9 EFT Tapping For Academic Success Meditations
WHAT’S UP: How do you teach EFT Tapping for Academic Success? Same way you teach anyone anything new – by meeting them where they are at. Below you will find the first of a series of EFT Tapping for academic purposes YouTube shorts that I hope inspire you to come up with your own creative ways of introducing Tapping to school-age and adult learners.
This is not a step-by-step training guide for educators, schools or coaches, but rather a little EFT meditations inspiration ‘hub’ for people who don’t have experience with EFT Tapping for academic purposes.
EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Tapping is a collection of stress management techniques. Also known as “Tapping”, EFT has been around for more than 40 years and researched now for more than 20 years. The 250+ published journal articles show it positively affects a range of biochemistry in the body (e.g. positive changes in brain activity, cortisol, and DNA expression – see research reference list at the end of this article).
Tapping is practiced daily for self-care by kids and adults all over the world. Schools and universities worldwide are also currently integrating EFT into their student and staff well-being initiatives to help support teaching and learning at all levels. Efficacy studies also evidence how well EFT works for student anxiety, academic performance in exams and assessed presentations at school and university level.
EFT TAPPING FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS: LEARN THE EFT BASICS
If you are a newcomer to the EFT Tapping method, the two training videos in the article below are a good starting point to learn the EFT basics of:
- Where the Clinical EFT Tapping points are located
- How you can add words to your Tapping meditation
EFT FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS
The EFT Meditations that follow are simply Icebreaker types of meditations designed to meet learners where they are at – as a start. As with all EFT Meditations, they are simply based on general patterns of what people I have coached have experienced when starting their transformational journey.
EFT meditations are educational, not transformational exercises. Inevitably, they only represent a tiny part of the EFT Tapping you would experience when working consistently with a qualified EFT Practitioner on your particular problem or goal.
So this is a reminder that this is only an entry-level educational article for newcomers to EFT Tapping. It’s not a comprehensive ‘How To’ guide for getting results with EFT for academic purposes – there’s a lot more to it than can be addressed in 30-second EFT Meditations for making a start :).
But you have to start somewhere! So here it goes. Enjoy.
1. TIDY UP YOUR DESK TO STUDY BETTER
A cluttered desk reflects a cluttered mind, and cluttered minds are not the best place to start when you want to study effectively. Here’s a quick way to boost self awareness in learners who want to understand how to get unstuck and tidy up their study space. In my experience of coaching learners from Elementary School all the way through Masters level students at uni using EFT Tapping for academic success, one of the reasons why students avoid studying is they have a messy desk.
If you have a messy desk, you’re less motivated to sit down to study at your desk. Who enjoys spending time in a messy space? Usually it is a sign of stress and overwhelm that a study area becomes cluttered and messy. I have found that applying EFT Tapping for academic success purposes includes applying it to help process any overwhelm and blocks that are preventing someone from creating a more organized and conductive for learning study space for themself.
I’ve found that using EFT to coach a child or adult who is ready to improve their study area organization helps to create the right kind of environment for them to to feel motivated to study. In this video, I give you a taste of one way in which I introduce EFT Tapping to students that helps them become more self aware and clear on what may be stopping them from creating a more organized or inviting study area.
Click on the image to watch on YouTube!
2. EFT Tapping for PROCRASTINATION
Little progress can be made when you keep avoiding studying – when you keep procrastinating. Be that procrastinating on studying for an important exam, research project/dissertation/assignment/coursework, or what have you.
Procrastination isn’t a personality trait; it’s a stress-based avoidance behavior pattern – and a habit. A habit which leads to late night cramming and unnecessarily high levels of anxiety closer to the deadline.
As with all habits, changing this study and stress management habit takes self awareness and commitment to change. This short 30-second Tapping exercise helps you make a start on that journey. It helps you get real with yourself quicker about what may be going on for you – an important first step to change.
Click on the image to watch on YouTube!
3. EFT TAPPING FOR ACHIEVING GOALS
One of my favorite ways to apply EFT is to coach learners of school age and beyond using EFT Tapping for goals. If you’ve known me from my classroom teaching days, you’ll know that the common driving force behind whatever and whoever I am teaching is a fascination with figuring out what works.
