Tapping Tips to Dispel Emotions in Active PTSDby Anne I. Merkel, Ph.D.

Whenever a client presents to me with an active case of post traumatic stress disorder, I start with a certain protocol which is based on my experience with both Neuro Emotional Technique and Emotional Freedom Technique practices.

When I meet people who feel their emotions are out of control, which often happens in the "dark night of the soul", in PTSD, and in cases of emotional break-down, or simply with people who have deep-seated anger issues, I urge them to use tapping to break up the emotional waves. When one doesn’t know the full EFT protocol, or when they could benefit from a single or couple of points to keep them from boiling over or breaking down, I provide them with the information below.

Often when deep sadness, trauma, or anger are in the forefront of our emotions and start to bleed through uncontrollably it may be because our left brain is in a frenzy. That "chatty" analytical side of our brain can cause trouble if we listen to it, and can tangle details, confuse an issue, send negative messages to our subconscious, put blame on ourselves or others, and generally cause us to react emotionally as we get stressed. By tapping certain points the negative mind frenzy and emotional waves can be put in check.

1. The "third eye" point between our two eyebrow points is a potent tapping location, I instruct anyone overwrought with emotion to tap this point first, as it will usually quiet the left brain by breaking up its thought patterns. In many cases I'll have a client alternate between this point and the next point until they can better control their emotions.

2. The karate chop point on the side of the hand relates to the small intestine meridian. This particular meridian often relates to issues involving feeling lost, vulnerable, abandoned, insecure, feeling deep unrequited love, and can sometimes reflect exhibited behavior including abnormal or inappropriate emotion or lack thereof, rapid or excessive mannerisms or speech patterns, among other things. This point helps to tap into the right brain, subconscious mind, through the body’s electro-magnetic field, and although it is not necessary to add statements at first, it provides a wonderful opportunity to use a set-up statement which informs the right mind of the issue at hand, as it also soothes and reinforces that the subconscious is doing a good job of protecting the person. In the traditional EFT set-up statement the second part, “I deeply and completely accept myself,” is stating to the subconscious right mind: “I’m doing the best I can do to protect myself from danger, etc., and I appreciate this”. The subconscious likes this gentle reinforcement and is more open to paying attention when it is soothed in this way.

3. As the person’s emotional level eases a bit I often urge them to tap on the thymus point which is in the heart chakra area in the center of the chest. This point is a good point for everything, and it is especially potent when love is directed there toward oneself. Some MTT practitioners use this point exclusively, but I find it good for soothing clients with active PTSD symptoms after they have engaged the right mind subconscious.

The points mentioned above can be used to help a post-traumatic stress sufferer in active emotional turmoil to find peace again through the steps of 1- turning off the left brain analysis, 2- tapping into the electro-magnetics and reinforcing that it is OK to notice the issue and that the protection is appreciated, and 3- to send love to the person at both conscious and subsconscious levels, with suggestions on how to let go of the grief or anger or other uncontrolled emotion.

These are helpful tips to provide to any person suffering from over-wrought emotions until that person is able to present to a facilitator who can then facilitate a full EFT protocol to clear the underlying causes of the trauma relating to the emotions.


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