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Women

Menstrual

EFT and Menstrual Cramps: How a road trip inspired me to tap and change my life

Important Note: This article was written prior to 2010 and is now outdated.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

Read this one twice. It is loaded with useful ideas that are applicable to many issues. Karin Witzig decides to use EFT (instead of meds) for her menstrual cramping but does so during a road trip to the airport. She taps on "whatever shows up" and, in the process, tunes into some important core issues that were otherwise hidden from her awareness. The result was a dramatic lessening in her menstrual cramps as well as freedom in other areas.


By Karen Witzig
Certified Holistic Health Counselor

This case study shows how I used EFT to not only completely relieve my menstrual cramps, but also experienced an incredible breakthrough as to why this physical manifestation was in my life. The result has radically increased my EFT confidence and I am now using the techniques taught by Gary with all of my clients.

As a health and nutrition counselor, I'm well aware of how my food and lifestyle affects my well-being. However I still found myself suffering through a day of menstrual cramps each month, and I began to rely on pain medicine to deal with my persistent cramping. This really bothered and confused me as I eat well, exercise and do all the "right" things. So why was I still struggling with this?

Three months ago, I was finishing packing my car for the drive to the airport for a trip with friends. I was nearly out the door when I remembered I would need to pack my Aleve (naproxen sodium), as my period started the night before. I knew all too well, that if I didn't take a dose at the first inkling of abdominal stress, it would take twice the dose to quiet my cramps. I had this down to a science. I ran back into the house to grab a bottle of water and my pills.

As I drove away, my radio reception was pretty lousy so I thought this might be a fine opportunity to give EFT a try. I was nervous that it wouldn't work, as up until then, I had not experienced a big "wow" effect from my tapping (prior to this, my tapping sessions had never been more than a timid five minutes). But I promised myself that if I tapped the entire 40 minute ride to the airport and still didn't feel any relief, then I would take the medicine before I got on the plane and relax. After all, it only takes 10 or so minutes to kick in. I had nothing to lose.

I used the basic recipe on each round of tapping, intuitively following this formula:

1.) I continued tapping on "the first thought that popped in my head" regarding my cramps. As you read along, you'll see how this lead me to deep insight as to the cause of my pain.

2.) I gave myself permission to say whatever came to mind vs. trying to get EFT right (Now I know you can't mess this up!)

The first few rounds were on the most obvious themes (using the steering wheel of my car to tap on karate chop point):

Round 1. Even though I have menstrual cramps, I deeply and completely love and accept myself.

Round 2. Even though I still have menstrual cramps, I deeply and completely love and accept myself ANYWAYS

Round 3. Even though I have this pain in my belly, and it makes me feel bad, I still deeply and completely love and accept myself

Round 4. Even though I feel I have cramps in my belly and Remaining aspects of menstrual cramps in my belly...

I followed each of the above set of rounds with a positive and affirming series of statements on the basic recipe points, omitting the karate chop point.

I am feeling betterCramps are going awayI love having my period (this is true for me as I see it as a cleansing time)I love and appreciate my bodyI love this natural cleanse

By the fifth round, I allowed myself to explore whatever thoughts popped up, encouraging myself to fully feel what was up and then following with a more positive theme of tapping.

Round 5:

Set up: Even though I think my menstrual cramps are my fault, I deeply and completely love and accept myself

head: I could eat better

eyes: Why don't I eat better?

side eyes: I know I could avoid dairy and sugar

top of lip: But I can't stay away from dairy and sugar! I crave it!

chin: I know what to do but I don't do it

collar bone: I should eat better

under arm: What's wrong with me! I am no role model.

head: I do enough

under eyes: I eat well enough

side eyes: I am enough

under nose: I am healthy!

chin: I'm OK, I eat just fine

under arm: I really am OK, I'm actually pretty damn healthy

Round 6:

A new insight creeped into my mind and this one really surprised me.

Set up: Even though I have a hunch that my menstrual cramps give me an excuse to be catered to and to take a break and to get attention from those I love, I deeply and completely love and accept myself (I couldn't believe I felt this way, but saying the word "hunch" helped me gently share it aloud)

head: I worry if I feel great all the time,

under eyes: I'll never give myself a break (I have a history of working too much)

side eyes: I already feel great most of the time,

under nose: and if I coast through my period, I'll just keep going!

chin: Oh that would suck! I don't want to work so hard!

under arm: I want a break!

head: I deserve to take breaks

under eyes: I take breaks even when I feel great

side eyes: I have "reserves" of breaks

under nose: I deserve down time

chin: I don't have to be exhausted or sick to take a break

under arm: I deserve it, why not me?

Sometimes I'd repeat the positive statements a few more rounds and just take pleasure in saying my desires aloud. At times I'd laugh at my own "inside job" as Gary might call it. But just when I thought I was done and felt better, another "yeah but..." crept into my mind. So, I tapped away...

Round 7:

Set up: Even though I have a hunch that my menstrual cramps helps me relate to other women, as it is I feel really different (what I do, how I live, what I eat, you name it!) and sometimes I'd just like to be like everyone else, and I want them to like me, even still, I deeply and completely, love and accept myself.

I allowed myself to talk about this issue while tapping on the basic recipe points, repeating variations of the above paragraph, telling the "story" and then following with a positive round.

head: I am enough

under eyes: I do enough

side eyes: I relate to women by being my wildy expressed self

under nose: I'm good enough

chin: I know enough

under arm: I am enough, I'm OK

The result was amazing. Not only did I completely relieve any signs of menstrual cramps without medication, I felt energized and happy all day long instead of feeling drained as usual. Tapping on the first thoughts that come to mind had me realize what was really going on: That is, desperately creating ways to give myself permission to take it easy and connecting to other women.

As a result of this 15-20 minute tapping session (I didn't have to tap all the way to the airport), I've incorporated more down-time into my everyday without guilt and it's changed my life. I no longer struggle with my monthly cramps, experience fewer sugar cravings and finding that I have more and more energy. I'm 99% free of menstrual cramps (my 1% is still there as a built in reminder to slow it down and practice self-care if I forget to do so). I now see it as a sign that I'm over-giving and just needing a little break.

The most amazing break through, is my level of confidence in using EFT. I now use it with all of my health and nutrition clients in my private practice. I'm having phenomenal results: clients experience greater ease and flow and are one by one, letting go of their emotional attachments to their food and health struggles far sooner than those I worked without EFT. I'm finding that EFT pretty much guarantees my client's compliance with recommendations I share with them. And I don't know any other nutrition counselor who can say that.

Karin Witzig
Certified Holistic Health Counselor

Express the woman you were, before you put yourself last

FOR MORE EFT HELP ...

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