Posted January 6, 2025

Energy psychology encompasses a range of treatments that utilize somatic interventions to promote psychological change by influencing the body’s electromagnetic signaling systems. The most popular and systematically investigated of these modalities is Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). The distinctive feature of the approach is the stimulation of acupuncture points (acupoints) by having the client tap on them while simultaneously using words and imagery that evoke clinically relevant memories, emotions, and cognitions. Strong outcomes using the approach have been documented in more than 200 peer-reviewed clinical trials. While tapping on the body to heal emotional trauma or to change longstanding behavioral patterns is an unconventional approach, this growing body of efficacy evidence warrants scrutiny into potential mechanisms of action.