There are a few very valid reasons why this tool is one of my favourite, and most effective.
They include:
- It is really easy to learn (we are talking 5-10 mins and for ages 6+).
- It is FREE.
- It goes everywhere with you, all the time.
- There are no props required.
- It is really simple to do.
But most of all…IT WORKS!!!
Imagine a stress management tool like that.
Learning it and using it would have to be a “no-brainer”.
Well, it is for me.
There are a few very valid reasons why this tool is one of my favourite, and most effective.
They include:
- It is really easy to learn (we are talking 5-10 mins and for ages 6+).
- It is FREE.
- It goes everywhere with you, all the time.
- There are no props required.
- It is really simple to do.
But most of all…IT WORKS!!!
Imagine a stress management tool like that.
Learning it and using it would have to be a “no-brainer”.
Well, it is for me.
The best STRESS MANAGEMENT Tool
Okay, enough of the suspense.
The best all-round personal stress management tool I have found in the last 27-years of looking is called “TAPPING“.
The official name is actually Emotional Freedom Technique (and it’s original name was Thought Field Therapy).
But let’s keep it simple – like the technique – and stick with calling it TAPPING.
The origin story is that a psychologist (Dr Callahan) was working for 18-months – using standard psychology techniques – with a client who had a water phobia, to the extent where she could not wash her kids in the bath, or comfortably handle a wet cloth.
We are talking an extreme phobia!
Knowing that the client felt fear in her stomach, and having recently studied meridian points from traditional Chinese medicine, he asked her to tap under her eye – a point associated with the stomach meridian.
The result is now history.
Her phobia vanished, INSTANTLY, and she immediately ran to the psychologists swimming pool and splashed water on her face.
The “Tapping” was not only instantaneous in this situation, but real and lasting!
From there, Dr Callahan went on to develop, what eventually became known (to millions) as “Tapping”.
Pretty awesome hey?
And because we are realists here, we realise with some issues, they will be like this and just take a handful of minutes, or with other things they may take several sessions over time.
Just like in life, and given we are not robots, things are different for different people, at different times.
But imagine having a tool that not only rewrote the program that was leading to a lasting phobia, in a short space of time; but was simple, effective and cost a LOT less than 18-months of paying psychology fees.
That ticks the box for me. 🙂
A very very basic description of how it works is that it disrupts the reactive activation of the stress response (by the amygdala), breaks the neurological / nervous system link between the thought/memory and stress response, and rewrites a new emotionally-altered memory to stop a future automatic reaction.
To go deeper into how it works, check out the book “Rewired” by Nick, Jessica and Alex Ortner or their website www.thetappingsolution.com.
A quote from the book Rewired:
In the early 2000’s, neuroscientist Karim Nader made a discovery which revolutionized our understanding of memory. He found that when you recall a memory, it becomes temporarily unstable – essentially “unlocked” for editing.
What could you use it on?
Let me make a short list to give you a sense of its versatility:
- Overcoming public speaking nerves (I used it effectively before delivering a keynote speech to 300 people).
- General calming your nervous system from anxiety.
- Overcoming anger, rage, frustration after a conversation with person X.
- Working with phobia’s (e.g. fear of flying).
- Switching emotional feeling back on after months and years of “numbness”.
- Psychologically preparing (and grounding) for a tough conversation.
- Working on physical pain in the body.
And, this list is a just a taster!
Essentially, anytime the STRESS RESPONSE is activated (sympathetic nervous system), you can ‘turn it off’ and “rewire” the emotional link to the event, using Tapping.
Now, let’s get into the “How?”
There are 9 points to tap on, and they are illustrated in the image below.
You start with the ‘karate chop’ point and tap on it while you bring your attention to what emotion or event you are working on; while planting the possibility that you will overcome this “issue”.
Then you work though the 8-points (starting above the eye), while you talk about what your experience is, how it affects you, what it might be costing you, and eventually leading to what life might be with a different interpretation of the past event, or imagined future event.
As neuroscientists have discovered, while a memory is open, it can be neurologically rewritten, and done effectively while Tapping.
At The Tapping Solution website they have a 7:21 minute video on How to Tap (done by Jessica Ortner), plus a link to an App, where they have had MILLIONS of users use, and add to the research data, on the effects of Tapping.
A quote from the book Rewired:
Become the programmer of your own nervous system. Your practice is to acknowledge the fear and then use Tapping to rewire the old response. By pairing the old trigger with a new signal of calm (achieved via Tapping), you are actively taking control of the wiring and rewriting the code from “Danger” to “Safe”.
In Summary
There are very few tools that come close to the benefits, ease, and simplicity of Tapping (Emotional Freedom Technique).
Tapping is easy to learn, easy to use, and highly effective in regulating the autonomic nervous system.
The biggest challenge with Tapping is that because it is easy to do, it is also easy to not to do.
Don’t confuse easy, simple and uncomplicated with “it probably won’t work over the long-term” (the recorded results from Tapping are becoming indisputable).
Try it, and make up your own mind.
And finally, it is so easy that young kids can learn it, to help them better manage overwhelming emotions.
My Parting Words
My primary parting words are this:
In 27 years of trying numerous different modalities for Stress management, this is the easiest and most effective (High-ROI).
Also just knowing you have an effective tool with you 24/7, wherever you go, automatically cools the nervous system.
It is like you are always carrying with you, the right tool for the job (i.e. turning off the stress response).
That is extremely EMPOWERING.
So, learn this technique.
Try this technique when you are in the eye of the storm, to experience how it works.
Test it for yourself (don’t just take my word and millions of other people’s word ;-)).
If you are a reader like me, get a copy of Rewired (and read all the testimonials and research to support it).
Check out their website on how to do it (plus listen to their free guided sessions for different situations).
I think that is all I need to say.
I also need to send an email to a client of mine to tell him, instead of telling me about “how stressed he was the other day”, to first Tap, Tap, Tap.
Prepare to be blown away with the results.
Have a super fabulous day and an insightful week of tap, tap, tapping.
Take care.
Carl
Quotable QUOTE:
“Don’t confuse easy, simple and uncomplicated with “it probably won’t work over the long-term” – the broad results from Tapping are becoming indisputable.” Carl Massy
(Author of 18 Ways We Make Life WAY Harder Than It Needs To Be)
PS: Have you read or listened to this book yet? 18 Ways We Make Life WAY Harder Than It Needs To Be