Emotional freedom technique is a healing technique that relieves body of anxiety, fear, physical pains and many deep emotional blocks.
Emotions are defined as energy in motion. High energy emotions exhibit as happiness, bravery, confidence or fearlessness, whereas low energy emotions exhibit as fear, anxiety, apprehension, denial or sometimes being stubborn, rejecting the situations that could actually help. Low energy emotions are depleted emotions with blocked energies that reflect blocked life source.
EFT works parallel to the Chinese philosophy of acupressure. There are certain meridian points in the body through which energy flow takes place. When we go into depleted emotional state, this energy gets blocked and hence it blocks our performance.
EFT in implementation is meant to open these blocks and help regain the centric energy that restores normal functioning of the physical, emotional and mental system.
In pediatric dental practice, EFT is used to release fear and anxiety. Children are apprehensive about the unknown, needles, drills, in general, getting through the treatment.
The underlying fear or anxiety can have multiple reasons of origin. EFT philosophy works from 50 – 99% of times. This technique involves tapping on certain meridian points in order to reactivate the centric energy flow that allows concentration, release of fear, overall ease and thus better comprehension of the situation.
“Tapping” is practiced in very subtle manner during the treatment appointment if children are anxious. Tapping activates the meridian points that allows instructions to be passed on to the subconscious brain, which in turn activates positive response from conscious brain.
The tapping points accessible from the right side of the dental chair are as follows:
- Crown
- Upper brow
- Outer eye
- Lower eye
- Temporal lobe
- Hand
A brief about EFT philosophy and tapping points is explained and consented prior to the treatment by the parents. Children experience a gentle tapping massage for about sixty to ninety seconds which helps them take a break from keeping their mouth open.
The beauty of EFT energy work is that we don’t have to believe in it for it to work, it works anyways. In cases, where the fear and anxiety is very deep rooted, subtle tapping in the dental chair may not suffice and these cases, based on the extent of treatment needs are then referred for procedure under general anesthesia.
