Magazine article highlights use of EFT for children

By Syandra Ingram, MS, EFT-ADV

EFT - Not a Band-Aid!

As a school counselor, the sobering statistics of suicide, obesity, child abuse, drug abuse, teen pregnancy, and juvenile crime are disheartening.  I see children with so much loss, trauma and anxiety that it often felt like I was putting band-aids on gaping wounds.  These kids needed something more.  The vast majority of parents are good people who want to help their children, but don’t know how.  Many of them are the walking wounded - caregivers working two jobs who are just too tired to be there physically or emotionally for their children.  I desperately wanted something, anything that could actually help.

That’s how I discovered EFT, Emotional Freedom Techniques, an energy therapy based on the body’s meridian points.  A kind of “psychological acupressure,” EFT sounded too good to be true, but I was desperate so I started to use it on friends, family and myself. Amazed at the results, I finally tried it with my students.

Children love the unusual, and they responded beautifully to EFT.  I used it for everything!  The first grader whose baby sister died suddenly and now had to be pried from his mother’s leg each morning because of separation anxiety; the tearful 4th grader who is sad because her father hadn’t been home in months; an angry boy who thinks life isn’t fair and takes it out on his teacher; a whole group of 6th graders at high-risk for failing the state-mandated math test.  EFT worked!  I now had a tool that made a difference, and I was ready to take it to the classrooms.  But, how?

The how turned out to be this amazing, beautiful, cuddly teddy bear called TappyBear, with buttons that show where the meridian points are located.  I went into the classrooms and gave a brief explanation of the body’s energy system, explaining that when we get hurt, scared, or angry, it’s like a “zap” to our energy system, and sometimes creates an energy block.

I used the analogy of the body’s blood vessels and arteries, explaining that if we get a clot in a vein or artery, we can die.  When we get a “clot” in our energy system, that negative emotion that zapped us gets trapped.  That’s why some adults and children are so angry, sad, anxious, whatever.  They have lots of trapped negative emotions in their energy systems.

Then I showed them the buttons on TappyBear, saying that they are “almost like magic,” because they can dissolve the energy clots, which also dissolves the angry, sad or negative feelings.  Children are always ready to give it a try because they still believe in magic and happy endings. 

In the classroom, I selected an issue that several children could identify with, “I don’t like reading.”  Each student wrote down a number from 1 to 10 (with 10 being the strongest) indicating how much they didn’t like reading.  Then we began.

I told the students to tap the karate-chop point on their own bodies and repeat what I said.  I tapped the spot on TappyBear saying,

Even though I don’t like to read, I deeply and completely love and accept myself because I’m an awesome kid.  (Repeat 3 times)

Then I tapped on the rest of the spots on TappyBear as the students copied me.

Eyebrow:      I hate reading!

Side of Eye:  Reading’s too hard!

Under Eye:    Don’t understand what I read!

Under Nose:  Can’t remember what I read!

Chin:           Don’t like reading!

Collarbone:   Reading is torture!

Under Arm:   I hate reading!

Top of Head: It’s too hard!

We say the statements with a lot of emotion so the students get involved and strongly identify with their feelings about reading.  They love it when I say things like “Reading is torture!” because for some of them, it is!  For others, they may realize, “Well, it’s not all that bad!”  At the conclusion of the round, I ask the students to check their feelings to see if their numbers shifted.  Since the numbers do shift, it’s a great revelation to the students that they have the power to change their feelings about something!

I also use TappyBear in my office for individual and group counseling.  I now have five TappyBears so everyone in the group gets to hold their own.  The 5th grade boys are as eager to hold and tap on the bears as the 1st and 2nd grade girls.

Many of my students are already familiar with EFT and TappyBear just adds to the fun.  For students new to EFT, or for those who are very angry or distrustful, TappyBear is such a gentle, non-threatening way to introduce EFT.

Last week a new student came to me.  Billy had a lot to deal with, including an incarcerated parent, a shocking, unexpected death in the family, and the sudden death of a beloved pet.  He was saying things like, “I want to hurt myself” and “I might as well die.”  I briefly explained the body’s energy system, and we used the TappyBears.  Billy responded immediately and positively.  After a few rounds on the bears, we moved to tapping on ourselves.  Billy easily switched from tapping on the bear to tapping on himself.  I also noticed that he continued to hold the bear even when we tapped on ourselves.  Does Billy still have problems to deal with?  Of course he does, but now he has a tool he can use to help himself.

Our children face many challenges and need our help.  The introduction of EFT and TappyBear was so successful that my goal is for every school counselor to know about them.  It is an incredible life-changing technique and tool for kids and adults.  It would be wonderful if we could put EFT and a TappyBear in every classroom and home!

Syandra Ingram

About the Author:  Syandra Ingram, EFT-ADV, MS, is a certified counselor, Ordained Minister, and EFT-Advanced practitioner.  She has been an educator for 25 years, the last 10 of which have been as a school counselor in a Pre-K -6th grade campus.  She has two happily-married sons and makes her home in Pasadena, Texas.