1. e.boath@staffs.ac.uk Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT): Tapping your way to a stress free pregnancy Dr Elizabeth Boath Associate Professor in Health

2. Academic Psychologist Postnatal Depression National Teaching Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Co-chair AAMET Research Committee – Association for the Advancement of Meridian and Energy Techniques Advanced EFT Practitioner Clinical Hypnotherapist Matrix Reimprinting Practitioner Coaching student...and more MY MIND BODY CONNECTION!

3. EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Techniques Sometimes called tapping or acupuncture without needles A gentle therapy, used for a wide range of emotional issues Involves tapping on acupressure points on the head, hands and body, while focusing on a specific issue A simple exercise that calms you so that you can think more clearly about your problem and do something about it Empowering as people can help themselves Once you have learned EFT, it is literally at your finger tips Potentially efficient and cost effective - Average number of sessions 4-5, compared to 10- 12 for CBT (Stewart et al., 2013) Used by psychologists, counsellors, health professionals and complementary therapists in the NHS, in education and coaching https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lb9CMFApdg EFT: SO, WHAT’S THAT THEN?

4. Stress & Anxiety Panic attacks and fear Phobias e.g. tokophobia Painful emotions/memories Physical pain Depression Grief and loss Allergies Addictions Weight loss Low self-esteem Compulsions and obsessions Sleeping problems Low confidence Traumatic memories Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Gaining energy … Try it on Everything! EFT CAN BE USED FOR…

5. I had to have another unplanned C Section, but the whole process went smoothly…having the session with the Mental Health Midwife at the hospital and then yourself [EFT]… recapping the benefits…tapping, certainly helped me through my pregnancy and I was a lot less anxious. Thank you again.

6. THE TAPPING POINTS

7. TAPPING POINTS - HAND

8. Does it matter which hand? NO Can you switch hands while tapping? YES Can you tap with both hands? YES How many taps on each spot? 7 is most common, but sometimes more or less is better Do you need to tap at all? NO,Touch and breathe/intention Will EFT take away natural (and healthy) emotional responses to situations? NO, positive EFT taps in positive emotions FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

9. How long do treatment results last? Often forever. Untreated aspects can make it appear like it “comes back” Does EFT need to be repeated? Sometimes, on a different aspect, but if it worked once, it usually works when repeated Do you need to tap the points in the same order? NO, you can vary it Do you need to tap all the points? NO, you can just tap on a few, or ‘your spot’ Do you have to believe in the treatment for it to work? NO!!

10. Basic tapping “Your Point” Concept Constricted Breathing YIKES…LETS GET TAPPING!

11. Most people do NOT breath fully – Especially when anxious or stressed Breathe in 3 times as slowly as fully as you can…Don’t force it! Assess % of full breath and remember it Practice EFT Take another full breath Assess % of full breath What level are you at now? CONSTRICTED BREATHING TECHNIQUE

12. On a scale of 0 to 10 (Wolpe, 1958) 10 = worst ever 0 = no longer a problem How much does this problem bother you NOW? If don’t know – guess SUBJECTIVE UNITS OF DISTRESS (SUDS)

13. Boath, EH. Stewart, A & Carryer, A (2013) Is Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) as effective with Complementary therapy students as Sport Science students? Energy Psychology:Theory, Research, and Treatment, doi 10.9769.EPJ.2013.5.2.EB.AC.AS.SU Boath, EH, Chensaw, C & Bradley, E (2013) Meeting the Challenges of Teenage Mothers with Postpartum Depression: Overcoming Stigma through Support. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, DOI: 10.1080/02646838.2013.800635 Boath, EH. Stewart, A & Carryer, A, Walton, I, Hill, L & Dawson, K (2013) Can Matrix Reimprinting Be Effective in the Treatment of Emotional Conditions in a Public Health Setting? Results of a U.K. Pilot Study. Energy Psychology:Theory, Research, and Treatment, DOI: 10.9769.EPJ.2013.5.1.AS.EB.AC.IW.LH.DP.KD Stewart A, Boath EH, Carryer A, Walton I & Hill L (2013) Can Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) be effective in the treatment of emotional conditions? Results of a Service Evaluation in Sandwell. Psychological Therapies in Primary care, 2 (1),71-84 Boath, EH. Stewart, A & Carryer, A (2013) Tapping for success: Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) for enhancing academic performance in University students Innovative Practice in Higher Education, I(3), http://www.staffs.ac.uk/ipihe. Boath, EH., Stewart, T & Carryer A. (2012) A narrative systematic review of the effectiveness of Emotional Freedoms Technique (EFT). Staffordshire University, CPSI Monograph. http://www.staffs.ac.uk/faculties/health/research/cpsi/areas_of_focus.jsp Boath, EH. Stewart, A & Carryer, A (2012) Tapping for PEAS: Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT ) in reducing Presentation Expression Anxiety Syndrome (PEAS) in University students. Innovative Practice in Higher Education, 1(2), 1-12. http://www.staffs.ac.uk/ipihe ADDING TO THE GROWING BODY OF RESEARCH

14. Boath EH, Good, R, Tsaroucha, A, Stewart, A, Pitch, S. (In press) Tapping your way to success: using Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to reduce anxiety and improve communication skills in Social Work Students, Health And Social Care Education. Health and Social Care Education Boughey, A, Boath, A & Stewart A (Submitted) Efficacy of Emotional Freedom Technique ( EFT) or Thought Field Therapy (TFT) for anxiety: A narrative systematic review. Submitted to Energy Psychology:Theory, Research, and Treatment Cowap, L Boath, E & Stewart, A (submitted) The Effectiveness of Emotional Freedom Techniques as a treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review. Submitted to Health Psychology Church, D, Stern, S, Boath, E, Stewart, A, Feinstein, D & Palmer-Hoffman, J (submitted) Using Emotional Freedom Techniques to Treat PTSD in Veterans: A Systematic Review of the Evidence and Proposed Clinical Guidelines. Submitted to Medical Care EFT PUBLICATIONS COMING SOON

15. Hope you have had a top tapping time! How would you use EFT?