What Is Tapping (EFT)?

NOTE: This is not medical advice and is not a substitute for therapy. Check with your mental health provider for what is right for you.

Tapping, or Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), combines light finger tapping on specific acupuncture-based “meridian points” with mindful focus and self-phrasing. You tap while voicing a setup statement like, “Even though I feel anxious, I accept myself.” The gentle stimulation paired with emotional awareness aims to ease stress and emotional tension.

Typically, you tap 5–10 points: top of the head, eyebrows, side of the eyes, under the eyes, under the nose, chin, collarbones, under the arms, and wrists.

Why It Helps: The Science Behind Tapping

1. Reduces Stress Hormones

• A study measuring saliva cortisol (a stress hormone) showed tapping cut cortisol by 24–43% in under an hour.

• Another trial found tapping lowered cortisol by 43%, alongside marked decreases in anxiety, depression, and pain.

2. Improves Psychological & Physical Symptoms

• A trial with 200+ participants showed tapping reduced anxiety (40%), depression (35%), PTSD symptoms (32%), pain (57%), and cravings (74%), while boosting happiness by 31%.

• Other studies have shown benefits for chronic pain, insomnia, food cravings, and PTSD.

3. Enhances Emotional Regulation & Focus

• Tapping integrates aspects of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy with somatic awareness, helping to calm emotional reactivity.

• One study found students using tapping improved academic performance and communication skills.

4. Backed by Meta-Analyses & Systematic Reviews

• Systematic reviews report large effect sizes for tapping in reducing anxiety, depression, PTSD, and cravings, across 70+ randomized trials.

• A meta-analysis showed tapping is effective beyond placebo responses.

Key Benefits at a Glance

Stress & anxiety relief= 25–43% cortisol reduction

30–60% anxiety/depression drop

Pain & insomnia improvement= Clinical trials show symptom reduction

Enhanced focus/performanceBoost in academic and athletic performance

Works fast & anywhere

Often effective in 1 hour or 4–10 sessions

How It Works

1. Tune In – Focus on what you’re feeling (“I feel stressed about sending that email.”)

2. Rate It – On a 0–10 scale, rate how intense it feels.

3. Setup Statement – Tap your chest or karate chop point and say, “Even though I feel this stress, I deeply and completely accept myself.”

4. Tap Through Points – Gently tap ~5–7 times on each point while repeating a brief reminder phrase (“This stress…”).

5. Check-In – Re-rate the intensity. Repeat the cycle until it drops, ideally to 0–2.

Tapping offers a powerful, body-centered tool for managing stress, anxiety, pain, and even performance challenges. With measurable reductions in cortisol, mood symptoms, and cravings—and a simple structure you can learn quickly—it’s a practical addition to your mental wellness toolkit. Whether you’re an ADHD adult therapist or client, tapping could bring a fast, grounding break in overwhelm.

The receipts!

Church, D., Yount, G., & Brooks, A. J. (2012).
The effect of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) on stress biochemistry: A randomized controlled trial.
Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 200(10), 891–896.
https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0b013e31826b9fc1

Feinstein, D. (2012).
Acupoint stimulation in treating psychological disorders: Evidence of efficacy.
Review of General Psychology, 16(4), 364–380.
https://doi.org/10.1037/a0028602

Clond, M. (2016).
Emotional Freedom Techniques for anxiety: A systematic review with meta-analysis.
Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 204(5), 388–395.
https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000000483

Stapleton, P., Buchan, C., Mitchell, I., & McGrath, D. (2020).
Effectiveness of Emotional Freedom Techniques in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis.
Explore, 16(6), 357–364.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2020.04.003

Boath, E., Stewart, A., & Carryer, A. (2013).
Tapping for PEAS (performance, emotional well-being, anxiety, and self-esteem) in students: An exploratory pilot study.
The International Journal of Healing and Caring, 13(2).
Link to full text

Andrade, J., & Feinstein, D. (2004).
Energy psychology: Theory, indications, evidence.
Energy Psychology Interactive.
[Available at energypsych.org]

Dawson Church (2013).
Clinical EFT as an evidence-based practice for the treatment of psychological and physiological conditions.
Psychology, 4(8), 645–654.
https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2013.48092