What is EFT Tapping?

EFT Tapping, or Emotional Freedom Technique, is a very powerful technique that you can do on yourself or on your child, using the EFT points on your body and tapping on them with your fingertips.

These energy meridian points have long been used in Acupuncture and many other forms of energy healing. The EFT Tapping sequence is simple to do, and could even be done public.

Gary Craig developed Emotional Freedom Technique from his experiences with Thought Field Therapy (TFT), which also used tapping as it's clearing method. Based on the idea that any kind of trauma, negative belief or anxiety is blocked energy, by tapping on the EFT Tapping points, it releases that energy and sets in place a new pattern.

From what I have observed, there really is no limit to the kinds of issues Emotional Freedom Technique can be used for - both for adults and children.

Here's some examples:

• A child's anxiety starting school, or a new class
• Mom's worry about a child being bullied
• Fear of public speaking - adults and children!
• Dealing with hospital treatments - see the story about my nephew on the right
• Exam stress - fear of failure
• Dealing with Bullies
• Phobias
• Mom going back to work
• Learning something new
• Loosing and making friends
• Sibling Jealousy or Rivalry
• Mastering a physical challenge

EFT For Kids

Emotional Freedom Technique can easily be taught to kids. When children have learned this simple technique they can easily do it themselves when confronted by a difficult situation, or are feeling anxious about something. Or parents can simply tap along with them.

Using EFT Tapping for kids is a very empowering tool for kids to learn as it puts them in the drivers seat of their life. Instead of feeling at the mercy of their fears, they can use the EFT Tapping points to release their fears and tap in an affirmation, or new choice statement. I cover this in more detail, with examples in this article: EFT Tapping Points.

I always recommend using an affirmation for approximately half of the tapping, so the first stage is using the EFT Tapping points to work through any anxiety or negative thoughts, then when the child is feeling more comfortable, we start to tap in what they would prefer.

Surrogate Tapping

Surrogate Tapping works really well with children. This means you are not tapping them, but are tapping yourself (or Tappy Bear). It works particularly well with parents, as a lot of our children's beliefs or issues are very much colored by our own! So if you are anxious about your child's first day in a new school, guess what, some of that will probably have transferred to your child. In fact, any issue usually clears so much better if you tap on yourself first!

So with Surrogate Tapping, you are clearing yourself as well as your child. Basically you just go through the same process, but hold a clear vision in your mind of your child. The child does not need to be present. Of course you can't use this to force any kind of behavioral change on the child. If your intention is for the child's well-being, by clearing your own worry and anxiety out you are opening the way for a huge shift in energy. I've seen some extra-ordinary changes for children when Mom did surrogate tapping.

EFT Tapping and Babies

One of the best applications is babies! You can tap directly on the baby, but of course they can't tell you what the issue is. I often recommend starting by tapping on Mom. Lets face it, Mom has had this little one growing inside her, and is intimately connected to her baby. By tapping on yourself and just going with whatever your intuition tells you, you can change all sorts of issues. We usually then go on to tap on Baby too.

Here's some examples:

• Sleeping issues
• Wind
• Birth Trauma
• Uncomfortable babies
• Separation anxiety
• Picky eating
• Mom going back to work
• Physical or Medical issues

Start Tapping!

So now you have an overview of Emotional Freedom Technique, and some ideas of how you can apply them, it's time to start tapping!

Click Here for the EFT Tapping Points. There's examples and a demonstration of using the sequence.

EFT Tapping Resources

Emotional Freedom Technique Tapping Points
Click here to learn more about how to use Emotional Freedom Technique. Diagram with the points, sequences, and some examples of how to use it with children. (Totally applicable for adults too!)

The Tapping Solution DVD
The Tapping Solution Website has a wonderful DVD demonstrating how EFT can be used in many situations, and run a world summit each year with many EFT experts interviewed. If you are registered you can listen for free.

They also run a Tapping Angel program, which aims to give the Tapping Solution DVD to organizations, such as prisons, hospitals, community groups or schools. If you would like to be one of their Tapping Angels, and distribute the DVDs, check out the program details on their site, The Tapping Solution.

EFT Universe
Gary Craig is the founder of Emotional Freedom Technique and offers the basic training manual free - as a downloadable pdf file. There are also lots of resources and links to practitioners.

Tappy Bear.com
Cuddly Soft EFT Tapping Bear with buttons representing the tapping points. Plus DVDs for using EFT with Children. This is what my little nephew uses.

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Resources for Parents

Super Skills 4 Kids
Is our home study course designed to help kids set goals, envision the future they want, and achieve anything! If a child wants to work on a behavioral goal, Super Skills is a perfect tool, or they may want to learn a practical skill like giving talks in class.

Super Skills 4 Kids is packed with tools and comes with a bonus workbook. I've had many parents say they use many of the techniques for themselves!

Disciplining children.
For more ideas on how to discipline a child read my article on disciplining kids and teens.

Do Children Misbehave?
More ideas on handling misbehaving children, and understanding their needs.

Ask Annie
Online Coaching with Annie - Do you have a challenges with your children? For a limited time only, Ask Annie is FREE!

Click the link above and scroll to the bottom to read what other parents have asked.

Negotiating with Teens
Teenage years can be a delight and a challenge for many parents. Heres some ideas on handling some of those tricky times!

Teenage Behavior
This Audio answers questions from readers about communicating with teenagers. You can listen to it here.

Free Parenting Games.
Read about the importance of play and having fun with your kids and get your free Parenting Games.

Parenting Coach
Interested in having a Parenting Coach to empower you to be the parent you aspire to be?

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