FAQs about EFT

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QUESTIONS
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Why do I have to say negative statements?
Do I tap on one side or both?
Which is better, the Karate Chop or the Sore Spot on the chest as the set-up?
Why do people use different tapping points?
How do you deal with relationship challenges using EFT?
Can EFT be used on children, the infirm, or pets?
How long do I have to tap to get results?
Why is it important to know my SUDs level, and what does SUDs stand for?
What if I can’t figure out my intensity level?
How do I deal with an intangible issue or get a SUDs rating on it? 
Does EFT work for…?
What’s the best way to learn about EFT?
What’s the difference between Simple and Complex issues?
Where can I find a workshop?
I have tried EFT, but it isn’t working for ME. What do I do next?
What words or phrases do I use?
How many sessions will it take to deal with my issue?
Why do I sometimes get sad, depressed or agitated after a session?
How can I learn enough about EFT to become a practitioner?

Q. Why do I have to say negative statements?

A. This is, indeed, a frequently asked question and a valid one. By stating the problem (usually something negative) it brings to the surface feelings and emotions about an event or issue, alerting the body and our sensitive energy system where the blockage might be (remember, the cause of all negative emotions is a blockage in the body’s energy system). By saying the negative but true statement while stimulating the meridians, you are sending tiny vibrations or shock waves throughout your energy pathways. By doing so, you are gently nudging away the blockage or disruption that causes the negative emotion. 

If you stated a positive affirmation instead, such as, “Even though I was just robbed and beaten, that’s OK, I feel safe and secure now” you’re system would surely rebel. There would be a giant “tail ender” saying “What?! Are you kidding me? I don’t feel secure or safe at all!”  Your subconscious (or even conscious) would have the same reaction if you left off the negative occurrence as well and made only a positive statement.

Believe me, many have tried this approach to no avail.  It is true that when we tell ourselves “It’s OK, I’ll be alright” we can sometimes calm ourselves down. But calming ourselves is not the purpose of EFT. Using EFT can completely eliminate the negative emotion, pain or issue. 

That said, however, once the intensity is at a lower SUDs level (3 or less) you can then switch to a more positive choice statement. Read more about the Choice Method on the Free Stuff page. 

Q. Do I tap on one side or both?

A. You may have already noticed that many practitioners do tapping differently. Since I am an acupuncturist and know about the meridian system, I tap on both sides. My belief is, that you have a better chance of getting to the blockage and dislodging it quicker by bi-lateral tapping. If you use one hose to wash your car, you’ll still get it clean. But if a friend joins you with another hose on the other side, you’ll get the car cleaner faster (and probably have more fun). That said, probably half of the practitioners out there just use one side and get good results. I’ve tried it both ways, and for me, double-sided tapping gets better results. I suggest you do whatever works best for you.

Q. Which is better to use for the set-up statement, the Karate Chop point on the side of the hand, or the Sore Spot on the chest?

A. These points are virtually the same when it comes to effective set-up statements. However, I use the Karate Chop point.   The Sore Spot is hard to find and is not an acupuncture point.

Q. Why do people use different tapping points?

A. The body has 14 meridians throughout the body. These energy pathways come to the surface in several places throughout the body; the face, head, upper torso, spine, ankles, wrists, etc. When Gary Craig developed EFT, one of his objectives was to make it simple. You can keep EFT effective and simple by just doing the basic “shortcut” points outline in Gary’s 79 page manual; EB, OE, UE, UN, CH, CB, UA. However, by adding a few more points, the inside of the wrists, liver spot (over the liver on the right side), and the crown of the head, you are the other five meridians, therefore increasing your effectiveness rate by over 50%.

There are really no right or wrong points. We tend to do what works best for us. And for me using the 10 points mentioned above brings extraordinary results.

Q. How do you deal with relationship challenges using EFT? 

A. Relationship challenges are just symptoms of a bigger, underlying cause. There's ALWAYS something underneath the problems, jealousy, anger, frustration, hate, guilt, etc. Often the husband reminds the wife of her controlling father, or the wife reminds the husband of his dominant, non-affectionate mother (or whatever.)

