Motivation and emotion/Book/2015/Emotional Freedom Techniques/Practice EFT now: Click here for your own step-by-step guide

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Practice EFT now: A step-by-step guide

 * Step 1. Begin by sitting in a comfortable, quiet position. Take a deep breath and evoke the memory or event causing you distress, noticing the emotions you are experiencing. Establish where the feelings exist in your body, and rate them on a Subjective Units of Distress (SUDS) scale, with 0 being no effect and 10 being maximum intensity. If you have noticed any pain, you can also rate this using the same scale. This is your starting number and will provide a standard to assess progress after each round.
 * Step 1. Begin by sitting in a comfortable, quiet position. Take a deep breath and evoke the memory or event causing you distress, noticing the emotions you are experiencing. Establish where the feelings exist in your body, and rate them on a Subjective Units of Distress (SUDS) scale, with 0 being no effect and 10 being maximum intensity. If you have noticed any pain, you can also rate this using the same scale. This is your starting number and will provide a standard to assess progress after each round.

Step 2.

Next, verbally express the negative cognitions with an opposing, positive state of self-acceptance. This is known as the ‘setup statement’.

For example “Even though I [insert problem statement], I deeply and completely accept myself anyway.”

You are now ready to complete the tapping component of the technique (see Figure ? for tapping points).

Step 3.

Repeat the 'setup statement' aloud three times while rubbing on your Sore Spot located or tapping on the Karate Chop Point (point 12) using your index finger and middle finger. You might find it easiest to use your dominant hand to tap on your non-dominant hand.

Step 4.

Complete the rest of the tapping sequence as labelled in the figure, starting at point one and continuing through to point 12.

Tap about seven times on each point, repeating the 'reminder phrase' the whole time. The 'reminder phrase' describes the problem in a short phrase or single word and is there to remind you what you are working on throughout the sequence.

It doesn't matter if you swap tapping sides during the round, for example, you can tap about your left eye and under your right arm.

Step 5.

After completing the sequence of tapping points, take another deep breath. Re-assess and rate your level of distress out of 10 again.

If the emotional intensity is getting worse, consider changing the phrasing to be more specific to the problem, and be sure to say it with conviction each time.

If the intensity is lessening, continue the rounds until you reach zero or close to it.

For each subsequent round, adjust the setup statement to “Even though I still feel [problem statement]” “Even though I still have this [problem statement]"

(Craig, 2011).
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