How a Simple Technique Can Calm the Mind and Heal the Heart – Tapping (EFT) to Dissolve Chronic Emotional Pain

Last Updated on February 16, 2026

Emotional pain doesn’t always go away on its own. Sometimes, it lingers long after the cause is gone. Whether it’s grief, trauma, shame, or anxiety, chronic emotional pain can feel like a weight you carry everywhere. Over time, it affects your mood, relationships, sleep, and even physical health.

But what if you could gently shift that pain with your fingertips?

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)—also known as tapping—is a simple, evidence-based tool that helps you release emotional pain by combining acupressure and focused awareness. It’s easy to learn, free to use, and powerful in its effects.

Let’s explore what EFT is, how it works, and why it can be a life-changing practice for anyone carrying emotional wounds.

What Is EFT or Tapping?

EFT is a therapeutic method that involves tapping on specific meridian points on the body while focusing on a negative emotion or painful memory. It draws from both Traditional Chinese Medicine (like acupuncture) and modern psychology (like exposure and cognitive therapy).

During a tapping session, you:

1. Identify a problem (e.g., “I feel overwhelmed with grief”).
2. Rate its intensity on a scale of 0 to 10.
3. Tap gently on acupressure points (forehead, collarbone, hands, etc.) while repeating a statement of acceptance.
4. Repeat until the emotional charge lowers or dissolves.

It may sound too simple to work—but research says otherwise.

How Tapping Helps Dissolve Emotional Pain

When you feel emotional distress, your amygdala (the brain’s fear center) sends out alarm signals. Your body goes into fight, flight, or freeze, even if there’s no physical threat.

Tapping calms that response.

A 2012 study in The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease found that EFT significantly reduced cortisol (the stress hormone) levels in participants—by as much as 43% after just one hour of tapping (Church et al., 2012).

Here’s how EFT supports healing:

1. It Calms the Stress Response

Tapping sends a signal to the brain that it’s safe to relax, even while thinking about something painful. This reduces emotional reactivity and helps your body stay grounded.

2. It Encourages Emotional Acceptance

By pairing painful thoughts with statements of self-acceptance (e.g., “Even though I feel sad, I deeply love and accept myself”), EFT disrupts negative self-talk and builds emotional compassion.

3. It Rewires Emotional Patterns

When used consistently, EFT can help rewire the brain’s response to emotional triggers. Over time, old wounds lose their emotional charge and are replaced with more neutral or empowering associations.

4. It Allows Emotions to Flow, Not Freeze

Chronic emotional pain often results from stuck or unprocessed feelings. Tapping provides a safe way to feel and release them without being overwhelmed.

EFT for Different Types of Emotional Pain

EFT can be used for nearly any emotional experience. Here’s how it helps with common issues:

Grief and Loss

Tapping helps release the heaviness of grief while honoring the love and meaning behind the loss. It doesn’t erase the sadness but softens its grip.

Anxiety and Worry

When the mind spirals with “what ifs,” EFT can ground you in the present moment. Tapping slows racing thoughts and restores a sense of calm control.

Shame and Low Self-Worth

Tapping gently targets inner criticism, helping you let go of self-blame and replace it with compassion and confidence.

A 2016 study in Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing found that veterans using EFT had significant reductions in PTSD symptoms and self-reported emotional pain, with many maintaining improvements months later (Church et al., 2016).

Anger and Resentment

When you’re holding on to anger, tapping can help you explore its root and discharge the energy without acting it out or turning it inward.

A Simple EFT Sequence You Can Try

Here’s a quick example to try if you’re feeling overwhelmed or stuck in emotional pain:

1. Identify the Emotion

Name what you’re feeling. Be specific.
Example: “I feel sad about how my relationship ended.”

2. Rate the Intensity (0–10)

Ask yourself: How strong is this feeling right now?
Example: “It’s an 8 out of 10.”

3. Create a Setup Statement

While tapping the karate chop point (side of the hand), repeat three times:

“Even though I feel this sadness, I deeply and completely accept myself.”

4. Tap Through the Points

Use 2–3 fingers to gently tap each point while repeating a reminder phrase like “this sadness” or “this heavy feeling.” Tap each point about 5–7 times.

The points are:

1. Eyebrow (where brow begins)
2. Side of the eye (temple)
3. Under the eye
   
4. Under the nose
   
5. Chin (just below lower lip)
6. Collarbone
   
7. Underarm (about 4 inches below the armpit)
8. Top of the head
   

5. Reassess

Pause and check your intensity again.
Has it shifted from an 8 to a 5? Repeat the round until the number lowers.

If deeper layers come up, name them and gently tap on those too.

Why Tapping or EFT Feels So Empowering

What makes tapping or EFT special is that you become your own healer. You don’t need anything outside of yourself—just time, honesty, and your own hands.

Over time, this practice can:

• Build emotional resilience
• Help you face painful memories safely
• Reconnect you with your body and breath
• Increase your sense of control and self-compassion

Many trauma-informed therapists now use tapping in sessions or teach it to clients as a regulation tool between appointments.

Final Thoughts

Chronic emotional pain is real—but it doesn’t have to define your days. EFT offers a gentle, effective way to listen to your emotions, shift their intensity, and make space for peace.

It doesn’t require perfect words or long sessions. Just your presence, your willingness to feel, and your fingertips.

So the next time pain rises—a wave of shame, fear, grief, or anger—pause. Take a breath. Tap.

Your healing is just beneath the surface. And you already have what you need to reach it.

References

• Church, D., Yount, G., & Brooks, A. J. (2012). The effect of emotional freedom technique on stress biochemistry: A randomized controlled trial. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 200(10), 891–896.
• Church, D., Hawk, C., Brooks, A. J., Toukolehto, O., Wren, M., Dinter, I., & Stein, P. K. (2016). Psychological trauma symptom improvement in veterans using emotional freedom techniques: A randomized controlled trial. Explore, 12(6), 439–445.