Many times someone brings their hurt from past relationships into the new one, punishing the “innocent” new partner for sins from the old partner. That is usually the cause for their friction, not the current relationship.

First, I work with each person individually, neutralizing any traumas or “emotional” charges from the past.  I deal with the cause for the strife that results in anger, resentment, frustration, etc. Most people see significant positive change after the first session. Once each person is "clean", I then bring them together for some couples counseling.  While each person and each couple has their individual issues or problems, the formula is pretty much the same; deal with the cause and the symptom easily dissipates.  The number of total session depends on many factors including the severity of the issues and the willingness of the participants to do the homework between sessions.

Q. Can EFT be used on children, the infirm, or pets?

A. Yes, EFT can be used on virtually anyone (including pets) with good results. For babies, pets, the elderly and those unable to tap themselves, you can use surrogate tapping, which is tapping on yourself, for them.

When people first find out about Animal EFT, they immediately think that it is about tapping ON animals and ask where they should tap their animals.  It works the same as with surrogate tapping on people.  Therefore the below protocol applies whether it’s a child an infirmed person or someone in another country.

Of course animals do have a meridian system, but many of the points are in places where animals truly do not like to be touched, never mind tapped. The wonderful thing about Animal EFT is that you DON'T tap on the animal directly, but you tap on yourself to make the changes happen.

This is called Surrogate tapping and has lots of advantages:

•You can do it at any time and even anywhere - you do not have to be in the same room with the animal or person.
•You can do it much more often than an animal would generally permit.
•You can help wild animals, animals that don't belong to you, and animals that you can't really touch much, such as birds and fish.
•Once you have learned the simple technique, you can use it on any problem, on any animal and you don't have to know anything at all about their various meridian systems or points.

So how does Surrogate EFT work? 

When you focus your attention on an animal, you connect your energy system with theirs.

When you keep the focus of your attention on a specific aspect of that energy system (a problem, disease, behavior, state of mind and so on) and you change YOUR system by tapping on the points, YOU ARE ALSO CHANGING THEIRS through the connection.

This was originally discovered when a lady, distraught because she was sitting by the side of her premature baby's incubator and unable to touch him, treated herself for the baby's problems and the baby responded by breathing more easily and slower, and finding from somewhere the will to live and to fight on more strongly than before.

Since then, thousands of people all over the world have been absolutely astonished to find that by tapping on themselves whilst holding another living being's problems in their mind, they can make changes without touching them or even being in the same room.

I don't expect you to believe this right away. I didn't believe it either when I first heard about it. But I tell you, when you neighbor’s dog 100 yards away stops barking after an hour just because you have tapped a round of EFT on yourself, a shiver goes down your spine and you KNOW you made that happen as if by magic, it is a real convincer experience.
So next, here is the Animal EFT protocol for you to try out on any animal you choose.

The Surrogate EFT Protocol 

1. Focus Your Intention 
Think about the animal and what specifically you would like to release, relax, soothe or change. 

2. Make A Statement Of Intent 
Find a phrase or a sentence that describes the problem succinctly and clearly to you. 
You can say, "Sidney has this terrible allergy." or "Sam never stops barking." or "This brown horse is distressed." if you don't know the animals' name. This is the main part of directing your attention to the problem.

3. The Setup statement 
We surround the statement of intent with the words, "Even though (Sam) (is hyperactive), I deeply and profoundly love and accept (Sam)." It helps bring you closer to the animal for deeper changes and handles permission issues as well as having positive benefits for YOUR system.

4. The Full Opening Set-Up 
Place your flat hand on your chest, either left or right, just above your heart. Wait until you can feel the warmth of your hand through your clothes, rub the hand round in a small circle and say the opening statement which is the statement of intent inside the blessing:

"Even though (insert name or description)(insert statement of problem), I deeply and profoundly love and accept (name or description)."

Repeat this opening statement three times in all, continuously rubbing the chest area just below the collarbone known as the Sore Spot. 
  
5. Tapping All The Points 

We now use a shortened version of the opening statement which is called the Reminder phrase and tap lightly with three fingers, about seven times, on the following spots (both sides is best) while saying the reminder statement of “this------(whatever the issue is): 

Start Of The Eyebrow - Where the bone behind your eyebrow turns into the
bridge of your nose. 

