In today’s fast-paced, often overwhelming world, children and teenagers can find themselves grappling with a wide range of intense feelings- from anxiety, fear to anger and sadness. These emotions, if left unchecked can lead to behavioural challenges, poor academic performance and even long-term mental health issues.
This is where EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) Tapping can be a gamechanger. This simple, yet powerful, mind and body practice involves gently tapping with the fingertips on specific acupressure points on the body while focusing on a particular emotion or problem. The tapping is believed to send calming signals to the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for processing emotions and triggering the stress response.
For children and adolescents, the simple process of tapping and focusing on their feelings can help them become more aware of their internal experiences – a vital first step in developing emotional regulation skills. As they practise EFT, they learn to identify triggers, name their emotions and find constructive ways to manage them. Before we begin, I ask the client to rate their emotional distress on a scale of 0-10. I then ask them to think, visualise in great detail the problem/feeling/ situation that is causing this distress as we tap in a sequential order. After about 2-3 rounds of it, I then check in with them to rate their distress levels now on a scale of 0-10 again. In most cases, clients have reported their distress being reduced to half in just 2 or 3 cycles.
The physical act of tapping has a calming, grounding effect, similar to deep breathing or other sensory-based coping strategies. It is particularly effective with young individuals who find it difficult to pause or struggle with impulsivity.
This simple portable technique can be taught and practised anywhere. Imagine a situation where your child is feeling overwhelmed by anxiety before a big test. Instead of watching them spiral into a state of panic, you can teach them the EFT tapping sequence and encourage them to focus on their breathing and the sensations of their fingertips. The simple intervention can help them regain a sense of control and approach the challenge with a clearer, calmer, mindset.