Maybe it was the pandemic, maybe it was the rise in burnout culture, maybe it was just high time—whatever the case is, therapy is trending. And thank the universe.
Talk therapy is the most common and had previously been stigmatized as exclusively for the, ehem, very f*$%d up. Now that we understand that as being a pillar of the human condition, we see therapy of all kinds in a positive, attractive light. Caring about our mental health, recognizing our behaviors and patterns, healing trauma, and getting to know ourselves better is hot. So when we hear about new forms of therapy that can help us cope with the complexities of our daily lives, we want to know everything about it.
Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT, is an incredibly accessible form of therapeutic touch that somatically connects us to certain meridian points to heal from stress, trauma, and a vast range of emotions surrounding ideas we have that are holding us back. We don’t have to shell out hundreds per session, though, because we possess the power in our own fingertips, literally.
Jessica Ortner, NY Times bestselling author and co-creator of The Tapping Solution app, helped us understand how we can access this power anytime, anywhere using the app. She helped break it down since we wanted to understand just how potent this method is.
In the below video, she not only explains the benefits, but she also guides us through how to use the technique in the world of dating.
“Tapping immediately helps you calm your nervous system and puts you in a more relaxed state. When you stimulate these acupressure points, it sends a calming signal to your brain, allowing you to relax and release the emotional charge around a thought.
We don’t just experience emotions in our mind, we feel them with our whole body. This can manifest as stress headaches, tightness in our chests, or tension in the pit of our stomachs. In these moments, simply thinking positive thoughts often doesn’t help, because our bodies are experiencing full-body stress responses. Tapping immediately calms our bodies and sends a calming signal to our brains. One of the most notable studies by Dr. Dawson Church showed that tapping lowers cortisol (commonly known as the stress hormone) in the body by 42%.”
And it’s not a cumulative practice. We don’t have to do this for months to see results—it’s immediate.
“In just a few minutes, we can experience relief and feel more relaxed. In this day and age, we are constantly being bombarded with stress. It’s crucial that we have a way to calm our nervous systems and come back to center. Having a routine of tapping in the evening, morning, or before we’re about to enter a high-stress environment can make all the difference.”
In this way, tapping isn’t only helpful for deep traumatic experiences. They can be small, such as microtraumas. They can be inter-relational experiences that hold us back from expanding into other connections, like getting ourselves ready to get back out in the dating world, feeling open to receiving love and new experiences, and more.
“With tapping, before you begin, it’s common to measure how you’re feeling. The Subjective Units of Distress (SUDs) level is your way to gauge if the tapping is working for you. Within the Tapping Solution app, you’re invited to track your own progress. After 540,000 plays [from all users, not just one] of our ‘Releasing Anxiety’ tapping meditation, the average self-reported reduction of anxiety was 41% in just 9 minutes. Tapping on these points impacts the brain, and in turn, your own thoughts.”
The content provided in this article is provided for information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice and consultation, including professional medical advice and consultation; it is provided with the understanding that Poosh, LLC (“Poosh”) is not engaged in the provision or rendering of medical advice or services. The opinions and content included in the article are the views of the interviewee only, and Poosh does not endorse or recommend any such content or information, or any product or service mentioned in the article. You understand and agree that Poosh shall not be liable for any claim, loss, or damage arising out of the use of, or reliance upon any content or information in the article.
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