Corner Of The Eye - On the bone in the corner of your eye. 

Under The Eye - On the bone just below your eye, in line with your pupil if you look straight ahead. 

Under The Nose - Between you nose and your upper lip

Under The Mouth - In the indentation between your chin and your lower lip 

Collarbone - In the angle formed by your collarbone and the breastbone 

Under Arm - in line with a man's nipples on the side of the body

Liver Point- under the nipple below the wire of a woman’s bra, or 4 fingers down from the nipple on a man.

Wrist points-There are 3 acupuncture points on the wrist crease under the palm of your hand.

Tap all three of these points by rotating your wrists back and forth, like a fan. 

Karate Chop Point - on the outside of your hand, roughly in line with your life line, 1/2'” from the base of the pinky.

When you're all the way through, take a deep breath in and out. You can repeat the treatment with a different statement - often something comes to your mind as you do this. Different statements create different changes, so experiment with many different forms of wording and ways of saying something until you feel comfortable.
Repeat this process until the issue dissipates.  Surrogate tapping for complex issues should be administered by an experienced practitioner.

Q. How long do I have to tap to get results?

A. The short answer is: Until you get the result you want.  I want to expand on that a bit though. Normally you can resolve an issue in 3-4 rounds, which only takes a few minutes. Simple issues are particularly quick and easy to deal with. Sometimes, however, it may take 5-6 rounds, or even 10-12 to resolve a difficult issue. You may need to go through several “doors”, look at many different aspects, and dig for the core issue, to get the optimal end result of complete resolution. That takes time. But hey, that could be an hour, or maybe two at the most to completely resolve a painful, lifelong issue.

Traditional therapy could take months or years to resolve the same problem.  We often get spoiled with “one-minute-miracles” getting impatient when something is taking too long. But, we must keep it in perspective and realize that even the most difficult or complex cases can be resolved to completion in a fraction of the time any other therapy might hope to offer.  Patience and Persistence is the key to successfully resolving challenges issues. Time should not be a factor.

I want to point out that it’s also important to make sure an issue is completely resolved before leaving it. Some people say, “Gee, I feel better now” and stop at that. Later when they feel a negative charge again about the same issue, they will think that EFT didn’t work. I hate it when that happens! If you truly get all of the aspects resolved and get an issue to a zero on the SUDs scale, then it’s likely gone for good.

That’s not to say that at some point, an aspect that was missed might not pop up for you. But resolving that should be very easy, since the bigger components have already been collapsed.  So, stay with it until you’re sure an issue is completely resolved. Test yourself by trying to get upset about it again. If you just can’t find a charge, then you’re likely done. That’s how long it takes.

Q. Why is it important to know my SUDs level and what does SUDs stand for?

A. SUDs stands for Subjective Units of Distress (the ‘s’ at the end is superfluous, but is commonly used anyway). It’s important to know your intensity level so you’ll know where you are and where you need to go. If you simply say, “I’m really upset” that doesn’t give you much information. If you can put a number to it, say a 9, for instance, even if it’s subjective, you at least you have a guesstimate of a starting point. Then as you tap and get in touch with your decreasing SUDs level on subsequent rounds, you’ll know you’re making progress. You’ll also have a handle on how far you still need to go to completely resolve an issue.

Conversely, if your number hasn’t changed after a couple of rounds, you’ll know you’re missing something and will need to make some changes (see the “9 Stumbling Blocks of EFT” to give you direction). Likewise, if you get down to a 2, you know you’re close, but not quite finished. You want to keep going until you can say for certain that you’re at a zero.

It’s important to remember that the objective of EFT isn’t just to “feel better” (although that’s certainly nice). The ultimate goal is to realize a complete cessation of a negative emotion or issue. So don’t stop just because you start to “feel better”. Keep tapping until you’re feeling great and the issue has been completely put to rest.  If you truly get to a zero on the event, issue, pain or whatever, it’s unlikely it will return.  To make sure that you’ve really neutralized problem, test yourself by trying to get upset. Revisit the issue, even the formally painful aspects and see if the intensity rises at all. If it does, you still have some work left to do.

