Learn EFT – EFT 201: It’s not working! What am I doing wrong?

This article is part of the EFT 201: Common questions about EFT after a little experience series.

When is Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) not making progress, it does not necessarily mean that EFT is not working.  There are a number of reasons why you might not be having progress.  The three most common are psychological reversal, dehydration, and not being specific enough.  When I encounter someone who is not making progress these are the steps I take.

First, we clear psychological reversal.  To do this tap on the karate chop point and use the four set up phrases:

“Even though I feel … I love and accept myself.

Even though I feel … I forgive myself for however I contributed to this.

Even though I feel … I forgive anyone else who contributed to this.

Even I feel … for the rest of my life, I love and accept myself.”

We then do a full round of tapping on the issue.  If progress is made we can continue working on this issue.  If there is still no progress we look to the second possible reason EFT is not working.

The second most common reason for not making any progress is not having enough water in the system.  We talked earlier, in EFT 102, about the importance of water.  This is an easy problem to solve.  Drink some water.

You don’t have to drink so much that you are floating away.  In most cases four to six ounces is more than enough.  After taking a drink, wait a minute or two.  After a few minutes try doing a round of tapping.  If you make progress you can continue to work on the issue.  If you don’t make any progress you move to the third possible reason you are not making progress.

The third hurdle I approach is the fact that we are not being specific enough about the issue when we are tapping.

EFT is a very powerful tool, but it is much more like a laser than a wrecking ball.  When you are using a wrecking ball, you just need to be kind of close to knock down what you are after.  With a laser, you need to be much more precise.  In order to make progress with EFT we must be as precise about the issue as possible.

For example you might be tapping on feeling frustrated.  The emotion of frustration is very general.  It is not uncommon not to make progress when we are this general.  The most powerful tool I have found in getting more specific is the question “Why?”

Here is a conversation with a client to show how it plays out:

Client: I am very frustrated!

Gene: Why are you frustrated?

C: Because the family business is closing.

G: Why does that frustrate you?

C: Because I am worried about being able to take care of my family.

Feeling frustrated about the business closing and worrying about not being able to care for my family are very different issues.  Without a lot of self-examination, on first blush, it might feel like frustration.  But that is not the real issue.  By tapping on frustration we are not likely to make a lot of progress.  When we start to tap on the worry about being able to caring for the family we are much more likely to make progress.

When in doubt, keep asking, “Why is that?”  When you get an answer ask again, “Why is that?”

Lindsay Kenny has written a great article on the top called 9 Stumbling Blocks that explores these three reasons and 6 more less common reason for EFT not to work.

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About Gene Monterastelli
Gene is a Baltimore, MD based EFT practitioner, the editor of Tapping Q & A, and the host of the Tapping Q & A Podcast (archive | iTunes). Learn more about Gene here or find out how to work with Gene here. You can connect with Gene on his personal twitter, his tapping twitter or on facebook.