With such a wealth of EFT resources out there on the Internet nowadays, it’s relatively easy to find the information we’re looking for – and all at no cost to you. Google “EFT” plus whatever you need help with, and you’ll usually find articles, videos, and who knows what else to guide you in some direction.

Log into YouTube and there’s a plethora of “How-to” videos from chronic pain to stress and overwhelm. You’ll be able to tap along for nine minutes. You may even feel a certain amount of relief.

But what if your beliefs, memories, or emotions are a little more deeply rooted than nine minutes worth of tapping? Where do you go then? Who is there to offer guidance, skilfully reframe the experience, and use those reframes in a focused way as you tap?

When I was a child growing up in the UK, my parents would take me on holiday to Cornwall. Cornwall is renowned for its fudge, and we would always go to the same fudge shop, where Dad would treat me to a bag of fudge. The best part of the whole experience was the fact I was able to taste a tiny square of as many fudges as I liked before narrowing my choices down and making the all-important decision of what flavour to choose!

The outcome? I was usually overwhelmed by the choices. There were too many to choose from and I didn’t get to sample enough of each one to really decide which one I preferred. I often left wishing I’d chosen a different flavour after all. I was unfulfilled.

Now, going back to EFT, my concern is: by “taste testing” all the EFT goodies which are on offer out there in bite sized pieces - usually for free – we may not be experiencing the complete relief we’re searching for, and then there is a tendency to assume “EFT isn’t working”.

I know EFT works when we use it on ourselves because my clients have great results when they tap on themselves, and because I healed myself of serious Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) by using EFT on myself daily.

I also know EFT works even more successfully and permanently when someone else is facilitating because my clients tell me they have far better results when they tap with me, and because I have far better results when I tap with experienced EFT Practitioners.

Working with an experienced EFT’er is priceless because they can offer a perspective which is missing when we use EFT on ourselves: in a short period of time, an experienced EFT’er can identify a core issue, all the aspects, and all the sabotage at play because they will know what questions to ask and how to lead the process. If we are trying to sort through all of that on our own, it’s often difficult to “see the wood for the trees”. It’s hard to be objective when we are so involved.

So, if you are finding all those free resources enticing, and you’re tapping away quite happily on your own, that is fantastic. If you’re not getting the results you were hoping for, you may pause to consider how quickly you could get the results if you were to work with an experienced tapper.

In the meantime, some of the following could be useful when considering how to ensure EFT is working for you:

1. Do I really want to let go of this [weight, illness, relationship, job, anger, guilt, etc.]?
   Consider the benefits of holding on to whatever is consciously holding you back – don’t forget, your subconscious always has a different agenda!
2. Am I dehydrated?
   Always ensure you are drinking water when tapping.
3. Am I being specific enough?
   Most often, newcomers to EFT are pretty global with their statements, e.g. “Even though I have low self esteem”, or “Even though I have arthritis”. Be as specific as possible about events, places, feelings, etc., and you’ll get results faster.
4. Are there toxins in my environment?
   This can be anything from carpets, to laundry detergent, to a cell phone, and they can stop the EFT process from working.
5. Am I switching aspects?
   As we tap, the issue reduces in intensity, and this can make space for a deeper underlying issue to come up with a high intensity. It’s important to be able to distinguish between the first and second issues as separate aspects. Both deserve our tapping attention – they are not the same issue.