How tapping works: physiological and psychological mechanisms in energy psychology

What is it about?

This paper explains how tapping therapies like Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) might work in the body and brain, drawing on over 20 years of research. It shows that tapping on acupuncture points while thinking about a problem sends signals through the nervous system that quickly calm the brain’s fear centers and support new, healthier emotional learning. Studies have found that tapping can reduce stress hormones like cortisol, improve heart rate variability (a marker of healthy stress response), and ease symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, PTSD, and depression. Brain imaging and physiological data suggest that acupoint stimulation helps shift the body from “fight-or-flight” into a more relaxed, resilient state, making it easier to process difficult memories without becoming overwhelmed. The article also compares tapping to traditional exposure-based cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Both approaches involve briefly focusing on distressing memories, but tapping adds acupoint stimulation, which appears to dampen limbic arousal during exposure and may promote memory reconsolidation—the updating of old, distressing emotional responses with new, calmer ones. Overall, the paper proposes a step-by-step model linking what clients do in tapping sessions (recalling problems while stimulating specific points) to measurable changes in brain activity, stress biology, and symptoms. It concludes that while more large, rigorous studies are still needed, the growing evidence base supports tapping as a promising, science‑based addition to evidence‑informed mental health care.

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