After receiving a doctoral degree in clinical hypnotherapy, I was flooded with referrals for weight loss and smoking cessation. While hypnosis is wonderfully relaxing and many clients quit smoking and lost weight when working with me, nothing prepared me for the success stories of my patients when I started using EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUES (EFT) for weight loss and other addictive processes.

EFT is a form of psychological acupressure. By tapping on designated stress-relief points on the face and the body that correspond with acupuncture points, we rebalance the inner energy system, and the body and mind return to healthy, peak functioning. EFT can be used for phobias, general anxiety, pain control, low self-esteem, grief, guilt, shame and many other psychological or physiological challenges. As you will see, EFT is especially helpful with addictions and weight loss.

Everyone knows diets don't work. Just ask the millions of people who can't keep the weight off after depriving themselves for months with a low calorie diet that works through deprivation. People regain weight because diet and exercise do not address the underlying issues that cause overeating in the first place. The reason people eat (or smoke or drink) to excess is to tranquilize their anxiety, fill their depression, avoid relationship conflict, reduce overall stress, and numb other unpleasant emotional states or moods. Food plans and exercise regimes do not access and treat these underlying reasons for overeating.

When working with EFT for weight loss, underlying emotional states must be uncovered and treated for there to be long-term progress. Below is a list of typical feelings that fuel overeating, smoking and substance abuse:

1. Abandonment

2. Inadequacy

3. Chronic Guilt

4. Anger

5. Loss

6. Loneliness

7. Deprivation

8. Shame

9. Fear

10. Grief

While the above emotions (and low self-esteem) greatly contribute to sabotage behavior and using food (or other substances) as tranquilizers, our deeply held limiting beliefs are also behind all addictive cycles. Weight loss clients have limiting beliefs that they hold onto that compel them to fail, gain weight or sabotage themselves after making headway. The nature of beliefs of course is that they seem true, or factual- when they are really just thoughts and feelings we continue to think, practice, reactivate and support. I have seen some amazing success stories when a person's limiting beliefs have been exposed and transformed with EFT. Some of the common limiting beliefs I have worked with that inhibit progress are:

1. I'm too old to lose the weight now.

10. I'm not good enough, smart enough, fast enough, lucky enough...

Other challenges that weight loss clients face are 1. immediate food cravings, 2. specific times of the day when loneliness, anxiety, or hurt surface, and 3. general stress from work and family. Under these conditions, people typically reach for food to soothe themselves and "stuff" their feelings.

When I started using EFT with clients for food cravings and general anxiety, I heard statements such as "This is different than anything I have felt...what are you doing?" and "I've never felt in control of my compulsive overeating before..."

What was I doing? In Energy Therapy jargon, I was rebalancing the energy system by tapping on the endpoints of meridians to eliminate symptoms and underlying drivers of destructive behavior. The EFT process includes a setup statement that combines a positive affirmation with a description of the problem. After repeating this phrase out loud while tapping the karate chop point, the client then taps the remaining series of points using a reminder phrase.

For example, a client named "Corinne" came in with her favorite brand of chocolate, convinced she would never be able to resist it. After smelling and looking at the chocolate, (her "drug of choice") she rated her craving on a 0-10 point scale at a "9." The standard setup statement was as follows:

"Even though I have this strong chocolate craving, I deeply and completely accept myself."

Corinne then tapped on the remaining acupressure points while using the reminder phrase, "my chocolate craving."

We continued with another standard tapping round:

"Even though I still have this strong craving, I deeply and completely accept myself."

After two rounds of tapping the endpoints of the meridians while focusing on the discomfort of the craving, her craving was reduced to a "2" from the original "9." She was flabbergasted and confused by what had happened and said she didn't feel a need to eat it anymore. I assured her that if she could reduce her cravings this quickly, she would be sure to stay on her diet plan and succeed at reaching her weight loss goals.

Underlying feelings that have been hidden by the craving surface during EFT treatment. Corinne admitted feeling chronic anxiety about her job and told me she never felt she did enough. After further exploration, she reported that frankly, she didn't think she was enough. These two themes (often triggered during childhood by a variety of incidents) surface regularly when I work with weight loss clients.

We tapped a few more rounds on these feelings as follows:

"Even though I'm not enough, and I'm afraid there won't be enough, I deeply and completely love and accept myself."

"Even though I've always felt inadequate, I deeply and completely accept myself."

Corinne continued to uncover themes and feelings that blocked her progress and kept her sabotaging her own success. She had had no idea that emotions were driving her to overeat; all she knew was that she felt out of control within 100 miles of sugar and despite her best intentions, continued to fail at keeping her weight off. Needless to say, we were both thrilled.

I have helped hundreds of clients tap away their cravings, their underlying anxiety, grief feelings, leftover abandonment issues from childhood, feelings of deprivation and negative beliefs that have kept them from losing weight and, more importantly, keeping it off. 



CINDY'S EXPERIENCE

Cindy's biggest weaknesses were candy bars and/or salty chips in the evening when she felt lonely and empty. She also tended to make poor eating choices when she felt stress during the work week, however she was not a binge eater.

I asked Cindy what she thought made her feel so lonely. "Recently we had to move to a new city because my husband lost his job. I am now working out of my home and feel lonely because I am not in a regular office. We also had to sell my first home. It wasn't big, but it was all ours and we put a lot of care into it. I never thought I would own my own home, and when I did, it got taken away from me. I don't think I ever got over that loss." I taught Cindy how to use the EFT tapping procedure for this grief and loneliness that drove her to overeat at night. She was surprised at the level of tears and grieving that surfaced over selling her home and leaving a town where she felt accepted and known. The tapping gave her immediate relief and soon Cindy noticed she didn't feel empty and driven to overeat at night and was able to pass up her candy bars and chips.

I asked Cindy what other conflicts might be leading her to use food to feel better. "I have always overeaten due to daily stress because I don't know how to handle it. I have never had good coping mechanisms for my work and family life issues." We used EFT for her job pressure, her fear of being fired, her tendency to overwork, and her anger at her parents for not taking good care of her when she was growing up.

Cindy has lost 22 pounds in 6 months after diligently using EFT for her cravings and her underlying emotional conflicts.

Cindy recently recapped her progress: "I know now that I have a great daily tool for my stress and I tap all the time. I have switched from "emotional eating" to choosing good foods and listening to my body before I eat. I now plan my meals and do not have such an emotional attachment to food. I no longer crave candy bars and chips and I feel more comfortable and secure at night even when I am alone." It is important to note that Cindy has lost 22 pounds without beginning an exercise program. She felt certain that her body was "holding on to" extra pounds as protection in her new and unfamiliar surroundings.

Cindy added an important "P.S."While EFT is a great tool for my emotions, I also use it because it works so well on my physical problems. I have successfully used it on my sinus problems, my knee pain and my shingles outbreak."


Contact:
For a complete diagram of the tapping points, a description of the trreatment process, training manuals, videotapes and upcoming seminar seminars demonstrating Weight Loss Treatment with EFT, please go to www.CarolLook.com.