EFT Tapping for Anxiety: A Certified Trainer's Guide

What Is EFT and Why Am I Passionate About It?

EFT — Emotional Freedom Technique — is one of the most powerful therapeutic tools I use in my practice, and it is also one of the techniques I am most passionate about. I am a Certified Trainer in EFT, which means I do not just use it with my clients — I train other therapists in how to use it effectively.

Sometimes described as "acupuncture without the needles," EFT involves gently tapping on specific points on the face and body while focusing on a particular problem, emotion or physical sensation. It sounds simple — and in practice, it is — but the results can be remarkable, particularly when it comes to anxiety.

EFT was developed by Gary Craig in the 1990s, building on earlier work in the field of energy psychology. Craig's core insight was elegantly simple: all negative emotion is caused by a disruption in the body's energy system. When we experience anxiety, fear, anger or any other distressing emotion, there is a corresponding disruption in the flow of energy through the body's meridian system — the same system used in traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture for thousands of years.

By tapping on specific meridian points while focusing on the problem, we can clear those disruptions and restore the natural flow of energy. When the disruption is resolved, the emotional charge associated with the problem diminishes — often dramatically and permanently.

I have seen this happen thousands of times in my practice since 1994, and it never stops being remarkable.

How Does EFT Work for Anxiety?

Anxiety is, at its core, a disruption in your body's stress response system. When you feel anxious, your brain has identified something — a thought, a situation, a memory, a possibility — as threatening, and it has activated your fight-or-flight response. Your body floods with stress hormones, your heart rate increases, your breathing quickens, your muscles tense, and you feel the familiar sensations of anxiety: the racing thoughts, the knot in your stomach, the tightness in your chest.

EFT addresses anxiety on multiple levels simultaneously.

Physiologically, tapping on the meridian points sends calming signals to the amygdala — the part of the brain that triggers the fight-or-flight response. This helps to reduce the production of cortisol and adrenaline and shift the nervous system from a state of high alert to a state of calm.

Emotionally, focusing on the specific anxiety while tapping allows you to process and release the emotional charge associated with it. Rather than suppressing anxious feelings or trying to think your way out of them, EFT helps you acknowledge the anxiety and then let it go.

Cognitively, the setup statements used in EFT combine acknowledgement of the problem with self-acceptance. This dual focus helps to break the cycle of anxious thinking and replace it with a more balanced perspective.

The beauty of EFT is that it works quickly. In my experience, most clients notice a significant reduction in their anxiety levels within a single tapping session. Often, the results from EFT can be felt within minutes. This makes it an exceptionally valuable tool for both in-session therapeutic work and as a self-help technique that clients can use between sessions and long after treatment has ended.

The Step-by-Step EFT Tapping Sequence for Anxiety

Here is a basic EFT tapping sequence that you can try for yourself when you are feeling anxious. While working with a qualified practitioner will always produce deeper and more targeted results, this self-help sequence can be genuinely helpful for managing everyday anxiety.

Step 1: Rate Your Anxiety

Before you begin tapping, take a moment to rate your current anxiety level on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is completely calm and 10 is the most anxious you have ever felt. This gives you a baseline so you can measure the change. Be honest — there is no right or wrong number. Simply notice how you feel right now.

Step 2: The Setup Statement

The setup statement is spoken while tapping on the side of your hand — the fleshy part below your little finger, sometimes called the "karate chop" point. The statement has two parts: an acknowledgement of the problem, and an affirmation of self-acceptance.

The standard format is:

"Even though I feel this anxiety, I deeply and completely accept myself."

Repeat this statement three times while continuously tapping on the side of your hand. Adapt the wording to fit your specific experience. For example:

• "Even though I feel this tightness in my chest, I deeply and completely accept myself."
• "Even though my mind is racing and I cannot switch off, I deeply and completely accept myself."
• "Even though I feel panicky about tomorrow's meeting, I deeply and completely accept myself."

