NINA JOSHI RAMSEY
WRITER | SPEAKER | PRODUCER | TRAINER
Tapping (EFT) Session to follow for your own issue
Tap along with a Client in this recorded session
This Tapping session can be played and followed for your own issue. Full instructions are provided within on how to use it. It's the generalised approach I've used with groups, where members pick their own niggle to work through. For additional preparation, see guidance below.
The session was done with Mental Health Professional Kirti Soni, who takes the 'client' seat here and has given permission for sharing it. The session was originally recorded for two Facebook groups:
- The 'Covid-19 Mental Health Support Group' set up by Kirti Soni, a Mental Health Professional herself. The group shares advice, guidance and counselling from Professionals.
- My 'De-Stressible Me' group sharing de-stressing tips and techniques from myself and group members.
Preparation
This session can introduce you to the benefits of a self-management technique that helps with emotions and reactions in different situations. Serious and deeper issues are best done with 1-2-1 with a professional.
For the session, you may pick a specific small niggle or aim for general de-stressing. During the recording, you will be able to follow the preparation steps and tapping protocol. You can check for sparks of changes, shifts or general de-stressing.
Please do have with you water, paper and pen/pencil. Do exercise self-care for your wellbeing by aiming for relaxation and de-stressing or picking a minor and manageable niggle if you are focusing on an issue.
It is not possible to provide 1-2-1 support during the recorded or any group session. If you need to talk to someone after, please do follow up with that, whether helpline, friend, counsellor. If you have a health condition, please take guidance from your health practitioner about whether to take part.
Requirements
Below are some helpful guidelines for yourself during the session.
- Be authentic, respectful and kind to yourself
- Be honest with yourself
- Be open or prepared for self-acceptance
- Work only on what you feel comfortable with.
- Choose a manageable niggle or choose to help yourself de-stress/relax
- Be open to new experiences
- Exercise self-care, both during the session, after and also ensuring if you have health conditions that you have taken the guidance of your medical practitioner.
- Smile – it helps your inner balancing system.
We will finish with a beautiful, relaxing visualisation exercise.
NB. This is a generic recorded session to help people learn an easy way to help themselves.
Muscle Relaxation, Cleansing & Healing Energy Exercise
"Helps me sleep. Thank you!!"
"This is fabulous! Just Brilliant!"
"Amazing! This helped me feel so relaxed.
Thank you so much!"
"This is fabulous! Just Brilliant!"
What is Tapping? How & why I started.
Overcoming fear of water to swim with a Whale Shark
(with a video cam)
What is EFT?
You may have heard of tapping and its use in wellbeing, stress-relief, mental and emotional health. If you haven’t a brief description is:
“EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Technique. It was founded by Gary Craig in 1995. Its earlier forms involved stimulating the acupuncture meridians while tapping on them with the fingertips. That’s why it is often called Tapping.”
– The Gary Craig Official EFT Training Centres.
Gary Craig, previously an engineer from Stamford, determined a subset of accupressure points from the vast number that exists to help lay people work on their own issues by tapping on them, thus stimulating a vibration in the relevant meridian. The subset of points together covered all the meridian lines, so all organs were covered, and any related wellbeing elements, like emotions.
A 'gold standard' protocol was developed, for tapping and included some pre-NLP like steps as well. I talk about some of the background in the video, but suffice to say tapping on the points can help shift conditioned responses to triggers. Once learned, the protocol can be tried for any issue.
The recorded session on this page has been designed to enable people to tap along on specific niggles or general de-stressing in the privacy of their own spaces.
The first problem I tackled with Tapping
For a lot of my life, I had a fear of being in water, triggered by a childhood incident. My response to being in water, specifically deep or open water, used to be of fear - hyper-ventilating, sweating and feeling terrified.
I finally decided to do something about it so I could join my partner for snorkelling. I didn’t want to miss out on that slice of life.
Approach
I looked around for anything that could help. Around 2003, I came across EFT on the internet and the piece mentioned resolving fear of water. I sent off for the CDs and watched one of a practical tapping session by Gary Craig, the Founder. He was helping someone get over the fear of water.
I followed along and then did the self-help version of EFT, and gradually started to get over my own fear. With the help of a patient partner and this tapping tool literally at my fingertips, I tapped whenever the fear arose, whether thinking about being in water or actually being in it.
I started to overcome my previous fear response to being in water and also experienced a generalised calming effect. After all, if the tapping could help with that, what else could it help with?
Effect
“I have now swum in open waters with various marine life from manta rays, to seals, pnguins, turtles, several types of sharks, and more. My most recent marine video is a dream come true of being in the water with the biggest fish, a whale shark, in open waters, not a controlled set-up. It swam gracefully towards me, under me and then away into the deep blue sea.
Useful for relaxation, stress relief & niggles
Over the years, I went on to become a practitioner and trainer in EFT and other modalities. My Psychology Postgraduate Diploma at Masters Level focussed on stress management and effective techniques. I have an interest in stress because of the pervasiveness of stress at work, home, schools and in the community. The load stress can put on our minds and bodies compromises our immunity and wellbeing.
I realised EFT could help relieve stress, tension, shift conditioned responses to triggers, and more. Having trained as a practitioner and previosly trainer as well, I started doing online group sessions during the pandemic to help people experience tapping and relieve stress. Many more people are benefitting now. The personal and domino effects of this can bring much needed balance to our lives.
(If you have a health condition, please take your medical practitioner's guidance about taking part in the Tapping session)
Stress Management
Relaxation Audio
"Soothing and relaxing"
3 Powerful Self- Coaching Exercises
I am a huge fan of self-coaching alongside professional coaching. Below I am sharing three exercises I have found helpful over the years.
1. Bring back balance with the square breathing exercise.
Stress starts off with perception of a situation that triggers a reaction.
One of the reactions is fast shallow breathing. By including controlled, calm breathing, you kickstart the opposite mechanism - the parasympathetic system.
Breath in through the nostrils to a count of 4. Hold to a count of 4. Breath out through your mouth to a count of 4. Hold to a count of 4. Repeat 4 times.
2. Digging deeper with 'Why is this important?'
This is an iterative exercise. Get a pen and blank paper. Write the problem statement at the top of the page. Now ask the question 'Why is this important?'
With spokes coming out of the problem statement write down as many answers or reasons you can think of that make the problem... well... problematic.
Now intuitively feel the one answer or that has the strongest charge within you. Ask the question about that now. 'Why is this important?'
Keep drilling down 8-10 levels. You will find out more about yourself and the world beneath the problem, and even have some resolution or idea of how to resolve the underlying issue.
3. Perspective shifting
Stress is a hangover of our evolved survival response and starts off with perception of a situation - most likely where your perceived demands are more than your perceived resources.
Imagine yourself 20 years from now, looking back at the situation. Really feel the energy of that person you became. If need be, imagine your surroundings, smile, change your breathing, etc. Do this for about 30-45 seconds first.
Then consider your younger self and give some guidance and perspective on how to approach the issue.
(If you prefer, you can imagine yourself as your role model, other professional, etc instead or as well as)
Practice works
Hope the exercises bring some light and help to the issue you were looking at. Often, you'll find practice hones your skillsset at coaching yourself.
Good luck with everything.
NJR