If the event, pain or issue seems ‘fuzzy’, hard to remember or difficult to grasp, and there’s no “charge” left, then you are likely done.  When my clients get to a zero, I ask them how they know that.  Often it is the cessation of a physical manifestation, such as tightness in the shoulders or neck, or an upset stomach. Or they might feel profound relaxation, feel lighter and experience renewed energy or peace of mind.  I love using the SUDs rating and check it several times (usually after every 2 rounds of tapping) in the course of eliminating an issue.

Q. What if I don't know my intensity level?

A. It’s not always easy to figure out, on a scale of 1 to 10, how much your shoulder hurts, or how angry you are at your brother-in-law, or how afraid of spiders you are. At best it’s a subjective guess. While many people come up with their SUDs level right away, many others struggle with this little, but important aspect of EFT. I ask clients to guess what their number would be. Try saying this sentence out loud rather fast, without pausing at the end. Just say what comes to you. “Even though I don’t know what my intensity level is, if I had to guess I’d say it was at a…”

This simple little trick bypasses the conscious mind and allows the subconscious to provide the answer.  It may not be 100%, but it gives you a reference point. Good practitioners generally know where someone stands as they talk about their issues. So if a client’s number is far off from the estimate of the practitioner, he or she would have occasion to question the client’s answer. When working with yourself, however, you can only guess and do your best. Chances are, if you don’t analyze it too much and just go with your gut feeling, you’ll be just fine.  As stated in the above question, it’s important to get the SUDs rating so you’ll know where you are and where you need to go.

Q. How do I deal with an intangible issue or get a SUDs rating on it?  What if I have a problem like procrastination, or lack confidence around new employees, or want to lose 30 pounds, or I'm just stuck and can't get going? How do I measure or test issues like that? 

A. To deal with intangible or hard-to-measure issues, I use what I call the Ultimate Truth Statement. Here’s how you can use this interesting and effective tool.  Develop a sentence that would represent the most positive outcome you would like to achieve. For instance, if you have a problem with procrastination use an Ultimate Truth Statement of “I always complete tasks in a timely manner, never putting things off, and always keep commitments with myself and others.” 

Note: Examples of other Ultimate Truth Statements would be something like these:

»I’m committed to improving my health by weighing 150 pounds by October.
»I’m a confident, certain, public speaker and love speaking in front of large groups.
»I’m highly motivated to find a new job where I can be happy, comfortable and passionate.
»I’m 100% committed to taking care of my health by exercising at least 30 minutes a day 5 days a week.
»I am grateful for all my parents have done for me, and am proud to honor their lives by taking care of them in their old age.

With the Ultimate Truth Statement use the 1-10 scale, but with the 10 representing the ultimate goal of 100% confidence in the truth or believability of the statement.  That is, with the procrastination issue, if you felt completely committed to always doing things on time and never procrastinating, you would be at a 10.  Most likely you’ll start this process at a 5 or less.  In the beginning, the Ultimate Truth Statement is far from how you actually feel, but is the goal to achieve doing EFT.

Therefore, begin with a set-up statement of “Even though I usually procrastinate, waiting until the last possible moment, I love and accept myself anyway”. Then do a couple of rounds stating a negative reminder phrase of “My tendency to procrastinate” or “My habit of putting everything off.”

On the third round, switch to phrases on consecutive points like that start gradually changes your position to something like; “I’d really like to eliminate this habit of procrastination….I’d like to do things on time….I want to let go of always being late….I want to be timely with my projects and commitments….etc.  It’s this gentle transition from where you’ve been to where you want to be that starts changing your psyche on the issue.

Now check yourself with the Ultimate Truth Statement.  You should have moved up a few notches on the scale (remember you’re going toward the 10 this time).  Keep repeating the above process until you’re within 3 of your goal (that would be a 7 or greater).

