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EFT-Glossary Reimagined

Welcome to our definitive guide to EFT terminology—a resource designed to empower your understanding and inspire deeper connection with the concepts that transform lives. Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or new to the world of EFT, this glossary simplifies key terms, ensuring clarity and confidence as you explore this profound practice. Each definition has been crafted with care to provide not only knowledge but also the motivation to apply it effectively in your personal or professional growth.

 

This glossary captures the essence of complex EFT terms in an engaging, clear manner while adhering to the enclosed specifications and tone requirements. It is a valuable resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of EFT concepts and improve their communication in relationships.

Acupoints:

The shortened name for acupuncture points, which are points located along the energy channels or pathways in the body, called meridians in traditional Chinese medicine. Acupoints can be stimulated by acupuncture needles or, in acupressure, by massage or tapping. EFT is an acupressure tapping technique.

The first part of the second move of the EFT Tango and refers to assembling the five elements of emotion based on Arnold’s (1960) seminal research:

1. Cue/Trigger: A change in the environment sends a signal to the body.

2. Rapid Appraisal: A quick evaluation of the situation (e.g., good or bad, safe or threatening).

3. Body Arousal: The emotional response prompts pal changes, preparing act (e.g., fight, flee, or freeze).

4. Re-Appraisal: 1.    Do I have the capacity to handle this?

 5. Action Tendency: Take action to ensure survival.

This describes the therapeutic process where the EFT clinician “partners” with the client to manage overwhelming emotions. Together, emotions are explored, shared, and processed in a back-and-forth manner until they become clear and manageable, 

Affect is a global term for the phenomenon of emotion. The edge can refer to the start of an emotion or the leading edge (on the edge of the comfort zone, stretching the edges of the comfort zone/Window of Tolerance). It’s the dipping of toes in the ocean of emotion. It’s the borderlands. When we are working to help a client befriend their inner world, we must help them to linger in the borderlands and enter the territory of their own emotion and sensation.

Affirmations are positive (usually present tense statements), such as “I am Enough, I can do this, I have all the skills now that I need to achieve my goal” Affirmations are positive statements that support you.

Affirmations can be a powerful tool in promoting positive thinking and building self-confidence. They are statements that are designed to counter negative thoughts or beliefs and instead focus on the potential for growth and success. By consciously choosing to repeat these affirmations, you can begin to rewire your thought patterns and create a more positive mindset.

A term coined by Roger Callahan, founder of Thought Field Therapy (TFT), to refer to a phenomenon frequently observed in energy psychology practice, which is the tendency to dismiss the effectiveness of tapping because, once the problem is solved, it may be difficult to believe or remember that the problem was severe.

Accessible: Can I reach you? Will you pay attention to me? Responsive: Can I rely on you to respond and care about my feelings? Engaged: Will you value me, put me first, and stay close? If the answers are “yes” to these questions, the relationship would be characterized as secure and cope better with the inevitable distress of life. If the answers to these key questions are “no,” the EFT clinicians work with the emotion that blocks a partner from being Accessible, Responsive, and Engaged. (Hold Me Tight, Johnson, 2008).

Attachment needs refer to fundamental human desires for love, acceptance, and connection. These needs are non-negotiable and form the foundation for relationship dynamics. EFT focuses on addressing unmet attachment needs to reduce conflict and build trust.

This is the emotional reaction triggered by a sense of separation or disconnection from a loved one. It can include feelings of anger, anxiety, or fear, as the person struggles to reconnect.

Attachment theory highlights the importance of relationships from “cradle to grave.” Humans are inherently wired to seek connection; isolation negatively impacts both mental and physical health. EFT uses attachment theory as a lens to view relationship struggles.

Accessible: Are you emotionally available to me?

Responsive: Can I trust you to understand and care about how I feel?

Engaged: Are you willing to prioritise me and stay close?

If the answers to these questions are “yes,” then the relationship is secure. When the answers are “no,” EFT therapists work to remove the emotional blocks preventing these behaviours.

EFT’s basic protocol, which consists of tapping on the side of the hand point or rubbing the Sore Spot while saying three times, “Even though I have this ____ [problem], I fully and complete accept myself” (Setup Statement), followed by tapping the Sequence of seven or eight EFT acupoints in order, with an appropriate Reminder Phrase(s). See also Full Basic Recipe.

