred to as needle-free acupuncture. Instead of using needles, people use their hands to tap pressure points.  Tapping concentrates on specific meridian endpoints while focusing on negative emotions or physical sensations, helping to calm the nervous system to restore the balance of energy in the body and rewire the brain to respond in healthy ways. In addition to the “karate” point on the hand, the tapping points consist of top of head, eyebrow, side of eye, under eye, under nose, chin, collarbone, under breast and under arm.

The steps include: 1) Choose your most pressing issue (MPI); 2) Rate your MPI using a scale of 0-10; 3) Craft a setup statement such as “Even though I am struggling with _____ (allergies, illness,pain, sleeplessness etc.), I deeply and completely accept myself”; 4) Speak your setup statement 3 times while tapping on the “karate point”; 5) Tap the various points while repeating your setup statement, 5-7 times at each point, starting with the eyebrow and finishing at the top of the head; 6) Take a deep breath; 7) Rate the intensity of your MPI using 0-10; 8) Repeat or move to a different MPI.

Jim shared many touching, personal stories about his family and those he has helped through talking and teaching this technique.

“The mind replays what the heart can’t delete.”

“If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.”