Emotional Stress Release (ESR)

Overview

Emotional Stress Release (ESR) is one of the most iconic and accessible techniques in the Touch for Health system, synthesized by Dr. John Thie from the pioneering work of Terrence Bennett on neurovascular reflexes in the 1930s. This technique relies on a deceptively simple gesture — lightly holding two points on the forehead — that produces deep and measurable effects on the nervous system and emotional management.

The ESR points correspond to the frontal eminences, two small natural bumps located midway between the eyebrows and the hairline, above the center of each eye orbit. These points are identified in Traditional Chinese Medicine as the neurovascular points of the Stomach meridian, and in applied kinesiology as Bennett's "emotional stress points." Light contact on these points activates a neurological mechanism that enables the brain to process stressful information rationally rather than emotionally.

ESR has become a fundamental tool not only in professional kinesiology practice but also in daily self-care. Its simplicity of execution — requiring no equipment and practicable alone — makes it one of the most democratic stress management techniques available. It is now integrated into numerous kinesiology, coaching, and even sports mental preparation protocols.

Core Principles

The neurological mechanism of ESR rests on modern understanding of brain function under stress. When a person faces a stressor — real or recalled — the amygdala, the emotion-processing center in the limbic system, triggers the "fight or flight" response. This response causes vasoconstriction of blood vessels supplying the prefrontal cortex, the brain region responsible for analytical thinking, planning, and rational decision-making. Blood is redirected toward survival centers (brainstem and limbic system), explaining why it is difficult to "think clearly" under intense stress.

Contact on the frontal eminences provides gentle stimulation of skin receptors that, through local nerve connections, promotes vasodilation in the frontal brain region. This mechanism progressively restores blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, allowing the brain to process stressful information using rational thinking resources rather than mere emotional reactivity.

The second principle is guided visualization. While the points are held, the client is invited to visualize the stressful situation in detail — mentally reliving it with full emotional charge. This controlled re-exposure process, combined with neurovascular stimulation, enables the brain to "recode" the stressful memory by associating it with a state of physiological calm, thus breaking the automatic link between stimulus and stress response.

The third principle involves synchronous pulsation. The practitioner holds the points with very light pressure (approximately 30 grams) and waits to perceive a subtle arterial pulsation under each finger. At the beginning of holding, these pulsations are often asymmetric or absent. Gradually, they appear, synchronize, and become regular. This synchronization is the physiological indicator that neurological stress processing is underway and that the brain is integrating new responses to the stressful information.

Technical Sheet

Full Name

Emotional Stress Release (ESR)

Origin

Synthesis by John Thie (Touch for Health) from Terrence Bennett's neurovascular reflexes

Points Used

Frontal eminences (Stomach neurovascular points, Bennett's points)

Location

Forehead, midway between eyebrows and hairline, above the center of each orbit

Applied Pressure

Very light, approximately 30 grams (weight of a coin)

Holding Duration

2 to 10 minutes depending on treated stress intensity

Response Indicator

Synchronization of arterial pulsation under both fingers

Self-Application

Yes — one hand on the forehead, covering both eminences

Training Required

TFH Level 1 (taught from the first module)

Main Indications

• Acute stress and situational anxiety (exams, job interviews, public speaking)
• Specific phobias and irrational fears
• Unresolved traumatic memories (accident, grief, breakup)
• Recurring emotional blocks (anger, guilt, shame)
• Stress-related concentration difficulties
• Sleep disturbances associated with anxious rumination
• Sports or artistic mental preparation
• Stage fright and performance anxiety management
• Life transition support (moving, divorce, career change)
• Mild post-traumatic stress (as complement to professional follow-up)

Session Structure

The ESR technique can be practiced independently in a dedicated session or integrated into a broader TFH balancing protocol. Here is the structure of a dedicated ESR session.

Phase 1 — Target Stress Identification (5-10 minutes): practitioner and client together identify the stressful situation to address. It may be present stress (current situation), past stress (traumatic memory), or future stress (anxious anticipation). The client rates emotional intensity from 0 to 10. The practitioner may use an indicator muscle test to confirm the stress: the client thinks about the situation while the practitioner tests a muscle — weakening confirms the energetic impact of stress.

Phase 2 — Setup (2-3 minutes): the client is settled comfortably, lying down or seated, eyes closed. The practitioner positions at the client's head (if lying) or facing them (if seated). They gently place their fingertips (index and middle fingers of each hand, or palms lightly) on the client's frontal eminences, with barely perceptible pressure.

Phase 3 — Visualization and Holding (5-15 minutes): the practitioner asks the client to recall or visualize the stressful situation as precisely as possible — the images, sounds, physical sensations, and felt emotions. The client allows emotions to emerge without holding back or controlling them. Meanwhile, the practitioner maintains contact without varying pressure, focusing attention on pulsations perceived under their fingers. Gradually, the client may observe spontaneous calming, a perspective shift on the situation, emerging solutions, or sometimes yawning, deep sighing, or liberating tears — all signs of ongoing release.

Phase 4 — Integration (3-5 minutes): when the practitioner perceives synchronous, regular pulsation under both fingers, and the client reports calming or a changed perception, the practitioner gently removes their fingers. The client is invited to slowly reopen their eyes, breathe deeply, and verbalize their experience. Emotional intensity is reassessed from 0 to 10 — a significant reduction is usually observed.

Phase 5 — Anchoring (2-3 minutes): the practitioner may suggest the client re-think the situation to verify the emotional charge has diminished. They also teach self-application so the client can use the technique independently in daily life.

Variations and Sub-techniques

• Simple ESR (self-care): place one hand flat on the forehead, covering both frontal eminences, while thinking about the stressful situation. A technique practicable anywhere and anytime (transport, office, bed)
• ESR with temporal visualization: the client visualizes a "mental movie" of the stressful situation from start to finish, then replays it modifying the outcome positively — enabling the brain to create new neural associations
• Cross-Crawl ESR: combining ESR point holding with alternating cross-body movements (touching left knee with right hand and vice versa) to strengthen hemispheric integration
• ESR with additional points: adding occipital point holding (back of skull) simultaneously with frontal points, creating an anterior-posterior "circuit" that amplifies cerebral integration effect
• Group ESR: each participant places their own hands on their forehead while a facilitator guides collective visualization — used in stress management workshops
• ESR for future goals: instead of treating past stress, the client visualizes a future goal (passing an exam, professional achievement) while holding ESR points, associating the success image with a state of neurological calm

Contraindications

• Recent head trauma or open wound on the forehead (avoid any contact on the injured area)
• Active psychotic disorder or severe dissociative state (visualization may trigger unwanted episodes)
• Complex post-traumatic stress disorder without appropriate professional support (risk of emotional flooding during re-visualization)
• Vascular headaches in acute phase (active migraine — forehead contact may be perceived as unpleasant)
• Unstabilized epilepsy (precaution due to neural stimulation, although no cases have been reported)
• Client's refusal or inability to visualize the stressful situation (the technique requires minimal active participation)