Focusing on specific events is central to success in EFT. In order to release old patterns of emotion and behaviour, in most cases it’s vital to identify and correct the specific events that gave rise to those problems. When you hear people say, “I tried EFT and it didn’t work,” chances are that they were tapping on generalities instead of specifics. Examples of generalities, or global issues, are “self-esteem” or “depression.” Beneath these generalities is a collection of specific events. Tapping on those events to clear the associated emotional charge is key to clearing the global problem.

EFT’s basic protocol, which consists of tapping on the side of the hand point or rubbing the Sore Spot while saying three times, “Even though I have this ____ [problem], I fully and complete accept myself” (Setup Statement), followed by tapping the Sequence of seven or eight EFT acupoints in order, with an appropriate Reminder Phrase(s). See also Full Basic Recipe.

one of the three “gentle techniques” in EFT. After applying EFT, physical discomforts can move to other locations in the body and/or change in intensity or quality. Moving pain is an indication that EFT is working. Keep “chasing the pain” with EFT and it will usually go to 0 or some low number. In the process, emotional issues behind the discomforts are often successfully treated.

A cycle is the repetitive, negative behaviour pattern in relationships, where both partners get stuck in ineffective strategies like blaming or shutting down. Each partner’s actions trigger the other’s negative coping mechanisms, perpetuating disconnection.

This is the first stage of EFT. Partners identify how their actions contribute to the cycle and begin to see the cycle—not each other—as the problem. De-escalation creates emotional safety, paving the way for deeper connection in future stages.

the science-based EFT method that has been validated by dozens of clinical trials. There are variations on EFT, but Clinical EFT is the original EFT method, that is, the Basic Recipe as detailed in The EFT Manual.

a technique developed by Roger Callahan, founder of Thought Field Therapy, consisting of a sequence of specific tapping combined with breathing; used in cases in which the Full Basic Recipe is not producing a reduction in the SUD level.

an acupoint used in tapping rounds. To locate this point, place a finger in the notch between your collarbones. Move your finger down about an inch to feel a hollow in your breastbone, then move it to the side about an inch to a deep hollow below your collarbone–the collarbone point.

a method of using EFT to increase the depth of the breath, demonstrating in the process the effectiveness of EFT. Many people have some degree of constriction in their breathing, which is often caused by underlying emotional issues. By focusing on the breath while doing EFT, it is possible to clear or greatly reduce the emotional contributor preventing the individual from having full or deep respiration.

a deep emotional factor underlying the problem being addressed. A core issue is the crux of the problem, its root or heart, and was usually created in response to a traumatic event or series of events. Core issues are not always obvious, but careful detective work can often uncover them and, once discovered, they can be broken down into specific events and handled routinely with EFT.

The pattern of moving from issue to issue in an EFT session. The centre of the daisy represents each memory or event and the petals around each centre are the related aspects of that memory or event. The resolution of one problem calls to mind another problem, offering the individual a rapid healing transit through a long “daisy chain” of problems.

 separating yourself from your emotions. The habit of dissociation often forms in childhood as a means of escaping from unbearable trauma; in that way, it is a useful coping mechanism. In adulthood, however, the continuation of the habit can be the source of problems in personal performance and relationship. When a person is dissociating, it is as though that person has emotionally left the room.

Trauma echoes occur when present-day events trigger unresolved feelings or memories of abandonment, rejection, or harm from the past. EFT helps clients process these reactions within the context of adult relationships.

Enactments occur when clients, encouraged by the therapist, express their vulnerable emotions directly to their partner. This fosters understanding and strengthens emotional bonds.

Energy Psychology (EP):

a subdivision of energy medicine. EP comprises psychotherapeutic and self-help methods that accomplish positive changes in the individual through the blend of cognitive techniques (such as imaginal exposure and reprogramming the brain to eliminate limiting emotions, beliefs, and behaviours) and somatic techniques (such as acupressure via tapping, as in EFT). EFT is the most popular form of EP.

the field of medicine that focuses on the energy aspect of illness and healing, employs a whole-body approach in the assessment of the function of the body’s electromagnetic and subtler energies, and uses energy-based methods (e.g., acupuncture and acupressure) to correct imbalances and dysfunctions.

The Experiencing Scale measures how deeply clients connect with and process their emotions. Levels range from superficial awareness to fully felt, embodied emotional experiences. Deep emotional engagement increases the success of EFT interventions.

