The aroma of sizzling garlic and herbs filled the kitchen, a symphony that usually fills me with delight. Today, however, my culinary groove hit a sour note. I pulled a cast iron pan out of a hot oven, Placing it on the counter. I took off My oven mitt to grab something else. Then in a moment of absent mindedness, I immediately grabbed the pan again without the protective mitt.. Big mistake.
A jolt of intense pain gripped my hand. The heat clinging to my skin like an angry wasp as my hand grew fiery red and started to blister. But I had a secret weapon that I used to reverse all of that in short order. I’ll share that in a minute but first…
Several years ago, I was working with a woman who had been suffering with a debilitating nerve injury in her foot. It was to the point where she could not work and she could not exercise or hike in the ways that gave her joy. After several years of being incapacitated it was robbing her of her self confidence.
By the time I met her, she had undergone a few different surgeries and seen many specialists and was on frequent pain meds. We spent a couple months working together. In that time we explored when the pain started and what was happening in her life at that time. We explored both the physical and emotional impact in the present day. We examined the impact of the messages she received from her physicians and we looked at the impact on her closest relationships, including any hidden benefits to her pain.
Over the course of our work together she had less and less pain. While it did not completely resolve, we removed about 85 percent of her pain and quieted what remained down to a level that allowed her to function in ways she had not for years. In fact she went back to work and was even able to start hiking again and doing errands for her family.
There was so much relief, that towards the end of our time together we were working on the feelings that came up around being able to function again after so long of thinking it would not be possible for her to live a normal life.
So what was the secret you may ask? While we explored verbally, we also used EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) aka Tapping to provide relief.
What is EFT Tapping?
EFT tapping is a mind-body technique that combines elements of acupressure, exposure therapy and cognitive reframing. By gently tapping on specific acupressure points while focusing on the pain and related emotions, EFT aims to disrupt the energy blockages believed to contribute to discomfort, whether that discomfort is primarily physical or emotional. All pain and in fact all illness has an emotional component to it. Those emotions can support us in our healing and they can also limit us or make things worse.
How Can EFT Help with Pain?
Research suggests EFT can influence pain perception in a few ways:
Reduces stress hormones: Stress can exacerbate pain, and EFT has been shown to help lower cortisol levels, promoting relaxation and potentially reducing pain intensity.
Improves emotional regulation: Negative emotions like fear, frustration, self blame and more can amplify pain. EFT can help you release these emotions, allowing you to focus on managing the discomfort more effectively. We are not simply tapping on the pain itself but also all the underlying stories that hold it in place.
Modulates pain pathways: Studies suggest EFT influences brain regions involved in pain processing, allowing for a release of endogenous opioids that lead to a decrease in pain.
Who Can Benefit from EFT Tapping for Pain?
(EFT is used for many forms of pain, such as fear, anxiety, trauma, habit formation and more, though in this article we are focusing our discussion on physical pain.)
EFT tapping has been shown to be helpful for various pain conditions, including:
Headaches and migraines
Back pain
Arthritis pain
Fibromyalgia
Sports injuries
Post-surgical pain
When working with my own burn, I tapped on relieving the pain itself. I tapped on not needing to blister in order to heal and I tapped on any feelings of foolishness for making the mistake of grabbing a hot pan without protection. It’s still feels amzing thinking back on how much releif I recieved.
Here’s what another client of mine had to say:
“My tapping sessions have been transformative. Guided by Gregg, I was able to gain a deeper awareness of my own emotional blocks, defense mechanisms, and strengths. Gregg is both incredibly perceptive and intuitive, and he employs both to great benefit throughout a session. I was initially skeptical to try a tapping session to treat a throbbing migraine, but under one hour later, I was both pain free, and a believer. I also tapped with Gregg before a high pressure licensure exam. Although I cannot attribute my success wholly to our pre-exam tapping session, I am certain that it helped me to maintain equanimity in the face of incredible stress. There is a saying that ‘some things scratch the surface while others strike at your soul’; Gregg truly touches one’s soul.” -Velainor P.
It’s important to note that EFT is not a replacement for traditional medical care. I certainly can’t guarantee you’ll get the results above. However, if you are suffering with pain whether acute (surgery, and injury etc.) or chronic, EFT can be an extremely beneficial complementary approach, potentially reducing reliance on medication and offering a more holistic pain management strategy that includes the full you.
While working with a practitioner allows you to explore the deeper layers and to be more specific, you might be surprised at what you can accomplish on your own. Here’s a tapping meditation I made for a friend several years ago when she burned herself. Even though the video focuses on a burn, you can substitute whatever pain (including emotional pain) you are feeling as you tap along:
Tapping For Burn Pain
You can also find an excellent documentary on YouTube from the folks at The Tapping Solution that shares some pretty incredible results on pain and more when 10 individuals were brought to a weekend retreat on tapping.
If you’d like to discuss How I can support you with your pain, whether physical or emotional, reach out and let’s explore. Or simply book a free call here. https://calendly.com/inconnectionwithnature/45-minute
Ready for some relief? Mention this article and receive a 20% discount on any coaching or tapping package of 4 or more sessions. Let's work together to achieve your goals.
Would you like support:
Book a call to see if we’re a good fit to work together to finally eliminate your anxiety, overwhelm, and self-doubt to create the life you want.
Learn more about my coaching style.
For immediate support, Subscribe to my podcast, Permission to Be Your Full Self