Emotional freedom techniques for PTSD

Emotional freedom techniques

What are emotional freedom techniques for PTSD?

Emotional freedom techniques use established exposure methods and cognitive processing, along with stimulation of acupoints. During treatment, the client remembers a traumatic memory or emotional trigger and pairs it with cognitive reframing while tapping, holding, or massaging a set of acupoints. The tapping may help access the body’s energy and send signals to the part of the brain that controls stress. Rounds of mental exposure, cognitive processing, and acupoint stimulation are repeated until the client can bring the memory to mind with little or no subjective distress.

What is the evidence for emotional freedom techniques?

Moderate to low quality evidence found a large improvement in PTSD symptoms after treatment with emotional freedom techniques. However, individual studies found no advantage for these techniques over other psychosocial interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapy.

August 2021

Image: ©moremar – stock.adobe.com

Last updated at: 2:17 pm, 15th February 2022
To view documentation related to this topic download the files below
Fact Sheet Technical Commentary

NeuRA Libraries

Title Colour Legend:
Green - Topic summary is available.
Orange - Topic summary is being compiled.
Red - Topic summary has no current systematic review available.