The more specific you can be about your anxiety, the more effective the tapping tends to be.

Step 3: The Tapping Sequence

Now you will tap on each of the following nine points, approximately five to seven times on each point, while saying a brief reminder phrase that keeps your focus on the anxiety. The reminder phrase is simply a shortened version of your setup statement — for example, "this anxiety" or "this tightness in my chest."

Here are the nine tapping points in order:

1. Top of the head (TH) — The crown of your head, tapping with your fingertips
2. Eyebrow (EB) — The inner edge of the eyebrow, just above the bridge of the nose
3. Side of the eye (SE) — The bone at the outer corner of the eye
4. Under the eye (UE) — The bone directly below the eye, about one inch below the pupil
5. Under the nose (UN) — The area between the bottom of the nose and the top of the upper lip
6. Chin point (CH) — The crease between the lower lip and the chin
7. Collarbone (CB) — Just below the collarbone, about one inch out from the centre of the chest
8. Under the arm (UA) — About four inches below the armpit, roughly level with a bra strap
9. Top of the head (TH) — Return to the crown to complete the round

Tap gently but firmly — you want to feel the tapping but it should not hurt. You can use either hand, and you can tap on either side of the body (both sides work equally well). Most people use their index and middle fingers together.

Step 4: Breathe and Reassess

After completing one full round of tapping, take a deep breath in and let it out slowly. Then rate your anxiety again on the 0 to 10 scale. Most people notice at least some reduction after a single round — often a drop of two or three points.

Step 5: Repeat as Needed

If your anxiety is still above a 2 or 3, do another round of tapping. You can adjust your setup statement to reflect the change:

"Even though I still have some of this anxiety, I deeply and completely accept myself."

Continue for as many rounds as needed. It is common for anxiety to reduce significantly within two to four rounds — sometimes dropping from an 8 or 9 all the way down to a 1 or 0.

Step 6: Positive Affirmation (Optional)

Once your anxiety has reduced to a low level, you can do a final round of tapping using positive statements instead of the reminder phrase. For example:

• "I feel calm and in control"
• "I am safe and everything is manageable"
• "I choose to let go of this anxiety"

This is not essential — the therapeutic benefit comes primarily from the tapping itself — but many people find it a satisfying way to close a tapping session.

EFT for Different Types of Anxiety

One of the great strengths of EFT is its versatility. It can be adapted to address virtually any form of anxiety by changing the focus and wording of the setup statements.

General Anxiety

For the pervasive, ongoing sense of worry and unease that characterises generalised anxiety, EFT can be used to address both the overall feeling and the specific worries that fuel it. You might begin with a general round — "Even though I feel this constant anxiety" — and then get more specific: "Even though I am worried about money" or "Even though I cannot stop thinking about what might go wrong."

In my practice, I combine EFT with hypnotherapy to address general anxiety at an even deeper level. The EFT helps to clear the emotional charge, while hypnotherapy works with the subconscious patterns that generate the anxious responses in the first place. This combination is exceptionally effective.

Social Anxiety

Social anxiety often responds beautifully to EFT because it allows you to tap on the specific fears and beliefs that drive social discomfort. Setup statements might include:

• "Even though I am terrified of being judged, I deeply and completely accept myself"
• "Even though I feel invisible in groups, I deeply and completely accept myself"
• "Even though I am afraid of saying the wrong thing, I deeply and completely accept myself"

You can also use EFT proactively before social situations — tapping through the specific scenarios you are anxious about can significantly reduce the anxiety before you even arrive.

Panic Attacks

EFT can be remarkably effective for panic attacks, both as an in-the-moment intervention and as a preventive tool. If you feel a panic attack beginning, immediately start tapping on the side-of-hand point while acknowledging what is happening: "Even though I feel this panic rising, I am safe and I deeply and completely accept myself."

Then move through the tapping points while focusing on the physical sensations — the racing heart, the difficulty breathing, the dizziness. By focusing on the sensations rather than fighting them, and tapping simultaneously, you send calming signals to the brain that can interrupt the escalation of the panic response.

