Increasing your effectiveness with EFT, part 151.
Many of my clients have recently asked me a thoughtful question:
“Why does it seem like the tapping works better when I do it with you on certain subjects than when I try to do it alone?”
This is such a great question, and if you’ve ever felt this way, you’re not alone. While EFT Tapping is absolutely a tool you can use on your own, there are some reasons why working with a practitioner might feel more effective for certain issues. Let’s explore a few possibilities:
1. The “Dentist” Analogy
Even the best dentist can only do so much when working on their own teeth. They might manage basic care on their own, but for something more complex—like pulling a tooth or addressing a cavity—they’ll need another dentist to step in.
The same idea applies to EFT. For day-to-day stressors, you might find that self-tapping is all you need. But when it comes to deeper or more complex emotional issues, having an outside perspective can make all the difference. As the saying goes, “It’s hard to read the label when you’re inside the jar.” A practitioner can help you see things you might not notice on your own, guiding you through the more challenging layers of an issue.
2. The Power of a Non-Judgmental Space and Co-Regulation
When you’re tapping with a practitioner, you’re in a space that’s intentionally designed to feel safe and non-judgmental. This makes it easier to sit with difficult emotions without feeling overwhelmed or tempted to avoid them.
There’s also something called co-regulation, which is the way our nervous systems respond to each other. When you’re working with a calm and grounded practitioner, their regulated state can send signals of safety to your nervous system. This helps you shift out of survival mode (fight, flight, or freeze) more effectively than you might on your own.
3. Uncovering More Layers of the Onion
Tapping on your own is incredibly powerful, but it’s natural to reach a limit in how far you can go. A practitioner’s role is to guide you through multiple rounds of tapping, helping to identify and explore the deeper layers of an issue that might not be immediately obvious.
For example, let’s say you start with the fear of public speaking. As you tap with a practitioner, you might uncover underlying layers of self-doubt, past memories of criticism or where being on the spotlight ended in ridicule, or fears of judgment. These deeper layers might take longer to reach or feel more difficult to navigate on your own, especially if you’re short on time or emotional bandwidth.
A Balance of Self-Work and Guided Support
One of the amazing things about EFT is that it’s a tool you can use both independently and with support. Self-tapping is fantastic for managing day-to-day stress and emotions, while tapping with a practitioner can provide added clarity and breakthroughs for more challenging or complex issues.
So, if you’ve ever felt like tapping works better with a practitioner for certain things, know that it’s not a sign you’re doing anything wrong. In fact, it’s completely normal and speaks to the power of receiving support when you need it.
You’re doing fantastic work, whether you’re tapping on your own or with a practitioner. I’d like to encourage you to keep going—the impact of making it a sustainable long-term habit is truly powerful, as even small, consistent efforts can lead to profound changes over time.
Changing the Course of the Ship
And using the ship in the ocean analogy, every time you’re able to release some of the trapped survival energy from the past that many of us carry in our bodies—energy that gets retriggered by our present-day circumstances—you are helping change the course of the ship, even if only by a few degrees. Whether you are tapping by yourself or with a practitioner, these small shifts can make a big difference in the long run, helping the ship reach a better destination, one with more inner peace.
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I’m Bruno Sade, a clinical psychologist and Certified Advanced EFT Practitioner. Helping you manage emotional reactions and release triggers in a way that feels safe and tailored to your unique needs.
What do you think? Have you noticed a difference between self-tapping and tapping with a practitioner? I’d love to hear about your experiences! And if you’d like support in exploring and processing your feelings, feel free to reach out.
If you’d like to experience a free EFT Tapping session in exchange for a brief market research interview, click here.