Eft Tapping Points

By Thalira Wisdom | Quantum Codex

Last updated: April 2026

What EFT Tapping Is: History and Foundation

Emotional Freedom Techniques, universally known as EFT or tapping, is a psychological intervention that combines elements of cognitive therapy, exposure therapy, and acupressure. It was developed by Gary Craig, a Stanford-trained engineer and certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) practitioner, in the early 1990s.

Craig's starting point was the work of Roger Callahan, a psychologist who developed Thought Field Therapy (TFT) in the 1980s. Callahan had discovered that tapping specific acupoints while a person held a distressing thought in mind could rapidly reduce or eliminate phobias, anxiety, and trauma responses. His system used different tapping sequences (algorithms) for different presenting problems, requiring practitioners to diagnose the appropriate sequence for each issue.

Craig simplified Callahan's system radically. He hypothesised that rather than needing different algorithms for different problems, a single comprehensive sequence could address all presenting issues because the fundamental mechanism, stimulating the meridian system while holding a negative emotional state in mind, did not require disorder-specific targeting. He called his simplified, universalised version Emotional Freedom Techniques and made it freely available through his website, a decision that enabled its rapid global dissemination without the licensing costs that restricted TFT's spread.

The theoretical foundation of EFT is the claim, borrowed from Traditional Chinese Medicine, that the body contains a system of energy pathways called meridians through which vital energy (qi) flows. Disruptions in this energy flow are proposed to underlie negative emotional states, just as they underlie physical illness in the TCM framework. Stimulating specific points on the meridians through tapping is proposed to restore energy flow and thereby resolve the emotional disruption associated with the targeted memory or belief.

Dawson Church, one of EFT's leading scientific researchers and author of The Genie in Your Genes: Epigenetic Medicine and the New Biology of Intention, has pursued the scientific grounding of these claims through controlled research. His work has moved the conversation from theoretical framework to empirical finding, documenting measurable physiological changes including cortisol reduction and gene expression normalisation associated with EFT sessions.

The 9 EFT Tapping Points: Location and Meridian Associations

Precision in locating the tapping points improves the effectiveness of the practice, though Craig consistently emphasised that approximate placement is adequate; the fingertips cover a sufficient area to stimulate the acupoint even with slight inaccuracy. The following descriptions provide both anatomical location and Traditional Chinese Medicine meridian association for each point.

Point 1: Karate Chop (KC) — Small Intestine Meridian
Location: The fleshy outer edge of the hand, between the base of the little finger and the wrist crease. This is the area that would make contact first in a karate chop. Tap with four fingers of the opposite hand.
TCM association: The small intestine meridian. In TCM, this meridian is associated with the assimilation of experience and the sorting of pure from impure, both physically and psychologically. The karate chop point is used exclusively during the setup statement, not in the main sequence.

Point 2: Eyebrow (EB) — Bladder Meridian
Location: At the inner end of the eyebrow, directly above the inner corner of the eye. Use two fingertips.
TCM association: The beginning of the bladder meridian. This is the longest meridian in the body, running from the eye to the little toe. The eyebrow point is associated with releasing trauma, hurt, and sadness.

Point 3: Side of Eye (SE) — Gallbladder Meridian
Location: On the bone at the outer corner of the eye, approximately one centimetre from the eye socket. Avoid the soft tissue of the eye itself. Use two fingertips.
TCM association: The gallbladder meridian endpoint near the head. In TCM, the gallbladder is associated with decision-making and courage. This point is often associated with releasing anger and resentment.

Point 4: Under the Eye (UE) — Stomach Meridian
Location: On the bone directly under the eye, approximately in line with the pupil when looking straight ahead. Use two fingertips.
TCM association: Beginning of the stomach meridian, which descends from under the eye through the body to the second toe. Associated with anxiety, fear of the future, and physical hunger sensations. This point is particularly emphasised when working with anxiety and food-related issues.

Point 5: Under the Nose (UN) — Governing Vessel
Location: In the groove between the base of the nose and the upper lip. Use two fingertips.
TCM association: The governing vessel (Du Mai), one of the eight extraordinary meridians that runs along the midline of the back and face. Associated with embarrassment, shame, and the fear of others' judgments.

Point 6: Chin (Ch) — Central Vessel
Location: In the indentation between the lower lip and the chin, not on the chin itself but in the crease above it. Use two fingertips.
TCM association: The central vessel (Ren Mai), which runs along the front midline of the body. Associated with shame, doubt, and self-criticism.

