Are EFT and Tapping the Same Thing?

While all EFT is tapping, not all tapping is EFT. Considering how many wellness influencers are trying to get us to practice ‘tapping’ for our wellbeing and considering how unsung EFT still is, it’s easy to assume that EFT and tapping are the same thing but there are subtle differences. Read on for what they are and why it matters.

What is ‘Tapping?’

Tapping is a method of stimulating acupoints along the body. It’s rooted in Eastern medicine which works with the body’s meridian system, a.k.a. its energy (or qi) pathways. In the same way that Chinese acupuncture relies on needles to stimulate acupoints and Japanese Shiatsu uses massage, tapping is just another way to activate the same acupoints. Tapping is a brilliant self-care tool and can reduce stress and anxiety in the moment because of how it deactivates the primitive fear response in the amygdala which is the survival center of the brain. We can use tapping for emotional eating and cravings, pre-performance nerves, taking the edge off over-stimulating emotions, and it also helps to regulate our nervous systems in times of distress because tapping raises serotonin and reduces cortisol levels.

I implore clients to tap on themselves in between our sessions but to keep the statements basic, for example, “I’m feeling butterflies in my stomach,” or “I’m angry that my boss criticized me.” If an intense emotion or memory comes to mind while self-tapping, it’s essential to stop, write down what came up, and bring it to our next session for us to work through together. Self-tapping, social-media tap-alongs, and group tapping should never be done on anything more intense than minor issues.

You may see some people on social media suggesting that tapping is great for things like manifestation, changing limiting beliefs, and reprogramming the subconscious mind for abundance. I’m not here to knock that, but there are differing views on the validity of these claims. I think it comes down to personal experience in this case.

Ultimately, tapping is helpful but it’s not a therapy, nor should anyone claim that tapping alone will cure or treat anything, especially trauma.

What is EFT?

EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Techniques and it’s a therapeutic modality that incorporates the principles of traditional Chinese medicine (i.e. working with energy) with the principles of Western psychotherapy. The way the two are combined is by tapping on specific acupoints while talking or thinking about a particular issue, memory, or belief, which is why it’s often referred to as EFT ‘tapping.’ In order to claim that one practices EFT, they should be certified or accredited by a reputable body like EFT International or Dr Peta Stapleton’s Evidence Based EFT, for example.

EFT is more than just tapping, but it’s delivered through tapping. We usually use EFT for specific issues because the technique puts more acute focus on feelings and details than tapping does, including physical sensations; memories; emotions; compulsions; phobias; and so forth. EFT founder Gary Craig describes the process clearly:

“The triggering image is brought to mind while physically stimulating a series of acupoints that send impulses directly to the amygdala which inhibits the alarm response.”

EFT is deployed in a therapeutic context rather than for self-help. It’s considered both a somatic therapy and a form of Energy Psychology and involves protocols, strategies, ethical considerations, mentoring and professional development, and scientific research. Many traditional psychotherapists have even started integrating EFT into their practices due to its efficacy, especially in the treatment of trauma. Fundamentally, the stakes are higher in EFT than in tapping so to claim one practices it, one should not only be insured to do so but also certified and held to the highest professional standards.

Why Does it Matter?

Caveat emptor, that’s why it matters. We should have clarity about what we’re consuming and its provenance - the provenance in this case being the qualifications, training, and experience of the practitioners we work with. Are we taking our most painful and confusing experiences to someone who learned to tap via YouTube or on a yoga retreat? Hopefully not. Hopefully we’ve done our due diligence and researched practitioners who have invested in learning how the nervous system is impacted by trauma and who are trained in how to respond when a client dissociates or becomes overwhelmed by emotion. Practitioners who have studied their areas of expertise in depth and who can spot the difference between a presenting issue (the ‘symptom’ clients usually enter therapy to resolve) and the core issue that lay underneath.

We are rarely more vulnerable than we are in the therapy space and so we owe it to ourselves to understand not only what we’re investing in but also the associated risks and benefits. EFT ‘tapping’ for healing is effective, relatively quick, and gentle but it’s also powerful and needs to be wielded responsibly.

Do I Have to Choose One or the Other?

Absolutely not! I cannot oversell the benefits of EFT ‘tapping' as an alternative to traditional talk therapy or incorporating tapping into your daily routine! It’s an incredible tool for self-regulation and for overall calm and wellness, even for oft-dysregulated children and teenagers. Personally, I tap while I’m in the shower every day, silently without an agenda just for nervous system regulation. If I have a particular issue I want to address, I’ll set a timer for 15 minutes and do proper EFT on myself (which I would NOT do had I not been trained to do so). If something intense comes up or if I notice that my self-work isn’t showing the results I would expect to see in a client, I know I need to work with another professional so I stop and take the issue to the EFT therapist I work with (check out the Healing Network on my site to see the various practitioners I’ve worked with). As I said before, I often encourage my clients to self-tap in between EFT sessions to continue de-sensitizing their amygdala to sensory triggers.

EFT isn’t the only therapeutic technique that utilizes tapping or a similar methodology, by the way. There are many alternatives to traditional talk therapies which are arguably more effective at creating permanent change. If the idea of energy resonates with you, check out the umbrella of Energy Psychology and the various techniques that it’s comprised of including EFT, Psych-K, and Thought Field Therapy (TFT), which also incorporates tapping. If somatic therapy resonates, in addition to EFT you can look into Bodynamic or Somatic Experiencing (which I’ve been doing for years in addition to EFT for my own trauma recovery). EMDR and EFT are often compared as similar techniques due to the principle of bilateral stimulation that plays a role in both and for their demonstrable effects in treating PTSD and symptoms of traumatic stress.

Next Steps

If you’re curious to learn more about whether EFT can help you, feel free to book a free 20-minute Discovery Session during which we can discuss your goals and my approach!