Table of Contents

Table of Contents Help

The tabs on the right are shortcuts to where you have been:

  • Previous Screen
  • Previous Articles
  • Previous Categories
  • Start Page
  • Hide Entire Menu

Swiping to the left will take you to the previous screen.

The folder icon indicates that more content is available. Click on the icon or the associated text, or swipe to the right to see the additional content.

Articles & Ideas

General

Methods for getting to deep issues, even in a group setting

Important Note: This article was written prior to 2010 and is now outdated. Please use my newest advancement, Optimal EFT. It is more efficient, more powerful and clearly explained in my free e-book, The Unseen Therapist™.  Best wishes, Gary

Note: This article assumes you have a working knowledge of EFT. Newcomers can still learn from it but are advised to peruse our Free Gold Standard (Official) EFT Tutorial™ for a more complete understanding.

Hi Everyone,

You might like to try Sonya Sophia Illig's list of questions. She says, "I simply ask people these questions and give them time to write down the answers. Then we use EFT for all the answers. Sometimes in private sessions we jump quickly to the memories involved and just go for it. Then again, some people just need to go down the list as written, alleviating the intensity of emotions involved in simply remembering what happened."

Hugs, Gary


By Sonya Sophia Illig

Hi Gary,

I thought I would share with you and the EFT community. This is my general format for getting down to the root of an issue. This format seems to help people hone in quickly on what's often behind the presenting issues they are seeking my help with. I also use these questions to help newbies achieve potent results with EFT. These questions are used in my weekly EFT Circles to help each person look below the surface of the issue they are working with.

I find this list of questions to be especially good for the group EFT circle context where going deep may seem tricky to do with time constraints and new people just starting out. Many people new to EFT or inner growth work will only want to tap on aspects of their discomfort avoiding the core issues all too often.

I simply ask people these questions and give them time to write down the answers. Then we use EFT for all the answers. Sometimes in private sessions we jump quickly to the memories involved and just go for it. Then again, some people just need to go down the list as written, alleviating the intensity of emotions involved in simply remembering what happened.

Often people need to start with what I call a "pre tap". This is a time we tap with statements acknowledging overwhelm, numbness, embarrassment and resistance to going there at all. Here is an example of a pre tap.

  • I am too numb for this to work (focusing on the numb feeling)
  • I can't feel it any more - I can't think about it, I buried it too deeply - I don't want to think about this, it was bad enough when it happened - (feeling the distaste of even thinking about it)
  • I won't' do this - and you can't make me - (feeling the resistance inside about going into details)
  • No one can make me - I can't even make me - you're not the boss of me! (I ask them to point their finger at me as they say this)

GC COMMENT:  This is a version of the various "taking the edge off" methods that you will now find in our Gold Standard (Official) EFT Tapping Tutorial.

This usually makes people laugh and start to let go and be able to feel again. Here is my list of set up questions:

  1. What do you want to focus your session on today?
  2. List all your negative feelings about it.
  3. What are the negative things you tell yourself about this issue?
  4. When did this issue start & how long has it been going on?
  5. When did you first feel the same kind of feelings you listed already, from a much earlier time in you past?
  6. What limiting beliefs or decision(s) did you make as a result of the event(s) you just described ?
  7. Who, (if anyone) in your family (include primary care takers) modeled similar attitudes or feelings while you were growing up?
  8. Who do you secretly blame or hold accountable?
  9. Where and how do I feel this issue in your body?
  10. What are your hidden gains to having this issue? (In other words what is the "pay off" for having this issue as it is? For example, does the issue protect you somehow from something? Another way to ask this is: What do you get out of having to be, do, feel, or have, by having this issue as it is?)
  11. Who would you be without this issue?

People are encouraged to write down any insights they may have during the session. This format tends to deliver deep sessions as it helps people start to recognize and track repeating patterns in their lives. Getting to the root memories and early memories and feelings seem to address the pattern deeply enough that it often clears it from repeating in present time. This keeps it from being acted out over and over with loved ones, co-workers and life circumstances.

GC COMMENT: A very useful tool to help approach these issues can be found at Uncovering Specific Events - An Essential Concept Within the EFT Tapping Process.  It should bring deeper, more meaningful results.  

I hope this is information is useful in assisting you to give even higher quality EFT sessions!

In Love, and Service, Sonya Sophia Illig

FOR MORE EFT HELP ...

Explore our newest advancement, Optimal EFT™, by reading my free e-book, The Unseen Therapist™. More efficient. More powerful.