The Tapping Tree: Understanding how to use EFT tapping to clear deep rooted difficulties and beliefs.

When tapping - there are different areas we can focus on to gain shifts and get better results. The Tapping Tree is a great way of identifying some of the different areas we can focus on. 

If you imagine the Leaves being the presenting "Symptoms" such as worry felt in the tummy for example, you can tap on the feelings and sensations and reduce those in the moment quite quickly. However, you might find the feelings returning, and we need to go further. 

The Branches can be considered the emotional reaction, which is being experienced; So for example worry is a facet of fear. If we can identify the underlying emotion such as fear, sadness, anger, hurt,  etc and tap on that emotion - this can decrease in intensity and then reduce the "symptoms" being experienced as a result of that emotional reaction; and we can clear that as a trigger for those symptoms.

To understand WHY we might be having those emotional reactions, we need to explore what the underlying limiting self-believe might be that causes that emotional reaction. (The Tree Trunk) 

Beliefs such as "I'm not good enough / I don't deserve  X/Y/Z / I'm not the kind of person who can ever be Happy/ accepted / lovable" etc

If we can identify what those beliefs are for ourselves, and tap on that belief specifically; then we can begin to clear that as a trigger. 

To completely clear and fell that tree though, we need to get to the root causes of that belief. We can explore where and how we created that for ourselves. This can be a series of things, not just one event, which happened in our past. Often in childhood.

There are two times of trauma in life - the "little t" traumas, we all experience whilst growing up, and then unfortunately the "big T" Traumas, which hopefully not everyone experiences. These are events where there is a big emotional reaction to immediate danger or threat to life, which is out of our control, such as car accidents, rape or natural disasters. It is important to work with a skilled practitioner if you have experienced a big T Trauma, and this Blog is aimed at the "Little t" traumas we have all experienced, and you can safely work on for yourself.

We can all remember that time when - the teacher called upon us in class and we mis-spoke, and felt ashamed or embarrassed, or when we got picked last for the sports team again, or we went into the wrong classroom when starting at a new school and everyone stared at us etc. and in that moment of shame, humiliation, hurt or rejection, we unconsciously formed a belief about ourselves, which we then have lived from as if true, finding ways to prove otherwise or avoid that truth being discovered/ seen/ experienced again. 
for example - "I'm stupid , I'm not good enough, I don't belong, Im not allowed to,..." and this becomes a way of navigating through those difficulties. 
The kid rejected from the sports team might decide "I'm not good enough" and then set about trying to disprove that,  training really hard and becoming the super athlete to prove their worth and join in, or they may avoid playing sports again, and create other ways of gaining acceptance and success, becoming a skilled artist or the joker of the group. These hurts and rejections can become our survival tactics, but also become habitual and no longer serve us, but remain feeling very true.

Having identified one or a series of events which generated that limiting self belief, you can focus tapping on that /those event(s) disbanding it completely so it no longer holds the same strength of power, emotional triggers and reactions. 

you can explore this on your own, using the tapping tree model to practice on your own. If you a parent or carer of and anxious child, have a nosey with them in this model - and see what you can discover - tapping with them through the different aspects. 
and If you'd like some specific help or guidance from a professional, then why not get in touch with me, and we can safely explore this together! Good luck and let me know how you get on! 
 (and this is why tapping is SOOOOO great for kids! If they can apply it (tapping) in the moment of distress and upset, it then doesn't become so embedded in their future self-belief system)