Support your wellbeing with EFT tapping and affirmations

The power of affirmations combined with Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

Today, I want to share a bit about the practice of combining affirmations with Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), sometimes known as "EFT tapping." As a therapist EFT is a tool I regularly use in both my personal and work life, and I’ve found it to be really helpful.

If you’re new here I’m Laura, a counsellor, nature therapist, and a somatic trauma therapist. My offerings are all about supporting you to connect with yourself.

As someone with a neurodivergent nervous system that can be easily overstimulated or triggered,I find EFT really helpful. It offers a really practical and effective way to process emotions and return to a sense of grounding.

The basis of EFT is naming what you’re feeling, whether it’s anxiety, anger, overwhelm or grief, while gently tapping on specific acupressure points on the body. This can bring what’s under the surface into awareness and gently shift it, without having to talk yourself out of what you’re feeling. This is a really, beautiful somatic way of being connected to your body while exploring your feelings and emotions.

On its own, this is an amazing practice for processing difficult emotions and it’s even more impactful when you combine it with affirmations, as a positive tool for change.

Why affirmations alone don’t work for everyone

At their core, affirmations are simple, positive statements that we can repeat to ourselves either out loud or silently. This can, for some people, help to reframe unhelpful thought patterns and shift limiting beliefs. The idea is that by consistently repeating these statements, we begin to rewire our inner dialogue and create new, more empowering mental pathways through neuroplasticity (I’ll share a bit more about this below).

When I say this works for some, it feels important to be honest about the limitations of affirmations when they’re used on their own, especially in the context of trauma or neurodivergence.

In my work as a counsellor and therapist, I support many clients who live with dysregulated nervous systems due to chronic stress, trauma, or the impacts of being neurodivergent in a world that often doesn’t accommodate them. In these states, when the body is stuck in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn mode, it can be nearly impossible to believe a positive affirmation, how ever many times we repeat it.

If you’d like to find out more about the nervous system states, check out this post

This is where combining tapping with affirmations can come in. By combining affirmations with the physical, grounding act of tapping on specific acupressure points, we create a bridge between the mind and the body. We’re not just telling ourselves something positive, we’re also letting the nervous system know we’re safe, making space for those messages to actually land and, in the more spiritual view of the practice, we’re also working with our energy meridians. This mind, body and spirit approach really resonates with me.

Neuroplasticity means you can rewire your brain, and EFT helps make that change possible

Our brains are hardwired with a negativity bias. This is a survival mechanism passed down from our ancestors, whose lives depended on staying alert to danger. While this helped keep them alive, in the modern world it often leads us to overlook the good and focus on what’s “wrong.” Affirmations help rewire this tendency by gently shifting your attention to what’s working, what’s true, and what’s possible. Over time, this creates a more encouraging and compassionate internal dialogue, making your mind a more gentle place to be.

Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to form new neural pathways. Each time we challenge our negativity bias and practice new ways of thinking, feeling or responding, the brain literally rewires itself to support those patterns. Over time, these repeated experiences lay down new neural pathways, which means that it’s always possible to change, grow and show up in new ways.

Which affirmations should I work with?

You could start by choosing tapping affirmations that reflect your strengths, things you do well, qualities you appreciate about yourself, or even small moments of joy or success. If you find this difficult, begin with something light and manageable. Even saying, “I make a really good cup of tea” is a valid and positive affirmation. It might seem small, but statements like this can become the foundation for greater self-belief.

Eft affirmations are also incredibly useful for intention setting. Say you’re working toward a promotion at work. Rather than jumping straight to a bold statement like “I deserve a promotion” (which might trigger doubt if you’re not quite there yet), start with affirmations that recognise your current strengths: “I consistently meet my targets,” or “I’m a valued and reliable team member.”

From there, you can build toward a more specific goal-focused affirmation like: “I would make an excellent [insert dream job title], and I’m ready for the next step.” When repeated regularly, especially alongside practices like EFT, these statements help your brain and nervous system begin to believe the possibility of change and new ways of being.

If you struggle to believe affirmations, try softening them with phrases like “I am willing to…” or “I am open to believing that…”

For example, if “I am confident and capable in social situations” feels too far from your current experience, try “I am willing to believe that I can feel more confident in social situations.” This approach gently opens the door to change without triggering resistance.

Combining your affirmations with EFT tapping

To try this yourself, start by choosing the affirmation that you’d like to work with, remembering that you can add phrases like “I am willing to…” or “I am open to believing that…” to soften the statement and make it more believable.

As you repeat the statement, tap on each of the EFT tapping points (pictured below - usually five to seven times per point) while repeating your affirmation out loud or silently. You can find videos of this process online if you need a bit more guidance. Stay focused on the statement as you move through the points, allowing the words to really sink in.

Once you’ve done a round of EFT tapping and repeating your statement on each of the points, pause and reflect for a moment. How are you feeling now. Repeat this cycle using the same statement around five times (or more!). For really deeply held negative beliefs, this will work best if you regularly repeat the process. Can you take a few minutes each day to explore your affirmation through tapping?

The spiritual perspective on EFT

In a spiritual context, EFT is an energy-based healing practice rooted in the principles of traditional Chinese medicine and acupressure. In this understanding, negative emotions, beliefs and unresolved stress can become stuck in the body’s energy system leading to emotional and even physical imbalances.

By gently tapping on the acupressure points, primarily on the face, upper body, and hands, while bringing awareness to a particular issue, EFT helps release emotional blockages and allows the body and mind to return to a more balanced state.

I hope you find exploring this process useful and supportive. With regular use, combining EFT tapping and affirmations can help shift long-held negative beliefs, build self-confidence and support you in moving forward. It’s a gentle but transformative way to change the stories you tell yourself.

If you’d like to explore more resources to support you check out these posts:
The body remembers: exploring somatic therapy approaches
Connecting with self-compassion in times of struggle
Finding peace by embracing self-acceptance