When we’re feeling stressed, it’s usually because our thoughts, whether conscious or not, are telling us that we’re in danger. Maybe not a life-or-death kind of danger, but something in our system is interpreting a situation as threatening or overwhelming.

The Impact of Stress

Stress isn’t just “in the mind.” It’s deeply rooted in our biology and affects everything:

• Sleep

• Digestion

• Motivation

• Immunity

• Mood

• Weight

• Pain levels

• Cognitive function

And over time, chronic stress can lead to anxiety, depression, and physical burnout. Our immune system weakens, and we become more vulnerable to illness and dis-ease.

Fight, Flight, Freeze... and Flop?

Our nervous system is incredibly wise. When we sense danger, the sympathetic nervous system kicks in. This is the well-known "fight or flight" response. As a result, our heart rate goes up, digestion and immune function pause, and the thinking part of our brain takes a back seat so we can react fast.

But when we feel that the danger is too much, something we can’t handle or escape, we may go into freeze. It’s like pressing the accelerator and the brake at the same time.

There’s also an even deeper state: flop or collapse, often triggered by what’s called "inescapable stimuli." This is where the vagus nerve steps in. It slows everything down. We might feel numb, disconnected, exhausted, even hopeless.

This is your body trying to protect you, and it doesn’t feel good.

EFT Tapping: A Simple Yet Powerful Way to Regulate

This is where EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) comes in. By gently tapping on specific acupressure points, while tuning into what’s troubling you, you can calm the nervous system, bring balance to the vagal nerve, and shift out of survival mode.

It’s been shown to lower cortisol (your stress hormone), reduce anxiety and pain, improve sleep and productivity, and even help with emotional patterns like self-doubt, fear, and trauma responses.

The Body’s Energy System – More Than a Metaphor

Tapping isn’t woo-woo, it’s rooted in the same principles as acupuncture. The body has a network of meridians, these are energy pathways where life force (chi) flows. These meridians have now been validated by modern science, with studies tracing how substances move differently through meridian points than through ordinary tissue.

When we tap, we’re not just calming the brain—we’re helping energy flow again.

Neuroscience, Learning & Healing

We used to believe the brain couldn’t change. The science shows us that’s not true. The brain is wonderfully adaptable as it can create new pathways and even bypass damaged areas.

With EFT, we can unwire old patterns, negative emotions like fear, shame, panic, or low self-worth, and relearn new ways of being that feel safe, grounded, and empowering.

EFT supports true reconsolidation of the old patterns, behaviours, negative emotions etc. For example, the panic doesn’t just get covered up, it gets released.

Thoughts, Feelings & Rewiring the Habit of Emotion

Every thought has a feeling. And every feeling, whether joy or despair, is something we practice, often without realising. If you’ve been feeling anxious, guilty, or unworthy for years, your body gets really good at going there.

But guess what? You can get just as good at feeling calm, confident, and clear. It takes practice, just like learning a musical instrument or a new skill. EFT helps you practice a new emotional baseline.

Epigenetics – You’re Not a Prisoner of Your DNA

Epigenetics shows us that your thoughts, behaviours, and environment can literally influence how your genes express themselves. You are not doomed by your past or your family history. The choices you make, including emotional healing, matter more than we ever realised.

This is another reason why EFT works so well, it helps you create internal safety, which influences your biology.

So, Does EFT Tapping Really Work?

In a word—yes.

Over 100 peer reviewed clinical studies, meta-analyses, and randomised controlled trials have shown EFT’s effectiveness, especially for PTSD, anxiety, depression, and physical pain. It’s as effective as, and sometimes more effective than, traditional approaches like CBT or EMDR.

By stimulating key acupressure points, we deactivate the stress response in the amygdala, and we engage the ventral vagus nerve, which puts the brakes on stress and helps us feel safe again.

Skeptical? That’s OK. Healthy skepticism is wise. But there’s more and more scientific support every year confirming what many of us intuitively knew: this simple practice changes lives.

Final Thoughts

Stress is part of life, but it doesn’t have to rule your life.
You can reclaim your calm. You can rewire how your body responds.
And you don’t have to do it alone.

If you're ready to explore EFT or want support calming your nervous system and feeling more like you again, reach out. You are more powerful than you think.