Eft

[Holly]

Hi all,

I was wondering if any of you had any wisdom to impart on the process that is Emotional Freedom Technique? I recently went on an EFT training day funded by work, on the pretence that it might be useful in dealing with everday stresses encountered in the workplace (if only they knew!!!). It was an interesting day and the practitioner taught us the basic technique and principles behind it. Since then (a few weeks ago), I've been trying to use EFT every day to combat the anxiety - inducing "blocks" I get towards individuals at any one time. I know it's early days, and I don't want to dismiss it, but naturally, my sceptical brain is having doubts about it all.

I've tried counsellors, CBT, medication..I've never given up on trying to combat my problems, but though I've superficially moved forward (I've got a nice flat, car, job etc), the root problem IS ALWAYS THERE and I get so scared it won't shift. I believe I'm right in being open to new things, but I also know I'm sort of "holding out" for something that's finally going to make a difference as, if I can't, I really don't see my life moving forward in any significant way.

Anyway, had to have a little rant there, as am feeling shitter than ever today. Back to the subject, any thoughts / experiences on EFT?

Cheers,

Holly

[Worldwayne]

Originally Posted by Holly

Hi all,

I was wondering if any of you had any wisdom to impart on the process that is Emotional Freedom Technique? I recently went on an EFT training day funded by work, on the pretence that it might be useful in dealing with everday stresses encountered in the workplace (if only they knew!!!). It was an interesting day and the practitioner taught us the basic technique and principles behind it. Since then (a few weeks ago), I've been trying to use EFT every day to combat the anxiety - inducing "blocks" I get towards individuals at any one time. I know it's early days, and I don't want to dismiss it, but naturally, my sceptical brain is having doubts about it all.

I've tried counsellors, CBT, medication..I've never given up on trying to combat my problems, but though I've superficially moved forward (I've got a nice flat, car, job etc), the root problem IS ALWAYS THERE and I get so scared it won't shift. I believe I'm right in being open to new things, but I also know I'm sort of "holding out" for something that's finally going to make a difference as, if I can't, I really don't see my life moving forward in any significant way.

Anyway, had to have a little rant there, as am feeling shitter than ever today. Back to the subject, any thoughts / experiences on EFT?

Cheers,

Holly

A Holly!! I suffered from S/A for ten years and EFT finally sorted it out. Do you know your root problem matey? If so tap on that, and what ever comes up. "you mind will tell you dude". I think with S/A we have alot of Anger in us because we can't do what we really wanna do... so maybe tap on Anger and see what happens?

I would also look into Meditation and other sorts of Holistic Healing cos unblocking those negative energies really does do the trick.

Good luck.

[Gloomcookie]

I've had good results with EFT, but as worldwayne suggested, it's important to work on the root causes of your problems rather than trying to tackle the whole problem itself (I hope that made sense!).

I'd tried it for my fear of speaking in front of others, feeling awkward around others etc without much success, but when I tried it for "extreme self-consciousness" (which I reckon is the root cause of my discomfort around people) then it was a huge help.

[Holly]

Thank you Gloom and World,

This is promising stuff and makes me more motivated to persevere with it! It's hard to identify a root problem - I think the general SA type stuff has been around for as long as I can remember, but was triggered more by being at school and around a lot of confident and often cruel people who weren't really like me. But the more recent manifestation of my SA started when I graduated and started working in an office. For a while, everything was going great and my confidence seemed to be really growing. Then one day, I found out that some bloke in accounts thought I was attractive (I mean, big deal!!) - and from then on, I created this whole thing around dreading him coming into the office as I would burn up whenever he was there. It was less that I cared about him (he was attractive, but so what, he was even having an affair with another girl in the office!!), it was more that it scared me so much the impact my thought processes could have on my ability to get on in a given situation. I was so consumed with fear of seeing this person that the whole day would be a nightmare.

I'm now similar with other individuals, though now, it's more people I actually do get on with and who are worth bothering about. Maybe it's a deep rooted belief that I'll never be happy or make progress? Because it's certainly self sabotaging. Maybe I'll tap on that and see what happens. It's so hard to find a root cause!

Cheers for your input both of you. x

[CeeJay]

If anybody is interested there is a free pdf guide you can get from this site

http://www.innerdepths.co.uk/eft.htm

I'm feeling a little sceptical. I'm not sure I understand how tapping on various parts of my body will eleviate 32 years of fear and anxiety. But i may give it ago if nothing else works...

[wobbly]

Holly, I don't profess to know anything about SA or EFT except to say that you appear to me to have self esteem problems. I think you need to tap on the fact that you do love and completely accept yourself. Your problems seems to be not so much what other say and think about you, but rather what you think about yourself ('you are what you think'?). When you can sort that out, what others think won't matter as much.

As worldwayne suggested, try meditation to attempt to exert some kind of control over your thought processes and all those negative thoughts you keep having about yourself. Just start with a few mins a day in a quiet place counting your in and out breaths and I'm sure you'll feel invigorated afterwards. You could also build in some positive affirmations about yourself and have a look here for a booklet on them - http://www.susanjeffers.com/home/index.cfm.

Good luck

[Holly]

Hi Wobbly,

Yeah, I think self esteem has a lot to do with it..I think somewhere deep down I don't think I really deserve to be happy and move on with life. And I'm forever comparing myself to others - seeing the good in them and feeling I don't measure up in comparison. This is even when I've got loads of evidence to confirm that others do think highly of me.

I tried meditation before some years back and persevered for a year doing it every day. Hard to say if it helped long term really - but at that stage in my life, things were a lot better and my thought processes weren't as messed up anyway. I've tried meditating recently and found it so hard!!! I think I need to do one or other really - EFT or meditation - and commit myself to that, as I'm not the most self disciplined person and if I intend to do too much, I'll end up doing nothing. Yesterday and today, I've started doing EFT with a focus on being "good enough" to be happy and being "as good as everyone else"...don't know if this'll get results, but I'm willing to try.

It's so hard to know what the issue really is!! My friend said something a few years back which also struck a chord with me - that it's not failure we're really afraid of, but success. If we were able to really move forward with life without all the obstacles and self limiting beliefs we put in place, how much would be achieve? In a way, that's pretty scarey as there'd be no comfort zone, we'd really be branching out and into the unknown. So is my brain subconsciously sabotaging things to protect itself from success and thus the unknown??? It's so hard to say!!

Anyway, as I know I do have self esteem issues, this is a good place to start. God, I've gone on!! Thanks again for the input.

Holly. xx

[wobbly]

As to the success thing, here again we are fooled by our SA. The thought of achievements are scary cos you are thinking about what you would be like in the future through your SA fears now (if you follow my meaning). In reality, as you know, it's not an overnight cure but more progressive. So as your confidence and self esteem progresses, so your SA recedes at an equal pace. So, hopefully by the time you are achieving the things you would find scary now, in reality you will be prepared for them when they happen.

I hope that makes some kind of sense to you.

Take care
X

[Punxsutawney Phil]

Erm, someone said that EFT has sorted out their SA????? Please talk further!

Why on earth are their so many suffering with SA if EFT works? I am dubious as I can't see how it can alter beliefs