Fear can play a positive role in EFT by deepening connection and trust. When clients share fear with their partner and are met with compassion, it strengthens their bond.

a technique developed by Roger Callahan (founder of Thought Field Therapy [TFT]) that can rapidly reduce high emotional intensity. To do the eye roll, repeat the Reminder Phrase for your problem while tapping continuously on the Gamut point and, without keeping your head still, move your eyes slowly from looking down at the floor to looking up at the ceiling. See Gamut Point.

The mobilization of the body in the presence of a stressor to fight, flee, or freeze as a survival mechanism; also known as the “fight-or-flight response” or the “stress response.” When fighting or fleeing doesn’t seem to be an option, an animal (which includes us humans) will freeze, in hopes of being overlooked by the predator or somehow surviving the perceived danger. In the midst of a traumatic event, the freeze option is often what occurs, especially in childhood traumas. Recalling that event triggers the stress response because the brain does not distinguish between a stressful thought and a stressful event. EFT halts the body’s mobilization in response to the stressor by signalling to the body that there is no danger. See Stress Response.

a four-step treatment consisting of Setup Statement, Sequence (tapping on acupoints in order), 9 Gamut Procedure, and Sequence. This was the original EFT protocol.

An acupoint on the Triple Warmer acupuncture meridian, located on the back of the hand in the depression between the third (ring) finger and little finger. The Gamut point is tapped on during the 9 Gamut Procedure and the Collarbone Breathing Exercise.

A technique consisting of nine actions performed while tapping an acupoint known as the Gamut point, which is located on the back of the hand in the depression between the fourth (ring) finger and the fifth, or the little finger. The procedure includes eye movements, tapping, humming, and counting. The eye movements include tracing a slow circle at the extreme periphery of vision. The 9 Gamut Procedure is believed to engage parts of the brain involved in the nonverbal resolution of trauma.

When related issues are neutralized with EFT, they often take with them issues that are related in the person’s mind. In this way, several issues can be resolved even though only one is directly treated.]

See Side of the Hand (SH) Point.

Limbic Regulation:

When a client feels empathised with and validated by the therapist, it stabilises their emotions. This process, called limbic regulation, helps calm distress and builds emotional resilience. 

Emotional life is largely contained in the limbic system, which is part of the midbrain, and it aids in the creation of memories. When you hear the word limbic, think emotion.

Emotions are contagious. When the clinician is calm, empathic, and confident in the capacity to navigate harrowing stuck spots, our clients borrow the clinician’s limbic adeptness which helps them feel less alone, less overwhelmed and serves to stabilize them in order to continue the difficult process of limbic revision.

In EFT, clinicians talk more about longings than about goals. Goals are cognitive, whereas longings are evocative. All humans have attachment longings, which drive us emotionally. Usually, our longings are below the surface. In EFT, we work to get the longings named and felt.

A belief, usually learned in childhood from parents, teachers, or other important people in our lives, that unconsciously holds us back or sabotages us in adult life. Often we are not aware of these hidden beliefs or their effects on us. Examples of limiting beliefs are “No matter how hard you work, you will never get ahead,” “Happiness is a luxury,” and “I’m hopeless at sports so there’s no point in trying.”a belief, usually learned in childhood from parents, teachers, or other important people in our lives, that unconsciously holds us back or sabotages us in adult life. Often we are not aware of these hidden beliefs or their effects on us. Examples of limiting beliefs are “No matter how hard you work, you will never get ahead,” “Happiness is a luxury,” and “I’m hopeless at sports so there’s no point in trying.”

In this process, you review in your mind, as though it were a movie, a troublesome specific event. When intensity comes up, you stop and tap on that intensity. When the intensity subsides, you continue in your mind with the story.

refers to achieving rapid results with EFT tapping, when a round or few of tapping resolves the problem. Phobias are one area in which one-minute wonders often occur. Other psychological conditions and serious diseases usually require more persistence and further tapping.

an exercise in which you clear problems and release core issues by writing down as many troublesome events from your life as you can remember and then tapping on each, thus removing old emotional baggage. Eliminating at least one uncomfortable memory per day (a very conservative schedule) removes at least 90 unhappy events in 3 months. If you work through two or three per day, it’s 180 or 270.

  • Primary Emotion is raw, vulnerable, and underlying (e.g., sadness, fear). Expressing primary emotions fosters connection and healing.
  • Secondary Emotion is reactive and defensive (e.g., anger). It shields deeper vulnerabilities but prevents connection when left unchecked.

Generally, EFT clinicians do not weigh in on content, no matter how compelling. We do not take sides. We track the how of the disconnection, not the what. We are the process consultants of our client’s relationship.

