EFT technique for severe traumas, very sensitive subjects or therapy beginners: starting with extremely vague formulations ('something difficult happened') and progressively introducing increasingly specific details, never advancing if intensity exceeds 4-5, thus building safety and trust before approaching the core of the problem.
Complete EFT protocol for identifying and transforming deeply anchored limiting beliefs in the subconscious. Integration of cognitive muscle testing, Tell the Story protocol, Choices Method, and VOC scale for lasting transformation of automatic negative cognitions.
EFT double dissociation protocol for extremely severe traumas or highly reactive patients: the patient imagines a box containing the memory without opening it, evaluates an estimated SUD on the idea of looking at the box, and taps progressively until able to glimpse the contents without emotional flooding.
EFT protocol validated by Peta Stapleton's RCTs for treating food cravings, tobacco, alcohol, and substance addiction. 83% craving reduction in workshop format and 28.2% maintained at 2 years. Documented fMRI changes in brain reward circuits.
EFT protocol where the patient narrates their story aloud while the therapist watches for activation signs — voice changes, hesitations, gestures — and immediately stops the narration to tap on the last spoken phrase, until the entire story can be told without distress.
Mind-body approach validated by Stapleton et al. RCTs (2013–2019) for weight management and dysfunctional eating behaviors. Weight and BMI reduction, depression −12.3%, anxiety −23.3%, effects maintained at 12 months and 2 years. Treatment of cravings, limiting beliefs, and emotional eating.
EFT protocol adapted for sports performance enhancement: pre-competition anxiety management, mental block clearing, post-injury psychological recovery and mental preparation. Church (2009) study demonstrating 38% improvement in basketball free throw accuracy. Significant cortisol reduction (d=1.12) supporting athletic recovery.
Specialized EFT protocol for chronic pain using the Chasing the Pain technique. Stapleton et al. (2025, European Journal of Pain) RCT demonstrating significant reduction in pain severity and interference, maintained at 6 months, with measurable neural changes.
Structured EFT protocol for treating specific phobias in one to two sessions of 60 to 120 minutes. Phobias of spiders, heights, flying, blood, injections and other simple phobias. Large effect sizes confirmed by independent studies.
Gary Craig's gentle technique using breathing as a stress indicator. The client takes a deep breath, rates their breathing capacity on 0-10, performs tapping rounds until reaching 10/10. Excellent demonstration tool for skeptics as the result is physically measurable. Often used as a gateway at the beginning of EFT sessions.
Gary Craig's advanced EFT protocol for moderate to severe traumas, where the patient assigns a movie title to their traumatic memory and processes it progressively as a film watched from the outside, stopping to tap whenever intensity rises.
EFT protocol adapted for grief and loss support: bereavement, separation, job loss, health loss. EFT does not seek to erase grief but to release blocked traumatic components — survivor's guilt, anger, unexpressed regrets, separation anxiety — using Craig's Tell the Story protocol and Worden's (2009) spiral grief model.
The daily tapping routine is a simplified EFT protocol designed for regular self-practice in 5 to 15 minutes. Three sequences adapted to the rhythm of the day: morning for starting with clarity, midday for stress management, and evening for releasing tension. Studies show a 37% cortisol reduction after 8 weeks of daily practice (Church et al., 2012).
Structured clinical protocol based on Church, Stapleton et al. (2018) guidelines for post-traumatic stress disorder treatment. Three intervention levels adapted to PTSD severity, with an 86% remission rate in veterans after 6 sessions.
EFT protocol specifically adapted for sleep disorders, targeting mental rumination, hypervigilance, and accumulated physical tension. A 3-phase protocol — emotional discharge, body relaxation, and sleep affirmation — supported by studies from Lee et al. (2016) and Chatwin et al. (2016).
Group protocol where each participant taps simultaneously on their own problem while a volunteer works with the therapist, generating shared therapeutic benefits through resonance effect.
EFT-tapping adapted for couples work: mirror tapping, surrogate tapping, forgiveness protocol and relational trigger treatment. Not to be confused with Sue Johnson's EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy). Applications for recurring conflicts, communication problems, infidelity, jealousy, desire loss and co-dependency.
Fundamental conceptual framework of EFT developed by Gary Craig, using the table metaphor to structure therapeutic work: global problems (anxiety, low self-esteem) are the tabletop, specific supporting memories are the legs — you never tap on the tabletop, you treat each leg individually.
EFT protocols adapted for perinatal care: pregnancy (nausea, prenatal anxiety, tokophobia), birth preparation, labor pain management, and postpartum (baby blues, postpartum depression, birth trauma). EFT is non-invasive, medication-free, and can be self-applied. Based on Chatwin et al. (2016) and Stapleton et al. (2019).
Systematic long-term protocol designed by Gary Craig to methodically resolve all of life's disturbing memories, treating each specific memory with standard EFT until lasting and complete emotional peace is achieved.
Complementary EFT technique used after negative emotion reduction to install and anchor positive states, inner resources, and helpful beliefs through meridian tapping combined with positive affirmations and mental imagery.
EFT protocols specifically adapted by age group — from tapping games with 4-7 year olds to adolescent empowerment — to reduce school anxiety, phobias, trauma, and improve self-esteem.
Technique where a practitioner or caregiver taps on themselves with intention for a person unable to practice EFT directly: infants, young children, sedated patients, animals, or distant persons.
Advanced EFT protocol combining guided visualization and meridian tapping to access the wounded inner child, establish a therapeutic dialogue and integrate unresolved early emotional wounds.
The Choices Method, developed by Dr. Patricia Carrington, clinical psychologist from Princeton University, adds a proactive positive dimension to standard EFT. Rather than merely neutralizing negative emotions, it actively installs a desired positive state through a structured three-phase protocol.
Spiritual and meditative evolution of EFT developed by Gary Craig since 2014, in which physical tapping is abandoned in favor of a meditative connection with the Unseen Therapist — a universal inner spiritual resource — to heal at a deeper level than technique.
Advanced EFT-derived technique developed by Karl Dawson, allowing the practitioner to enter traumatic memories and interact with the past self (ECHO) to rewrite limiting beliefs anchored in the energy field.
Clinical EFT is the manualized and standardized version developed by Dawson Church for scientific research. Integrating CBT elements and removing the 9 Gamut Procedure, it is recognized by the APA as an evidence-based practice for anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
The EFT Gold Standard protocol is Gary Craig's original complete version (1990s): SUDS assessment, setup statement on the Karate Chop point, 9-meridian-point tapping sequence, 9 Gamut Procedure, and reassessment. The foundation of all modern EFT variants.
Gary Craig's fundamental EFT technique for physical pain: locate the pain (shape, color, texture, SUDS intensity), tap on it, observe its displacement, target the new location. Pain migration reveals underlying emotional layers. Applications: fibromyalgia, migraines, back pain. Brattberg (2008): 86% reduction in fibromyalgia symptoms after 8 weeks.
The Emergency EFT protocol is an ultra-simplified version immediately applicable in acute crisis situations: panic attacks, emotional shock, acute pain, intense distress. Continuous tapping on the least intrusive points until stabilization, without formal setup or prior SUDS assessment.