For clearing emotional issues, the technique gets you to rate the intensity of your emotion with a traumatic memory you then pair your memory with a statement of self – acceptance for example “I deeply and completely accept myself”

This pairing utilizes two psychological techniques called exposure (remembering the trauma) and cognitive restructuring, (self-acceptance)

Then, you tap with your fingertips on a series of acupressure points on your face and body. The tapping sends a calming signal to your brain, telling it that you are safe, and helps release stress.

So, while before, the memory might send your body into a conditioned stress response, because by thinking of the memory often and getting upset, we have established what is called a strongly conditioned feedback loop, and now you’re re-conditioning your brain with a positive association.

The signal of safety sent by your fingertips tells your brain’s stress response to disengage. So, the conditioned association of the memory with the stress response is broken, as the nervous system no longer associates the memory with stress.

When the conditioned response has been successfully counter conditioned by EFT you can still remember the stressful event, however the memory no longer triggers a stress response in your body. After the calming experience of EFT has been associated with the memory, the memory is no longer tagged by the body as a cue to go into flight, fright, or freeze, instead it has a neutral emotional tone.

Once you break the conditioned response you can think of the memory without any emotional charge.