EFT Therapy for Reading Anxiety

The following story demonstrates how "Liz" and I used EFT therapy (Emotional Freedom Techniques) to quickly and easily collapse her negative and limiting emotions and beliefs.

Liz is tapping on what is known as the "9 Gamut" spot. We sometimes add this EFT Therapy sequence when the Basic Sequence doesn't totally collapse the negative emotions.

This returned her to a state of positive resources, filled with confidence, enthusiasm and optimism. Here's how EFT worked for Liz on this particular day. (See EFT Tapping to learn how to do EFT. You may also want to see How Does EFT Work?.)

I was Tutoring Eight Year Old Liz in Reading and Writing

I saw her for three lessons a week (in Tucson). Liz has dyslexia, with all of the common symptoms of dyslexia, and other learning challenges.

One day, we came to the part of the lesson where she reads sentences. I asked Liz to read a page of sentences aloud.

She immediately slumped over and put her face in her hands. I asked her what she was feeling and thinking. She said she didn't know.

So I offered some possibilities...

• "Are you thinking you can't do it?" I asked.
• "No," she answered.
• "Are you afraid I'll be mad at you if you don't read the sentences well?"
• "No. I'm afraid you'll quit teaching me!"

Liz was afraid I'd not want to teach her and abandon her if she didn't read well. This fear was not surprising to me, as Liz was adopted.

Fear of abandonment is common in any of us, and especially in adopted people.

I suggested we tap on this fear and related beliefs (using Emotional Freedom Techniques, EFT).

Liz and I had done this many times before, so she was familiar with the procedure.

Liz tapped on the points while I modeled on myself. She repeated my statements.

We Used These EFT Tapping Statements:

• I'm scared
• I can't read these sentences.
• I'm scared to read the sentences.
• I'm afraid I'll do a bad job.
• If I do a bad job, Natalie will leave me.
• If I don't read the sentences right, Natalie will quit teaching me.
• If Natalie leaves me, I won't survive.

After Two Rounds of EFT Therapy Tapping...

... on the meridian points, repeating those statements, Liz looked up at me with bright eyes.

With enthusiasm, she said, "I know! If you leave me, I'll just get another teacher!"

I knew this indicated a positive shift for Liz.

She had started in a state of low energy, fear and holding a belief that it would be terrible, possibly unbearable if I quit teaching her.

She ended in a state of optimism and resourcefulness, realizing she had positive options if I should quit teaching her.

You'll notice that we did not discuss the issue of her reading poorly or her fear of me leaving her. I did not reassure her or try to convince her that her emotions and beliefs were unfounded.

I believe childhood anxiety, in fact all of our fears and beliefs, are completely legitimate, even when they appear illogical.

The unconscious mind that generates these emotions and beliefs doesn't work on logic.

By accepting her as she was, accepting the truth of what she was thinking and feeling, the meridian tapping of EFT therapy enabled her body mind system to make a positive shift to a powerful state.

Smiling and happy for her shift (and not at all concerned that she wasn't "attached" to me being her tutor forever), I put up my hand to congratulate Liz in a "high five."

Once Liz's anxious feelings and thoughts were collapsed using EFT, she eagerly went back to reading her sentences - with ease.

What Happened Next?

She then looked back down at her page of sentences and read them easily.

After reading the sentences, I asked her if she thought reading was hard.

"No," she replied confidently. "I'm a good reader. Reading is easy!"

I love EFT as a way of working with childhood anxiety.

All we need are some clues to the underlying feelings and beliefs and we can create tapping phrases based on them.

I heartily recommend using EFT therapy in all learning environments. It has now become an integral part of my teaching.

I would never go back to teaching without EFT.

Here is more information about the basics of how to do EFT.

Check out Natalie's other websites!

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