What is EFT?
Heart: The First Mind
“The heart is what leads the way; the head merely follows.”
Akan Proverb
Emotional Freedom Techniques is a Science-Informed Practice Rooted in the Body’s Energy Meridian System
EFT, or “tapping,” is a gentle mind-body method that helps release emotional tension, interrupt stress patterns, and soften the intensity of distressing memories, beliefs, and habits. By tapping on specific acupressure points while acknowledging what feels true in the moment, the body shifts out of reactive stress states and into greater calm, clarity, and presence.
Although modern EFT uses the meridian model most associated with Eastern medicine, the core principle—that emotional, spiritual, and physical wellbeing are interconnected—mirrors long-standing African and diasporic healing frameworks that recognize harmony, flow, and balance as essential to wholeness (Jackson, 2020; Nobles, 2015). Jackson, 2020: “Healing practices in African traditions reflect interconnectedness—what affects the spirit echoes through the body.”
Current neuroscience supports what these traditions have described for generations: when stress rises, the amygdala signals danger and reduces access to the brain’s higher reasoning centers. When stress decreases, the prefrontal cortex—responsible for clear thinking, problem-solving, and emotional regulation—comes back online (LeDoux, 2015; Arnsten, 2009). EFT has been shown to lower cortisol and calm the stress response, allowing these executive capacities to function more effectively (Church et al., 2012).
Over time, tapping helps loosen long-held patterns, soften emotional charge, and create more space for ease, insight, and choice. For deeper work, Matrix reImprinting offers an effective way to update old emotional imprints so they no longer shape present behavior or wellbeing. EFT is adaptable, portable, and accessible. With the support of a skilled coach, becomes an even more powerful tool for meaningful, lasting personal change.