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Is EFT evidence based?
Is EFT evidence based?
Yes. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT or “tapping”) has been evaluated in more than 200 peer-reviewed studies, including over 80 randomized controlled trials and multiple meta-analyses showing strong outcomes for anxiety, depression, PTSD, and more.
In 2021–2025, EFT was submitted to the American Psychological Association (APA) for review under their Tolin Criteria for empirically supported treatments. During the review they changed their definition of what counts as a psychological treatment—specifically excluding methods that include any body-based or physiological component, such as tapping.
As a result, EFT was not rejected for lack of evidence, but rather reclassified as falling outside the APA’s new definition. EFT continues to meet international standards for evidence-based practice and is used widely by psychologists, counsellors, educators, and health professionals worldwide.
An evidence based modality, it is used widely as both a self-help tool and therapeutic treatment option to help reduce and often totally eliminate emotional and physical discomfort.
It is one of the new "Power" Therapies, also known as ‘Energy Psychology’ and 'Cognitive Somatic Energy Techniques' which are developed from the ancient Chinese medicine system.
Sometimes called "acupuncture without needles", it is the most widely researched of all these modalities.
EFT is a method for safely releasing unwanted negative or painful, emotions, thoughts and feelings such as sadness, fear, anxiety, anger, guilt, shame, hurt, grief, bitterness etc. EFT relieves the emotional intensity associated with anxiety, fears, phobias and is used to “neutralize” unpleasant or traumatic memories.
HOW TAPPING WORKS
HOW TAPPING WORKS
One of the greatest barriers to the acceptance of psychotherapies that stimulate acupuncture points by tapping on them, such as EFT and TFT, has been a persistent question: How does tapping on the skin lead to psychological change?
For decades, practitioners have known that therapies and self-help approaches involving tapping on acupuncture points are unusually fast and effective, but articulating a clear, science-based explanation has been more challenging. Over the past two decades, researchers such as Dawson Church, Peta Stapleton, and David Feinstein have steadily advanced the evidence base through peer-reviewed studies. In November 2025, David published a landmark synthesis of this research, offering the most coherent and comprehensive scientific account to date of the physiological and psychological mechanisms underlying EFT and TFT.
Recognizing the importance of this work — and knowing that most practitioners don’t have time to read lengthy academic papers — Nick Ortner used AI to translate the research into a beautifully designed, 10-page illustrated infographic. David then reviewed the entire piece, making numerous corrections and refinements to ensure scientific accuracy.
It is perhaps the most engaging, accessible, and efficient way available to become conversant in the science behind tapping. The infographic can be easily viewed on a laptop or downloaded as a printable PDF. It also links to the original academic paper (bottom of page 1) and has an area at the end for posting questions. David will be checking in at least weekly as long as a discussion is going and happy to tackle any questions you present. To see the infographic, click https://energytapping.com/how-tapping-works-infographic/
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