Many of my clients have told me that learning EFT transformed their relationship with panic attacks. Knowing they have a tool they can use immediately, anywhere, significantly reduces the fear of panic itself — which is often the fear that keeps the cycle going.

Health Anxiety

Health anxiety — the persistent worry that you are ill or going to become ill — responds well to EFT because tapping helps to reduce the emotional charge attached to the health-related thoughts. Setup statements might address both the worry and the physical sensations it produces:

• "Even though I am terrified something is wrong with me, I deeply and completely accept myself"
• "Even though I cannot stop checking for symptoms, I deeply and completely accept myself"

How I Combine EFT with Hypnotherapy for Deeper Results

As a Certified Trainer in both Hypnotherapy and EFT, I am in a unique position to combine these two powerful techniques for maximum therapeutic benefit. In my practice, I use them together routinely, and the results consistently exceed what either technique achieves alone.

Here is how they complement each other.

EFT clears the emotional charge. When you arrive at a session feeling highly anxious, EFT can rapidly reduce that anxiety to a manageable level. This makes it much easier to enter the relaxed, focused state needed for effective hypnotherapy.

Hypnotherapy addresses the root cause. While EFT is excellent at clearing emotional distress in the moment, hypnotherapy goes deeper — accessing the subconscious patterns, beliefs and memories that generate the anxiety in the first place. By working at this level, we can make changes that are more fundamental and lasting.

EFT provides a take-home tool. One of the most valuable aspects of EFT is that clients can continue using it between sessions and long after treatment ends. Once you have learned the technique, you have a self-help tool for life. This extends the benefits of our work together far beyond the therapy room.

Together, they accelerate progress. Clients who use both EFT and hypnotherapy typically require fewer sessions overall and achieve more thorough results. The two techniques work on different aspects of the same problem, creating a multi-layered approach that is greater than the sum of its parts.

I also draw on NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) and CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) to create a truly personalised treatment plan. You can read more about my multi-technique approach on my about page.

When to Use Self-Help EFT vs Working with a Practitioner

The self-help tapping sequence I have described above is a genuinely useful tool, and I encourage you to try it. However, there are important differences between self-help EFT and working with a qualified practitioner.

Self-Help EFT Is Great For:

• Everyday stress and worry. When you are feeling anxious about a specific situation — a meeting, a social event, a difficult conversation — self-help tapping can quickly bring your anxiety levels down.
• In-the-moment relief. If you feel anxiety or panic rising, tapping immediately can help to interrupt the escalation.
• Maintaining progress between sessions. If you are working with a therapist, daily self-help tapping reinforces and extends the work you do in your sessions.
• General emotional wellbeing. Regular tapping, even when you are not particularly anxious, can help to maintain emotional balance and resilience.

Working with a Practitioner Is Better For:

• Deep-rooted or chronic anxiety. If your anxiety has been present for years and is significantly affecting your quality of life, a qualified practitioner can identify and address the underlying causes more effectively than self-help alone.
• Specific events or trauma. If your anxiety is linked to a specific traumatic experience, it is important to work with someone experienced who can guide the process safely.
• When self-help is not enough. If you have been using self-help EFT and your anxiety has improved but plateaued, a practitioner can take you further by working with aspects you may not have identified on your own.
• Complex or multiple issues. If your anxiety intersects with other issues — depression, insomnia, phobias, relationship difficulties — a practitioner can address the interconnections.
• Learning proper technique. While EFT is simple in principle, the nuances of effective tapping — choosing the right words, identifying core issues, testing results — are best learned from an experienced practitioner.

My Personal Experience with EFT

I want to share something personal, because I believe it illustrates the power of EFT more vividly than any explanation.

