EFT/Tapping: when the body helps the mind release emotions

We live in a time where mental health, stress, anxiety, and emotional burnout are increasingly discussed. And yet, many people remain tied to an old idea: that resolving emotional suffering simply requires ‘thinking differently’ or ‘better understanding the problem.

Clinical practice shows us something different:

emotions do not live only in the mind — they also live in the body.

It is within this context that EFT/Tapping (Emotional Freedom Techniques) emerges.”

What is EFT/Tapping?

EFT is an integrative therapeutic approach that combines:

• principles of contemporary psychology,

• conscious focus on the emotional experience,

• and gentle stimulation of specific points on the body (using light fingertip tapping).

These points have been used for thousands of years in Eastern energy medicine and are associated with the regulation of the nervous system.

In practice, EFT helps the body shift out of states of emotional alarm and gradually return to a state of greater safety, balance, and clarity.

Why does it work?

When we go through an intense emotional experience — chronic stress, anxiety, trauma, fear, or sadness — the body learns this pattern as if it were a real threat. Even after the situation has passed, the nervous system can remain ‘stuck’ in the same reaction.

This is precisely where EFT works: it does not force change, it does not dismiss the emotion, and it does not fight it — it helps the body release it.

By stimulating certain points while the person comes into contact with the emotion, the brain receives a paradoxical message.

“I’m thinking about this, but my body feels safe.”

Over time, this combination reduces emotional intensity, decreases reactivity, and creates space for new responses.

Is EFT only for emotional issues?

No. Although it is best known for its use with anxiety, stress, depression, and trauma, EFT has also been used as a complementary approach in:

• persistent physical pain,

• psychosomatic symptoms,

• sleep difficulties,

• performance blocks,

• repetitive emotional patterns.

Always respecting the clinical and ethical framework, it can be used as a therapeutic tool or as a practice for emotional self‑regulation.

An accessible yet profound approach

One of the great advantages of EFT is its simplicity. It does not require equipment or long exercises—just attention, presence, and a few minutes. However, simplicity does not mean superficiality. When properly guided, EFT can become a powerful tool for self‑awareness and emotional transformation.

João Pestana