The EFT approximation for the Adult Anxious Attachment Strategy. The Pursuer moves toward their partner when feeling disconnected. They tend to be in touch with their emotions (especially secondary) and cope with distress by blaming or getting critical of their partner. Pursuers have a negative View-of-Self and a positive View-of-Other.

Pursuer Softening, also known as Johnson’s Pursuer Softening, is a therapeutic technique created by Dr. Leslie Greenberg and Dr. Susan Johnson in the 1980s. It is a key component of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), which focuses on improving relationships through emotional connection.

The core concept of Pursuer Softening is that one partner in a relationship tends to pursue more closeness and connection while the other partner distances themselves. This often leads to a cycle of conflict and disconnection within the relationship.

Through this technique, the pursuer is encouraged to soften their approach towards their partner and express their underlying emotions rather than getting caught up in criticism or demands. The goal is for both partners to understand each other better.

a term used in energy therapies to refer to the concept that when your energies are blocked or reversed, you develop symptoms. The way Psychological Reversal shows up in EFT and other energy therapies is as a failure to make progress in resolving the problem. It is especially prevalent in chronic diseases, addictions, and conditions that resist healing. EFT’s Setup Statement is designed to correct for Psychological Reversal.

changing the frame through which you see an event. You can’t change past events, but you can see them through different lenses. People often spontaneously reframe an old event after tapping. An event that previously seemed traumatic may be placed in a neutral emotional frame.

a word, phrase, or sentence that helps the mind focus on the problem being treated. The Reminder Phrase is repeated during acupoint tapping. The aim is to bring the problem vividly into your experience, even though the emotionally triggering situation might not be present now.

Stage Two. Withdrawer Re-engagement and Pursuer Softening. In Stage Two of EFT, partners stay in contact with their softer feelings for longer. These feelings distil and a coherent attachment message emerges. Enactments focused on vulnerable, unmet attachment needs bring partners together in new ways.

Stage Two. Withdrawer Re-engagement and Pursuer Softening. In Stage Two of EFT, partners stay in contact with their softer feelings for longer. These feelings distil and a coherent attachment message emerges. Enactments focused on vulnerable, unmet attachment needs bring partners together in new ways.

a term from psychology that refers to the benefits of being sick or having a problem; examples of such benefits are receiving disability income, getting extra attention from loved ones, or having an excuse for avoiding unpleasant people or tasks.

the series of tapping points used in EFT’s standard round of tapping after the Setup Statement. The points in order are: (1) at the start of the eyebrow, where it joins the bridge of the nose; (2) on the outside edge of the eye socket; (3) on the bony ridge of the eye socket under the pupil; (4) under the nose; (5) between the lower lip and the chin; (6) the collarbone point (see Collarbone Point); and (7) the under the arm point (about four inches below the armpit; for women, this is where a bra strap crosses).

an opening statement said at the beginning of each EFT treatment that defines and helps neutralize the problem. In EFT, the standard Setup Statement is “Even though I have this _____ [problem], I fully and completely accept myself.”

Shame serves as a defence mechanism to avoid rejection. However, it also leads to hiding and disconnection, particularly in relationships. EFT helps clients unpack and reduce shame to support healthier emotional expression.

formerly known as the Karate Chop point, this acupoint is located on the fleshy outer portion of the hand. The EFT protocol calls for tapping on the SH point or rubbing the Sore Spot while repeating the Setup Statement.

a technique for concluding an EFT session when it is apparent that the work is incomplete. It names and describes the problem so as to honor the client’s process and affirm that there will be time later to address the problem fully.

one of the “gentle techniques” in EFT aimed at minimizing the level of distress when doing EFT. In cases of a devastating personal experience that is too intense to relive, this is a gentler approach in that the individual refers to the trauma only in general terms in the Setup and Reminder Phrases, such as “that awful event.” Note that the specificity usually recommended in EFT is intended to reconnect a person with the emotions of an event and thereby assist the process of EFT, but in cases of great distress even at the idea of thinking about the event, this is not necessary.

the spot on the upper chest just below the point where the collarbone joins the breastbone (one on each side) used as an alternative to the Karate Chop point during the Setup Statement, rubbing on it rather than tapping on it. To locate: from the U-shaped notch at the top of your sternum (breastbone), go down 2 or 3 inches toward your navel and sideways 2 or 3 inches to your left (or right). If you press vigorously in that area (within a 2-inch radius), you will find a spot that feels sore or tender. This happens because lymphatic congestion occurs there. When you rub it, you disperse that congestion.