For many years, I suffered from a debilitating phobia of caterpillars. This was not a mild discomfort or a passing squeamishness. It was a genuine, clinical phobia that caused panic attacks, fainting episodes and nightmares. It affected my daily life in ways that were both distressing and, frankly, embarrassing. I could not garden, I could not walk in certain areas during certain seasons, and even pictures of caterpillars could trigger a strong anxiety response.

I overcame that phobia using the very techniques I now use with my clients — including EFT. The experience of going from genuine terror to complete calm around the trigger transformed my understanding of what these techniques can achieve. It also gave me something that no amount of training alone could provide: the absolute, lived conviction that these methods work.

When a client tells me about an anxiety or phobia that others might dismiss as trivial, I understand on a deeply personal level. I have been there. And I know that the relief of coming out the other side is one of the most liberating experiences a person can have.

How Quickly Does EFT Work?

One of the most frequently asked questions about EFT is how quickly it produces results. The answer, based on my experience with thousands of clients, is that EFT often produces results remarkably quickly.

For specific, focused issues — a particular fear, an anxiety about an upcoming event, a distressing memory — significant relief can often be achieved within a single session, sometimes within minutes. In my practice, EFT often produces noticeable results within one to two sessions.

For more complex, long-standing patterns of anxiety, EFT typically works as part of a broader treatment plan combining hypnotherapy, NLP and other techniques. In these cases, the EFT contributes to steady, cumulative improvement over several sessions. Most clients with general anxiety find that three to six sessions of combined treatment produce significant and lasting change.

The speed of results depends on several factors: the specificity of the issue, how long it has been present, the client's engagement with the process, and whether they practise between sessions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to believe in EFT for it to work?

No. EFT does not require belief. Many of my most responsive clients have started out sceptical. All you need is a willingness to try the technique and engage with the process. The tapping works on a physiological level regardless of your beliefs about it.

Can EFT replace medication for anxiety?

EFT should not be used as a replacement for prescribed medication without consulting your GP. If you are currently taking medication for anxiety, continue to do so and discuss any changes with your doctor. EFT can work very effectively alongside medication, and many clients find that as their anxiety reduces through therapeutic work, they are able to discuss reducing medication with their GP in due course.

Is EFT safe for children?

Yes. EFT is gentle and safe for children from age six. Children often respond to it very naturally — they tend to be less self-conscious about the tapping and more open to the process. It can be an excellent tool for helping children manage anxiety, fears and emotional difficulties.

How often should I practise self-help EFT?

I recommend tapping daily, even if it is just for five minutes. Regular practice maintains the benefits and builds your proficiency with the technique. Tapping first thing in the morning or last thing at night can be particularly helpful for managing general anxiety levels. You can also tap as needed whenever you feel anxiety rising.

Can I tap "wrong" and make things worse?

It is virtually impossible to make things worse with EFT. If you tap on the "wrong" point or use imprecise wording, the worst that will happen is that the tapping is less effective. You will not cause harm. That said, if you are dealing with deep trauma or severe anxiety, working with a qualified practitioner ensures the process is guided effectively and safely.

What is the difference between EFT and other tapping techniques?

EFT, as developed by Gary Craig, is the most widely practised and researched form of meridian tapping. There are other approaches — such as TFT (Thought Field Therapy), from which EFT was derived — but EFT has become the standard due to its simplicity, accessibility and the depth of clinical experience supporting it.

Can I use EFT for issues other than anxiety?

Absolutely. EFT is effective for a wide range of emotional and physical issues, including phobias, stress, pain management, insomnia, anger, grief, and many other conditions. Its versatility is one of its greatest strengths.

Take the Next Step

If you are living with anxiety and would like to experience the power of EFT combined with clinical hypnotherapy, I would love to hear from you. As a Certified Trainer in both EFT and Hypnotherapy, I bring a depth of expertise in both techniques that enables me to create genuinely effective, personalised treatment plans.

You can learn more about my approach to anxiety treatment or find out more about me and my qualifications. If you are ready to take the first step, please get in touch through my contact page or call me directly.