Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) was developed from the ancient Chinese meridian energy system and brings together Ancient Eastern wisdom and modern Western philosophies in what is probably the fastest-growing new approach in the history of therapy.

It begins with the assumption that we are all energy configurations, and that when we experience negative emotions they are caused by a disruption in our energy systems. It uses tapping on key points on the body’s meridians while thinking of a specific issue or emotion to rebalance the energy. It is often descried as “emotional acupuncture without needles.”

Shifting energy changes the way our brains process information about a particular issue. So tapping while tuned in to the issue is like rewiring or re-routing the brain's conditioned negative response. It changes both feelings and thinking.

Part of EFT’s appeal is that anyone can learn it and use it for themselves. Yet its simplicity is, in a sense, deceptive. For it lends itself both to this simple, effective self-help and to sophisticated depth work on complex issues with skilled and experienced therapists.

Therapists with no experience of EFT are often concerned that it does not provide insight. Those who use it frequently would argue exactly the opposite. It lends itself beautifully to reframes. Even better, once the emotional static has been removed from the system clients often make their own spontaneous reframes. It also lends itself to practitioners bringing to it the learning and skills they have from other places. NLP, hypnotic language, an understanding of reframing all particularly enrich EFT work.

There are many ways to learn EFT. Good sources of information include htp://www.eftuniverse.com, to which the library moved after EFT founder, Gary Craig, cetired and closed the original official site. Gary Craig also made a series of DVDs which are now available to hire from the same site.

The original website also had some excellent forums on a wide range of topics. These have moved to http://www.eftmastersworldwide.com  Mastersworldwide is also rich in learning resources.

In the UK there are EFT workshops at which you can have an introduction to the theory and practice of EFT, take your EFT training to a level where it will incorporate into your therapy practice, and learn more advanced techniques.  Trainers are certified and the syllabus set by the AAMET (the Associaton for the Advancement of Meridian Energy Therapies.)  If you want a quality course look for one run by an AAMET-approved trainer.

The UK masters  are some of the most experienced trainers in the country.  You will find details of when and where they are doing courses on this website.

We have all studied Gary's work in detail and hold him in high regard.  However, tapping on the meridians is a flexible and robust technique and the courses we run will also reflect some of our own experience and expertize.

When you do practitioner level training with an AAMET trainer and submit three satisfactory case studies you can join the Association for the Advancement of Meridian Energy Therapies, and list your practice on the website which is www.aamet.org.