Then go back to the set-up point and switch to a choice statement. It would be something like this: “Even though a part of me tends to put things off, a bigger part of me wants to do things on a timely basis. So I choose to let the bigger part of me win. I choose to find the resources within me to eliminate this habit of procrastination. And I choose to do things on time, when they are due.”  Do a variation of this three times on the set-up point.  The wording doesn’t have to be exactly like this. Be flexible and do what works for YOU. 

Now, on the first round, state the remaining negative, such as; “My remaining habit of being late” (or whatever the issue), at each point.

On the second round, at each consecutive point say “I choose to tap into my own resources to break this procrastination habit” (or I choose to eliminate being late, etc.… “I chose to be on time”, “I chose to let go of my being-late habits”…”I chose to complete commitments on or before when they are due”….”I choose to completely eliminate my procrastination”…”I chose to be on time”…etc.

On the third round alternate the remaining negative with the positive choices, i.e. Remaining procrastination…I choose to eliminate it...remaining procrastination…I choose to be on time with projects…remaining procrastination…I choose to be proud of myself for doing things on time…remaining procrastination…I choose to break and eliminate that habit…etc.

Now check yourself with the Ultimate Truth Statement. You may be at a 10 by now. If you’re at an 8, do the choice rounds again. If you’re at a 9 or 9.5, do the 9-point Gamut to polish off the issue and complete the process. Use the phrase of “Remaining procrastination” while tapping on the Gamut point and doing the eye rolls, humming and counting.

Then complete this process up by doing one more round of just positive, desired phrases.  At each consecutive point put in a different positive affirmation such as: “I’m always on time … I’m confident in my abilities… I’m clear about what needs to be done and when… I always do things in a timely manner … I’m proud of myself for completing projects on time … I see what needs to be done, and I DO IT now…People respect me for keeping my word…I keep my commitments to myself and others…I’m a responsible, on-time person, etc.  Doing these positive affirmation while tapping feels SO good and is a great way to finish up the process.

At this point you should be able to make the Ultimate Truth Statement and actually mean it with confidence.  If you get stuck and just can’t seem to change the believability of your Ultimate Truth Statement, chances are you have a Reversal and your subconscious doesn’t really want to change.  To fix a Reversal read Zoe's article on Reversals, and specifically “Fixing SBS”.

Q. Does EFT work for…? (whatever)

A. One of the most common questions EFT Practitioners hear is, “Can EFT help with…. PTSD, diabetes, hepatitis, Multiple Sclerosis, pimples, etc?”  To which we almost always respond “Probably! Try it on everything!” A more thorough and accurate answer, however, would be “Many others have experienced great results with your issue, so it is highly likely that you will get resolution too.” It’s safe to say EFT has been tried on just about every issue, problem or physical ailment you can image.

We know EFT can bring miraculous results to virtually anything…especially in the hands of an accomplished practitioner.  And since EFT has never been known to harm anyone, it’s painless, and it works when nothing else has, go ahead and try it on your issue.  I’ve used it on everything from corns to cancer and from hiccups to hypertension. 

In experienced hands, EFT delivers significant relief over 90% of the time (the medical profession would love to have those results). Many cases, however, especially if complex, require more than just applying the basic sequence.  So, if you’ve already tried EFT and aren’t getting the results you want, it’s unlikely any shortcoming of EFT, but rather that you’re missing some important element.  Virtually all complex issues should be dealt with by a competent EFT Practitioner.

Q. What’s the best way to learn EFT?
A. There's so much to EFT that you should take several routes.  EFT is elegant in its simplicity, however, there is SO much more to it than meets the eye. EFT is effective for hundreds of simple issues and can be self-applied, however, for more complex issues you should see an experienced practitioner.   

Attend a live ProEFT workshop.

Q. Where can I find a workshop?

A. add Visit www.eftworkshops.org

Q. I’ve tried EFT, but it’s just not working for ME. What now?

A. When people try EFT for ‘old’ problems or complex issues and aren’t getting the results they want, they may think EFT just isn’t working for ‘them’. Others think that maybe the testimonials they have heard aren’t real. Actually, neither is true. 

As wonderful as EFT is, there are several impediments that can get in the way of its success. For one, beginners should only try using EFT on “simple” issues, leaving more complex problems to experienced practitioners.