EFT progresses through three stages, each with distinct goals:

  1. De-escalation – Reduce conflict and recognise the negative cycle.
  2. Restructuring the Bond – Partners connect through vulnerability.
  3. Consolidation – Build lasting relational security.

In this method, you narrate or tell out loud the story of a specific event dealing with trauma, grief, anger, and so on, and stop to tap whenever the story becomes emotionally intense. Each of the stopping points represents another aspect of the issue that, on occasion, will take you to even deeper issues. This technique is similar to the Movie Technique, except that in the Movie Technique, you simply watch past events unfold in your mind. In the Story Technique, you describe them out loud.

the mobilization of the body in the presence of a stressor to fight or flee; also called the fight-or-flight response, or the fight-flight-freeze response. When you’re stressed, the sympathetic branch of your autonomic nervous system (ANS) sends you into high alert. Part of this stress response is the release of stress hormones, notably cortisol and adrenaline. Note that merely thinking disturbing thoughts can trigger the stress response because your body can’t tell the difference between a stressful thought and a stressful event. You produce all the neurophysiology of stress in your body while having no objective reason to be on high alert. EFT halts the stress response by signalling to the body that there is no threat. This is why EFT is so effective at calming highly emotional states.

subjective units of distress (or alternatively, discomfort) scale, a 0-to-10 scale used in EFT to rate the degree of emotional or physical distress (from 0, no distress, to 10, maximum possible distress). A drop in the score signifies that the treatment is succeeding. The SUD scale was developed by psychiatrist Joseph Wolpe in the 1950s.

tapping on yourself on behalf of another person. The person can be present or not. Another way to perform surrogate or proxy tapping is to substitute a photograph, picture, or line drawing for the person and tap on that.

a metaphor used in EFT to explore and organize the contributing causes of a problem. The tabletop represents an overriding issue such as “self-esteem” or “procrastination.” The specific events that contributed to creating that tabletop are the table legs. A presenting problem may contain more than one tabletop.

the “yes, but” statements that create negative self-talk and counteract affirmations. For example, you might say, “I effortlessly maintain my goal weight” and a little voice whispers in your ear, “…in your dreams” (that’s the tail-ender). Other common examples of tail-enders are: That’s a laugh. Who are you trying to fool? Like you’ve never done before? Are you kidding? Tail-enders point the way to core issues. When you clear the core issues, the tail-enders disappear.

The EFT Tango includes five key interventions:

  1. Reflect the present process.
  2. Assemble and deepen emotions.
  3. Create emotional engagement using enactments.
  4. Process emotional sharing.
  5. Summarise and integrate progress.

an integral part of EFT. Testing your results throughout the tapping process is important to determine whether the direction you are taking is working or you should modify it. The basic scale used in EFT is the SUD scale, which works equally well for psychological problems such as anxiety and physical problems such as pain. See SUD Scale; Intensity Meter.

a scale to rate the degree of truth a statement has for a particular individual. It uses a 0-to10 scale, similar to the SUD scale, but in the case of the VOC scale, 0 represents no belief in the statement being rated and 10 represents unshakable conviction that it is true.

This term refers to the range of emotions and sensations a person can endure without becoming overwhelmed. EFT helps expand a client’s window, enabling them to process and share emotions constructively.

  • Withdrawers disconnect and avoid emotions when stressed, relying on logic over feelings. They often maintain a positive view of themselves but a negative view of others.
  • Pursuers move towards partners during distress, seeking connection through emotional expression but often becoming critical when rejected. Their view of self tends to be negative, while their view of others is positive.

(Stage Two, part one.) The more withdrawn partner befriends their inner-sensations and emotions, specifically attachment related fears, and risks to share with their partner. Incremental process, characterized by a drip, drip, drip of processing and sharing (Rheem). The bond is re-structured as a safe haven and secure base. In order to get a successful change event, withdrawer must be at an Experiencing Scale Level 4 (Klein, Mathieu, Gendlin & Keisler), which signifies sufficient depth of emotional experience.

Through a million interactions with their caregivers, most children have an internal sense of their own worthiness and the trustworthiness of others. (Bowlby, 1969) People carry this View-of-Self (VOS) and View-of-Other (VOO) into adulthood, and their love relationships benefit or suffer. EFT has the capacity to revise a negative VOS and VOO.

limiting beliefs and attitudes that result from cultural conditioning or family attitudes. These are often illogical and harmful yet very strong subconscious influences.