Point 7: Collarbone (CB) — Kidney Meridian
Location: One inch below and one inch to the side of the U-shaped notch at the top of the sternum (below the Adam's apple). You are aiming for the junction of the sternum, collarbone, and first rib. Use four fingers or the entire hand.
TCM association: The kidney meridian, which in TCM is considered the foundation of all yin and yang energy in the body. The kidney is associated with fear as its primary emotion. This is often cited as the most energetically significant point in the sequence for deep fear and anxiety work.

Point 8: Under the Arm (UA) — Spleen Meridian
Location: On the side of the body, approximately four inches below the armpit, in line with a woman's bra strap. Use four fingers.
TCM association: The spleen meridian. In TCM, the spleen is associated with worry, overthinking, and rumination. This point is particularly useful when the presenting issue involves cyclical anxious thoughts that are difficult to stop.

Point 9: Top of the Head (TH) — Governing Vessel
Location: At the very crown of the head, the highest point. Use all five fingertips of both hands simultaneously or alternating hands.
TCM association: The governing vessel, specifically the point known in acupuncture as Baihui (GV20), meaning "hundred meetings." This is a major convergence point of yang energy in the body and is associated with mental clarity, depression, and spiritual connection.

The Setup Statement: How It Works

The setup statement is the verbal component that precedes the tapping sequence and is spoken while tapping the karate chop point. Its function, in Craig's original framework, is to address "psychological reversal," which he defined as the energetic block that prevents healing despite the person's sincere desire to heal.

Psychological reversal is observed when a person consciously wants to change but subconsciously maintains the pattern, the familiar experience of knowing something is harmful and continuing it anyway, or wanting to feel better but somehow sabotaging the process. Craig's explanation is that the body's energy system is running in reverse relative to the intended healing direction, and the setup statement corrects this reversal before tapping begins.

The standard setup statement format is: "Even though I have [this specific problem], I deeply and completely accept myself."

The specificity of the problem statement is important. "Even though I have this anxiety" is less effective than "Even though I have this tight feeling in my chest when I think about the meeting tomorrow morning." The more specific and physically anchored the problem statement, the more precisely the EFT process can target it.

The self-acceptance phrase at the end was Craig's deliberate choice to distinguish EFT from purely problem-focused interventions. The combination of acknowledging the problem with self-acceptance creates an unusual cognitive state: honesty about difficulty without self-judgment. This pairing is itself therapeutically significant, independent of the tapping component.

The setup statement is spoken three times in total while tapping continuously on the karate chop point. Following the three repetitions, the tapping sequence begins at the eyebrow point and proceeds through all remaining points.

The Basic EFT Recipe: Step-by-Step Protocol

The "basic recipe" is Craig's term for the core EFT protocol. It can be learned in a single session and applied immediately to any presenting issue.

Step 1: Identify the issue. Choose one specific problem to work on. EFT works best on one issue at a time rather than on vague or multiple concerns simultaneously. The issue should be as specific as possible: a particular memory, a specific physical sensation, a concrete fear rather than "anxiety in general."

Step 2: Rate the intensity. On a scale of 0-10, how intense is the distress associated with this issue right now, in this moment? This is the SUDS (Subjective Units of Distress Scale) baseline. Write it down.

Step 3: Craft the setup statement. Using the format above, complete the setup statement: "Even though I have [specific issue], I deeply and completely accept myself."

Step 4: The setup round. Tap the karate chop point continuously while speaking the setup statement aloud three times. Try to mean both parts: genuinely acknowledge the problem and genuinely offer yourself acceptance.

Step 5: The reminder phrase. Shorten the problem description to a brief phrase (three to five words) that you will repeat at each tapping point as a reminder. Example: if the setup was "this chest tightness before meetings," the reminder might be "this chest tightness" or simply "this fear."

Step 6: Tap the sequence. Begin at the eyebrow point and tap 5-7 times at each point, moving through the sequence: eyebrow, side of eye, under eye, under nose, chin, collarbone, under arm, top of head. Speak the reminder phrase at each point, either once per point or continuously. Keep the issue in mind throughout.

Step 7: Re-rate and repeat. After completing the sequence, take a breath and re-rate the intensity on the 0-10 scale. If the number has decreased but is above 2, modify the setup statement to acknowledge the remaining issue: "Even though I still have some of this chest tightness, I deeply and completely accept myself." Complete another round with this adjusted statement.