Please read Lindsay Kenny’s piece about the 9 Stumbling Blocks of EFT. You can also download it on the Free Stuffpage.    If, after reading the article, you are still having problems, you may need assistance. The article explains why that is true. Sometimes, even we experienced practitioners need the eyes, ears and intuition of others to get to the heart of the matter…especially for complex issues. 

Q. What’s the difference between Simple and Complex issues?

A. First let me “broadly” define “Simple” issues. There are no hard and fast rules, but typically simple issues are problems that are usually:

•Single faceted, like the hiccups, or your boss embarrassed you at the sales meeting, or you’re disappointed that you didn’t get the promotion you wanted, or you’re stressed after a tough day at work. 
•Recent, as opposed to something that happened years ago, or has been going on for a long time.
•Not chronic; that is it’s not a persistent problem like chronic pain, anger or grief
•A simple pain or injury, as opposed to a complex medical issue or a serious illness
•Fear or simple phobias
•Emotions like stress, frustration, anger, embarrassment, cravings, etc.
•Ones you can generally work on and resolved yourself, with some basic knowledge of EFT

I believe there are Two Tiers of complex issues, which almost always involve more than one aspect.  Tier one issues include things like grief, chronic pain, “minor” traumas, allergies, some abuse issues, weight issues, food addictions, stuttering, and most non life-threatening illnesses.  Many of the examples used in my “9 Stumbling Blocks” article (available on the Free Stuff page) are examples of Tier 1 complex issues.  Some of these you can work on yourself. If you’re not getting a resolution, you should contact a practitioner.

The second, or more-difficult-to-work-with, Tier 2, includes child abuse, sexual or ritual abuse, traumatic or life-altering accidents or deaths, severe and sustained physical or emotional abuse, drug addictions, morbid obesity, and so on. Tier two complex issues are usually highly charged emotionally or often a result of very traumatic occurrences.  Also included in these more difficult cases would be psychological problems such as bi-polar, schizophrenia, multiple personalities, serious illnesses and so on.

Here’s what’s important to remember:  Most simple issues can be handled by anyone, including yourself. Complex issues, especially Tier 2, need to be dealt with by an experienced practitioner.  Nonetheless, in case you’re curious or just want to know more about complex issues read my article “EFT issues, Simple or Complex?” on the Free Stuff page (the article is mostly for other practitioners, but you’re welcome to read it too)  But again, please consult a qualified practitioner for the tough stuff.

Q. What words and phrases do I use?

A.  This is a simple, yet complex question and one of the most frequently asked. The easy answer is use this simple formula: Add an acceptance affirmation to your problem, such as “Even though I have this __________(fill in your issue), I deeply and completely accept myself.”  However, there is a bit more to it than that.  What’s important to remember is you can’t do it “wrong”, but some phrases are more effective than others.  Try it different ways until you get the result you want.

To learn about doing set up phrases and what’s important about them, read my article on the “9 Stumbling Blocks of EFT”, which is downloadable at my Free Stuff page. Being specific, finding the core issue, and getting rid of Reversals are imperative to successful EFTing.

Here are some examples of set-up statements. Remember, being specific is important.

"Even though I have this fear of speaking to groups over 5, I deeply and completely accept myself."

“Even though a part of me doesn’t want to forgive my mother for hurting my feelings at Christmas, I accept who I am without judgment.”

"Even though I have this sinus headache above my eyes, I deeply love and accept who I am." 

"I deeply and completely accept myself, even though I have anger towards my father for yelling at me last night." 

"Even though I have this stiffness on the right side of my neck, I completely accept myself and love my body." 

"I deeply accept myself unconditionally, even though I have a killer craving for chocolate right now." 

"Even though I have this fear of snakes, I love and accept myself anyway." 

"I deeply and profoundly accept myself, even though I’m really sad over my breakup with ________.”

Q. How many sessions will it take to deal with my issue?

A. There isn't an easy, pat answer to this question. There are so many variables among people and issues that it could take 1 session or 5.  Some might even be more than that. Complex issues, weight issues, abuse, trauma, and many others often take several sessions. Often I'm done with someone in 30 minutes, depending on the circumstances. I find that we can often deal with 1-3 issues per session. However, many people have multiple issues making it hard to tell without really getting into the matter. 

