Nine minutes, five segments. Every tapping point is named in order — read it slowly enough that someone can find each one.
What this is, and finding your number
2 min[practical and matter-of-fact — no mystique, this is a procedure]
Hello. This is a tapping session — EFT, the Emotional Freedom Technique. Over the next nine minutes you'll tap lightly on a series of points on your face and upper body while saying a few phrases out loud.
It looks unusual the first time. Do it anyway — many people find the combination of light rhythmic tapping and saying a difficult thing plainly out loud settles them, and you'll have your own answer in nine minutes.
Tap with two fingertips, firmly enough to feel it, never hard enough to hurt. Either side of the body is fine.
First, bring to mind the thing that's bothering you today. Something specific rather than general — not 'work stress' but the particular conversation or task that's sitting on you. [pause for 15 seconds]
Now give it a number from zero to ten, where ten is the most intense it could be. Don't deliberate — take the first number that arrives. Hold onto it; we'll come back to it at the end. [pause for 10 seconds]
The setup statement
1 min 30[read the statement itself slowly, twice, and leave room for them to repeat it]
Find the fleshy outer edge of your hand — the side you'd chop with, below the little finger. Tap there continuously while we do this part.
Say this out loud after me. Out loud matters — saying it in your head is not the same thing.
'Even though I'm carrying this thing today — and I know exactly what it is — I accept myself and how I feel about it.' [pause for 8 seconds while they repeat it]
Again, still tapping. 'Even though I'm carrying this thing today, I accept myself and how I feel about it.' [pause for 8 seconds]
Once more, and then we'll move up to the face. [pause for 8 seconds]
First round of points
2 min 30[five seconds after each point name — they are physically locating it]
Stop tapping the hand. Move to the inside edge of one eyebrow, where it starts, closest to the nose. Tap there and say: 'this thing I'm carrying.' [pause for 6 seconds]
Move to the side of the eye — the bone at the outer corner. 'Still here.' [pause for 6 seconds]
Under the eye, on the bone beneath the pupil. 'I feel it in my body.' [pause for 6 seconds]
Under the nose, above the top lip. 'I don't have to fix it right now.' [pause for 6 seconds]
The crease of the chin, below the bottom lip. 'It's allowed to be here.' [pause for 6 seconds]
The collarbone — find the notch at the base of the throat, then move an inch down and an inch across. 'I'm noticing it instead of pushing it away.' [pause for 6 seconds]
Under the arm, about a hand's width below the armpit. 'Still breathing.' [pause for 6 seconds]
And the top of the head, flat palm or fingertips. 'I'm alright where I am.' [pause for 8 seconds]
Second round
2 min[same order, same pace — the repetition is the mechanism, do not vary it]
We'll go round once more, same points, same order — but this time the phrases turn slightly. Back to the eyebrow. 'Some of this can go now.' [pause for 6 seconds]
Side of the eye. 'I don't need to hold all of it.' [pause for 6 seconds]
Under the eye. 'It's safe to put some of it down.' [pause for 6 seconds]
Under the nose. 'A bit lighter than a minute ago.' [pause for 6 seconds]
Chin. 'Letting my shoulders come down.' [pause for 6 seconds]
Collarbone. 'Calmer than I was.' [pause for 6 seconds]
Under the arm. 'I've done what I can with this for now.' [pause for 6 seconds]
Top of the head. 'And I can come back to it later if I need to.' [pause for 8 seconds]
Checking the number again
1 min[normal speaking voice — this is the practical, useful bit]
Stop tapping. Rest your hands. Take one slow breath in, and let it go. [pause for 10 seconds]
Now bring the same thing back to mind — the one you started with — and give it a number again, zero to ten. First number that comes. [pause for 12 seconds]
Compare it to where you started. It may have dropped a long way, or a little, or not at all. All three are ordinary. A small drop is the usual result of one session, and running the rounds again generally takes it further.
One last thing worth saying plainly: this is a self-soothing practice, not a treatment. If what you're carrying is heavy or persistent, it deserves a person — a therapist, a doctor, someone you trust — and not only a technique.
Thank you for tapping with me.