Step 8: Continue to zero. Repeat rounds with adjusted setup statements until the issue reaches 0 or 1 on the SUDS scale. Some issues resolve in a single round; others require multiple rounds across one or more sessions.

Measuring Progress: The SUDS Scale

The Subjective Units of Distress Scale, or SUDS, is a simple self-rating tool that allows practitioners to track the progress of an EFT session objectively. It was not invented for EFT; it was originally developed by psychologist Joseph Wolpe in the 1960s for use in systematic desensitisation therapy. Craig adopted it for EFT because it provides both practitioner and client with a concrete measure of where they started and how far the work has progressed.

Using the SUDS effectively requires tuning into the actual felt experience of the issue rather than thinking about how distressed you think you should be. Ask yourself: when I bring this issue to mind right now, in this moment, how much does it bother me in my body and emotions? Not how much it bothered you in the past or should bother you theoretically, but the actual present-moment intensity.

A SUDS of 0 means the issue produces no distress at all when brought to mind. A SUDS of 10 is the most intense distress the person can imagine. Most successful EFT sessions aim to bring the SUDS to 2 or below, at which point the issue no longer has significant emotional charge and the associated limiting belief or behaviour pattern typically releases on its own.

Scientific Evidence: What the Research Shows

EFT has accumulated a meaningful evidence base over two decades of research, though the quality and depth of studies varies considerably. The following represents the strongest findings as of 2026.

The most-cited single study is Church et al. (2012), published in the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease. This randomised controlled trial assigned 83 participants to one of three conditions: a single 60-minute EFT session, a supportive interview of equal duration, or a no-treatment control. Participants were assessed for psychological distress symptoms and cortisol levels before and after. The EFT group showed a 24% reduction in cortisol and a 50% reduction in psychological distress symptoms, significantly greater than either control condition. This study provided the first randomised controlled evidence that EFT produces measurable physiological changes beyond those attributable to attention or expectation alone.

A 2019 meta-analysis by Sebastian and Nelms, published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine, reviewed 14 randomised controlled trials of EFT for anxiety and depression. The meta-analysis concluded that EFT produced large effect sizes for both outcomes (Cohen's d = 1.31 for depression, 1.23 for anxiety, both statistically significant), supporting classification of EFT as an evidence-based practice for these conditions. The authors noted methodological limitations including small sample sizes in several studies and called for larger trials.

Feinstein's 2010 review, published in the Journal of Energy Psychology, summarised the proposed neurological mechanism: tapping acupoints while simultaneously activating a distressing memory is proposed to counterconditioning the amygdala's fear response through a process he calls "acupoint stimulation deactivating hyperarousal." This mechanism parallels the proposed mechanism of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing), another bilateral stimulation therapy with a stronger evidence base.

Church's epigenetic research, summarised in The Genie in Your Genes, has documented normalisation of the expression of 72 genes related to stress, immunity, inflammation, and neural function following EFT sessions in clinical populations. This research suggests that EFT's effects may extend to the gene expression level, though the clinical significance of these epigenetic changes requires further investigation.

EFT Applications: Anxiety, Pain, Phobias, and Trauma

Anxiety: EFT's most thoroughly studied application. The combination of physical tapping with cognitive focus on the anxiety trigger is proposed to break the neurological association between the trigger and the fear response. The 2019 meta-analysis found large effect sizes for anxiety reduction; clinical reports consistently describe relief from generalised anxiety, social anxiety, performance anxiety, and test anxiety following EFT.

PTSD and trauma: Church has conducted multiple studies on EFT with military veterans experiencing PTSD, consistently showing significant reductions in PTSD symptom scores after 6-10 EFT sessions. One landmark study (Church et al., 2013) found that 86% of veterans no longer met the clinical criteria for PTSD after six EFT sessions, compared to 50% in a treatment-as-usual control group.

Physical pain: EFT has demonstrated evidence for pain reduction in fibromyalgia, chronic pain, and headaches. The proposed mechanism is reduction of the stress response component that amplifies and perpetuates pain signals. Several studies have shown significant pain score reductions after 4-8 sessions. EFT is recommended as a complementary approach alongside, not instead of, conventional medical pain management.

Phobias: Simple phobias, including spider phobia, height phobia, and small animal phobias, respond particularly well to EFT, often showing complete resolution within a single session. This represents some of the most dramatic results in EFT's clinical history and was among the first applications Craig documented.