One lady, for instance called me because she was 'stuck' at work and couldn't seem to get the recognition she wanted. That seemed, on the surface like a relatively easy matter to be dispensed with quickly. As it turned out, however, there was a considerable physical trauma in her life that had to be dealt with, the suicide of a family member, an eating disorder and much more. And while "Ann" didn't think any of those things contributed to her problems at work, they were actually critical to her success (or lack thereof). 

So the answer to this question is "It depends". However, long it takes will be considerably less than tradition therapies of any kind, and likely much more effective.

•You may be regretting the previous choices you've made in life (or things that have happened to you) and “opportunities wasted” in your life due to your issue. These feelings are not usually at a conscious level, however, until EFT is introduced and stirs things up. It's as if one part of you is blaming yourself for an unfulfilled, or less-than-satisfying life, and another part is eager to step into a new role. So two or more elements of you may be battling or even raging with each other.

•The "new you” feels out-of-sorts because "it" doesn't know how to behave in this new paradigm, with a different identity. Some people who have been victimized, for instance, may blame others for their crummy life or bad choices, and not know how to live an accountable existence. Once the curtain has lifted using EFT, however, they might feel angry, or fearful, like a fish-out-of-water as they begin to see life from a more accountable, optimistic perspective.

•There's still a part of you resisting change. After clearing major traumas or blocks with EFT, you see the possibility of living life with a different set of rules. This might mean risking rejection rather than living behind a wall of protection (the previous excuse for your challenges.) Therefore you feel a bit unsafe or on unfamiliar ground.

•There may be a payoff for having your issue (I’m not suggesting that you would choose to have your problems.)  However, some people are financially compensated for a disability, may get attention, sympathy or special favors as a result of their issues, so a part of them is reluctant to change.  Don’t get mad at me here for suggesting this. I’m not saying your consciously choosing to stay ill, or in pain or whatever, only that a part of you may have latched on to some secondary benefits of your issues. (For more information on this read my Reversals article here on Gary’s site, or on the Free Stuff page of my website)

•A part of you is sad (or even sick to their stomach) for the 'old' identity you're striving to leave behind. And sometimes there's a reluctance to do that...for reasons that vary among different people. Just as people stay in bad marriages because it's at least familiar, we sometimes want to stay with what we perceive as a safe place, habit or personality. To change what's become so familiar is disconcerting to some, while exciting and uplifting for others.

•And most likely…you’re simply not done yet! You’re only partially into your issues and are stirring things up. You may (or may not) have cleared out some blocks and resolved some issues, but there’s still more.  Often people feel they should be “fixed” after one or two sessions, and that’s just not likely…in most cases.  Confusion, “foggy-headedness”, anxiety, headaches, anger, or sadness simply means you’re not done! Be patient with the process and continue to work on your own, between sessions, or with an experienced practitioner.

•If you’re experiencing any of the above problems, it’s highly likely you are working on issues far too complex for you to handle alone.  EFT is magical and extremely effective in the right hands.  Beginners, however, should stay with simple, rather than complex issues.  One of the ways you’ll know if your issue is over your head is if you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms. 

Q. How can I learn enough about EFT to become a practitioner?

A. Although even beginner can generate impressive results with EFT, the more you learn and practice the more competent you will become. EFT is capable of far more than what you can learn in Gary’s 79-page manual, but that’s an excellent place to start and it’s free.  Here are some other options:

* Take ProEFT Levels 1-3 workshops where you can actually practice EFT, work on your own issues, and get your questions answered. You’ll learn even more in a live workshop than in the initial videos. To really learn how to do EFT effectively, it’s great to do both. Check Lindsay’s EFT Approved workshops at www.EFTworkshops.org.

* Practice, Practice, Practice. There’s nothing like getting out there in the trenches and doing as many cases as you can. Just remember to stay with SIMPLE issues until you know what you’re doing. Practice on friends, relatives, and pets until you gain skill and confidence.