When tapping is not producing progress, it does not necessarily mean that tapping is not working.

There are a number of reasons why you might not be seeing results. The three most common reasons are resistance to change, dehydration, and not being specific enough. When I encounter someone who is not making progress these are the steps I take.

First, we clear resistance. To do this tap on the side of the hand and use the four set up phrases:

Even though I feel [insert issue] I love and accept myself.
Even though I feel [insert issue] I forgive myself for however I contributed to this.
Even though I feel [insert issue] I forgive anyone else who contributed to this.
Even I feel [insert issue] 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 tapping is not working.

The second most common reason for not making any progress is not having enough water in the system. 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 a small glass is more than enough. After taking a drink, wait a minute or two and then try doing another 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 common hurdle is of not being specific enough about our issue when we are tapping.

Tapping is a 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 tapping we must be as precise about the issue as possible.

For example you might be tapping on feeling frustrated, which is rather general. It is not uncommon to fail to make progress when we are this general. The most effective way of getting more specific is by asking, “Why?”

Here is a conversation with a client to show how this might play out:

Client: I am very frustrated!
Gene: Why are you frustrated?
Client: Because the family business is closing.
Gene: Why does that frustrate you?
Client: 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. At first glance and without a lot of self-examination, it might feel like frustration. But that is not the core issue and tapping on frustration is unlikely to produce 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.

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One of the real benefits of using tapping is the fact that each round of tapping is so short. After each round it is easy to check in to see how we are doing and if we are working in the right direction, which helps us to know what we need to do next.

In my experience there are four typical outcomes to a round of tapping which give us information.

1) The pain/emotion reduces in intensity. This tells us we are doing the right work in the right place and so we should keep tapping in the same fashion for the same issue.

2) The pain/emotion increases in intensity. This reaction to tapping can be the most confusing. When this happens it feels like tapping has made matters worse. What has really happened is that with this round of tapping we have simply focused more clearly on the issue.

This is much like when you have a knee injury. As you move through your day you might not notice it but the moment you sit down at the end of the day all of a sudden you notice how much your knee hurts. Sitting down and relaxing didn’t make it hurt more, but because we are resting we give the knee more attention and notice the pain more.

Tuning into an issue brings it into sharper focus, which can feel like we are making the issue worse. When this happens it means we are on the right track and should keep tapping on the issue.

3) The pain/emotion changes in location, texture, or type. This is an odd sensation. When you start tapping there is a feeling in your stomach. A moment later you feel it in your throat.
This informs us that we are getting closer to the root, but haven’t yet reached it. We are getting closer, but need to keep working.

4) There is no change in intensity. This means we need to change our approach. Typically this means we don’t have enough water in the system, are resisting, or we are not being specific enough.

All four of these outcomes are good news. We are either healing, or have more information about what is the best next step to healing.

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One of the reasons I love tapping so much is because it is a powerful self-care tool. It can be done anywhere and any time. But there are times when it is best to work with a professional.

1) Working with a professional is a great way to learn. I know in my practice, one of the goals is to equip my clients so they don’t need my help in the future. In most forms of therapy the only time you can do work is when you are in a session. You make progress for an hour, and then have to wait until your next appointment before you can continue the work. All of my clients receive homework at the end of their session, so if they choose they can make progress between sessions.

When you work with a professional, tell them you are not only looking for help with the current problem, but are trying to get better at using EFT, so you can be more empowered in the future.

2) The benefit of an outside perspective. Sometimes we are so close to a problem, we can’t see what is really happening. This is the same reason we talk through our problems with our friends and family. They give us a fresh perspective. A professional is trained to help you to see things in other ways.

3) It is a really big problem. Sometimes we face issues which are just too big for us to manage alone. When we work with a professional they are able to not only guide us through the healing process but also to do it in a safe and caring way.

I can remember when I was first introduced to tapping. I was blown away. On some level I was blown away, and on another I was very skeptical.

As I got better at applying the protocol I started sharing it with anyone who would listen. Typically one of two things happened: It was either a great success or a great failure. There didn’t seem to be much in between.

As time passed I came to realize that not all problems are equal. All stiff necks are not the same. One stiff neck might be from poor posture, while another could be from years of working for an overbearing boss. One is a small problem; the other is huge.

As a beginner it is easy to get caught up in the excitement of EFT. It is important to keep in mind that every issue and problem is different, even if all the symptoms are the same.

At first you are going to be very good at small problems and struggle with larger problems.

The first step is to start to be aware of the difference between small and big problems. This is just going to take time and experience. As this becomes more apparent you will then be more skilled at dealing with the big problems.

I would encourage you to read as much as you can about EFT as you can.

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