Food cravings and weight: EFT has shown evidence for reducing food cravings through targeting the specific emotional triggers that drive comfort eating. Peta Stapleton's research at Bond University in Australia has produced the strongest controlled evidence in this area, with her randomised trial showing significant reductions in chocolate cravings following EFT compared to waitlist controls.

Advanced Techniques: Matrix Reimprinting and Tearless Trauma

Several advanced EFT techniques have been developed to address situations where the standard protocol is insufficient or where emotional intensity is too high to address directly.

Matrix Reimprinting was developed by Karl Dawson and combines EFT with the understanding that early memories create "energy consciousness holograms" (ECHOs) that continue to influence present-day emotional responses. In Matrix Reimprinting, the practitioner helps the client tap on a younger version of themselves within the memory rather than simply tapping on their current adult response. This approach is particularly useful for childhood trauma where the adult has difficulty emotionally connecting to the memory.

Tearless Trauma Technique was developed by Craig for situations where direct confrontation of a traumatic memory would be overwhelming. The client is asked to guess what their SUDS level would be if they were to think about the event, rather than actually thinking about it. Tapping proceeds on this guessed level, gradually reducing the emotional charge until direct engagement with the memory is possible without flooding.

Tell the Story Technique involves narrating the traumatic event as a story, stopping to tap whenever the narrative reaches a point that increases emotional intensity. This gradual approach respects the nervous system's need to process trauma in manageable pieces rather than in a single overwhelming exposure.

EFT for Children and Adolescents

EFT adapts well to younger populations. Children often respond more rapidly than adults, possibly because they have less cognitive resistance, fewer years of emotional suppression to work through, and more immediate access to their felt experience. The following modifications make EFT more accessible for children:

Language simplification: Replace "even though I have this feeling" with "even though I feel scared about the dog" (or whatever the specific issue is). Name the emotion directly and concretely.

Making it playful: Introduce tapping as a "special magic tapping" or "superhero points." Younger children respond to metaphor and story; an anxious child might tap on "the monster feeling in my tummy" rather than "this anxiety."

Parent co-tapping: Young children often benefit from a parent tapping alongside them. The shared physical activity reduces resistance and models the process. Parents can also tap on themselves to process their own anxiety about their child's distress, which often reduces the child's anxiety through the calming effect of the parent's regulated nervous system.

Shorter sequences: Children under 8 may do well with just four or five of the nine points rather than the full sequence. Effectiveness can be maintained with a simplified version that does not exceed the child's attention span.

EFT Compared to Other Energy Psychology Approaches

EFT exists within a broader field called Energy Psychology, which includes several related techniques. Understanding how EFT compares to these alternatives helps practitioners make informed choices about which approach best matches their needs and preferences.

Thought Field Therapy (TFT): The direct predecessor to EFT, developed by Roger Callahan. TFT uses disorder-specific tapping algorithms that must be diagnosed by a trained practitioner. It includes additional elements including the nine gamut procedure (which EFT has largely abandoned in standard practice) and eye movements. Proponents argue that the diagnosis-specific algorithms are more precise; Craig argued that the universal sequence is equally effective and far more accessible. Both positions have advocates among energy psychology researchers.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing): Developed by Francine Shapiro, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (usually eye movements, sometimes tapping or sound) while the client holds a disturbing image in mind. EMDR has a considerably larger and more methodologically rigorous evidence base than EFT, with multiple large RCTs and recognition by the World Health Organisation as an effective treatment for PTSD. The proposed mechanism, bilateral brain stimulation interrupting the reconsolidation of traumatic memories, parallels EFT's proposed mechanism closely despite very different procedural structures.

Acupressure: Traditional acupressure applies pressure to meridian points for physical and emotional healing without the verbal cognitive component that defines EFT. EFT's innovation was combining physical meridian stimulation with cognitive-emotional processing, creating a simultaneous top-down and bottom-up therapeutic intervention that neither pure acupressure nor pure cognitive therapy provides alone.

Somatic Experiencing: Developed by Peter Levine, Somatic Experiencing focuses on tracking physical sensations associated with trauma rather than using specific acupoints. Both EFT and Somatic Experiencing work with the body's held stress responses and aim to complete interrupted defensive responses. The two approaches are increasingly combined by practitioners working with complex trauma.

The emerging consensus in energy psychology research is that multiple approaches access similar underlying mechanisms, particularly the deactivation of stress-response hyperarousal through paired physical stimulation and therapeutic memory processing. The specific technique matters less than the quality of the therapeutic relationship, the precision of issue targeting, and the consistency of practice over time.