EFT for Anxiety: A Natural Way to Find Calm and Emotional Balance.

Nancy Williams-Foley • 8 January 2025

EFT for Anxiety: A Natural Way to Find Calm and Emotional Balance

Anxiety can feel overwhelming and all-encompassing, affecting your thoughts, emotions, and even your body. While there are many tools to manage anxiety, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), also known as tapping, offer a unique and natural approach to finding relief.


EFT combines the principles of acupressure and cognitive therapy to address the emotional and physical symptoms of anxiety. In this blog, we’ll explore how EFT works, the science behind it, and how it can help you regain control and calm.


What is EFT and How Does It Work?

EFT involves tapping on specific points on the body—commonly referred to as acupressure points—while focusing on the emotions or thoughts contributing to your anxiety. This combination helps to regulate the nervous system and reduce the intensity of negative feelings.

  • Acupressure Points: The points tapped during EFT correspond to traditional acupuncture points, stimulating the body’s energy flow.
  • Focused Awareness: While tapping, you focus on the problem you want to address and repeat affirming statements, such as “Even though I feel anxious, I deeply and completely accept myself.”

This dual action of tapping and affirming helps interrupt the body’s stress response and promotes a sense of calm.


The Science Behind EFT and Anxiety Relief

Studies have shown that EFT can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety. Research indicates that tapping helps lower cortisol levels, the hormone responsible for the body’s fight-or-flight response. By calming the nervous system, EFT creates a more balanced state in both the body and mind.

In a 2019 study, participants who used EFT experienced a significant decrease in anxiety levels compared to those who received traditional talk therapy alone. This suggests that EFT can be a powerful complement to other therapeutic methods.


How EFT Supports Emotional Wellbeing

EFT is particularly effective for anxiety because it addresses both the emotional and physical components of the condition. Key benefits include:

  • Releasing Emotional Blocks: Tapping helps to clear the emotional triggers and patterns fueling anxiety, creating space for clarity and calm.
  • Calming Physical Symptoms: EFT reduces physical sensations of anxiety, such as a racing heart or tight chest, by signaling the body to relax.
  • Empowering Self-Help: Once you learn EFT, it becomes a tool you can use anywhere, giving you a sense of control over your emotional state.


What Happens in an EFT Session?

During an EFT session, your practitioner will guide you through:

  1. Identifying the Issue: You’ll focus on a specific anxiety-provoking thought or feeling.
  2. Rating the Intensity: You’ll rate the intensity of the emotion on a scale of 0 to 10 to track progress.
  3. Tapping Sequence: Your practitioner will lead you through tapping on points like the side of the hand, under the eyes, and collarbone while repeating affirming phrases.
  4. Reassessment: You’ll reassess the intensity of the emotion and continue tapping until the anxiety feels significantly reduced.

This process is gentle, client-led, and designed to ensure you feel safe and supported throughout.


Who Can Benefit from EFT for Anxiety?

EFT is effective for a wide range of anxiety-related issues, including:

  • Generalised anxiety
  • Social anxiety
  • Fear of public speaking
  • Worries about the future
  • Panic attacks

Whether you experience mild anxiety or more severe symptoms, EFT can be tailored to meet your needs.


Why Choose EFT for Anxiety Relief?

One of the greatest benefits of EFT is its accessibility. It’s a simple technique you can learn and use in your daily life, empowering you to manage anxiety whenever it arises. Unlike medication, EFT has no side effects, making it an appealing option for those seeking a natural approach.


By integrating EFT into your wellness routine, you can create a powerful tool for emotional regulation and self-care.


Finding Calm, One Tap at a Time

Anxiety doesn’t have to control your life. EFT offers a natural, effective way to release the grip of anxious thoughts and find calm in the moment. By addressing both the emotional and physical aspects of anxiety, EFT provides lasting relief and empowers you to face challenges with greater ease.


If you’re curious about how EFT can support your anxiety journey, reach out to learn more. Together, we can explore how this transformative technique can help you reclaim your calm and confidence. Contact us here.

by Nancy Williams-Foley 12 December 2025
There's a moment I see often in therapy sessions - a quiet pause, a long exhale, and then a sentence spoken with frustration, sadness, or confusion:
Sunset over the ocean.
by Nancy Williams-Foley 9 December 2025
Some grief has no clear event but still lives in the body. Explore why quiet, unspoken grief feels so heavy and how therapy can support gentle emotional healing.
Man in a shirt leaning against a wall taking glasses off
by Nancy Williams-Foley 6 December 2025
Feeling tired but unable to switch off? Learn why high-functioning burnout leaves you wired at night
by Nancy Williams-Foley 3 December 2025
There’s a particular kind of exhaustion that doesn’t arrive suddenly.
by Nancy Williams-Foley 25 November 2025
Some days you wake up feeling steady, grounded, and able to meet life as it is.
by Nancy Williams-Foley 18 November 2025
You can have a steady mind and a tense body at the same time - and it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. It simply means your nervous system is operating on a different timeline than your thoughts.
women reaching hands up into the sunset looking free
by Nancy Williams-Foley 11 November 2025
Healing takes time. Discover why progress can fluctuate and how acupuncture and therapy help the body and mind find lasting balance and resilience.
by Nancy Williams-Foley 8 November 2025
A few weeks ago, a new client came to see me after three long weeks of neck and arm pain.
person laying down having acupuncture
by Nancy Williams-Foley 28 October 2025
Discover how acupuncture can ease bloating, IBS, and stress-related gut issues by supporting the gut-brain connection and restoring digestive balance naturally.
women in bed in the dark face under covers unable to sleep
by Nancy Williams-Foley 21 October 2025
Find out why anxiety often feels stronger at night and how to calm racing thoughts. Learn gentle ways to support better sleep and ease the nervous system naturally.
Calm sea with clouds in the sky and  sunlight beaming down in rays through the clouds
by Nancy Williams-Foley 17 October 2025
Anxiety doesn’t just live in your mind - it lives in your body. Learn why thinking harder doesn’t help and how acupuncture, reflexology and EFT can calm the nervous system.
by Nancy Williams-Foley 15 October 2025
Not everyone with anxiety feels anxious.
More posts