EFT Tapping works like a treat when it comes to clearing inner blocks to achieving your goals! Because as we know, there are somatic (stomach aches, migraines, chest pain, etc), emotional blocks (fear of failure, fear of making mistakes), and cognitive blocks (‘I’m not good enough’) that can get in the way of achieving big goals. And Tapping can help dissolve all three blocks.
Click on the image to watch on YouTube!
4-6. EFT TApping for A GROWTH MINDSET
Another way I apply EFT Tapping for academic coaching is when I’m doing Growth Mindset coaching for a student with Fixed Mindset blocks. A lot of times, what holds us back from making progress is literally our mindset.
When we have a Fixed Mindset towards our ability in a particular subject, area, or skill we’re not going to feel very motivated to try our best. The consequence of not trying much include:
- an inflated sense of how good we are in a subject when things are easy and do not require much independent studying and effort.
- a subsequent drop in academic self-esteem when doing well in a subject requires effort at home and you can’t just ‘wing it’ any more by just listening and focusing in class.
- being really scared of making a mistake, a huge fear of failure, and unnecessary levels of stress caused by not getting assignments done on time.
Sometimes a student isn’t aware that what’s behind their not having energy to study is a Fixed Mindset. In tapping meditations, we always start tapping on what’s coming up for the student. And if that’s a body sensations of feeling like they “don’t have the energy to study”, and the thought “I don’t really want to study right now” then we go with that. This combination of somatic and mindset blocks is so common among students struggling with low motivation that I turned it into a little meditation. Enjoy. You’re welcome 🙂
Finally, a major blind spot I often see in students who have a Fixed Mindset is evident in their limiting belief “If I study and fail, it means I’m dumb”. What they don’t realize is that they are seeing success and failure on a test or exam in a one-dimensional way. They aren’t aware that there are actually two other major factors that also affect their test/exam performance: underdeveloped study habits and underdeveloped stress management habits.
Working with an EFT coach can assist students in developing the habits, skills, and mindset they need to become more academically successful. If you’d like to learn more about my academic and EFT coaching packages, you can contact me at: eleni@elenivardaki.com
7. EFT TApping for FEAR OF FAiLURE
EFT Tapping is an effective way of coaching a student who is experiencing performance anxiety or striving for peak performance in an test/exam, competition, audition, interview etc. Unlike simply talk-based cognitive approaches to coaching for peak performance and exam/sports/public speaking events, EFT Tapping helps reprogramme the body’s stress response on both a somatic, emotional, and cognitive level.
Some fear of failure challenges are more complex and require 1:1 coaching for assistance with achieving your goal. Others are simple single aspect fears you can deal with through self help exercises. Either way, you need to be ready to face your fear if you are to make meaningful progress.
This simple self-care exercise for fear of failing that is suitable for High School students and adults who have a single aspect fear of failure that does not require professional assistance. As with all self-help EFT Tapping exercises you will find on the internet, so here – remember that you are responsible for getting the help you need if you are experiencing a more complex challenge right now.
8. TAPPING for IMPROVED attendance
When a child gets stomach pain just at the thought of going to school, and the issue isn’t resolved at it’s root, they can miss out on a lot of learning. I have yet to tap with a school age child in primary or secondary school who did not get permanent relief from doing EFT Tapping for their stress-related back to school pain.
In the short YouTube video below, I walk you through a simple way that you can get started on learning how to apply EFT for clearing back to school pain. While this is on generic ‘way in’, I do of course train school staff adaptations that are age-appropriate as well as inclusive for children with additional emotional or learning challenges.
Another way of applying EFT Tapping to help learners quite literally ‘Chase the Pain’ out of their body is by training your school Nurses how to tap away stress-related headaches and stomach aches. Sometimes kids go to the school Nurse with aches and pains that are caused by stress. With a bit of training to learn some very basic tapping skills, interested school Nurses can learn the basics of how to deliver Emotional First Aid using EFT Tapping.
Students benefit, teachers benefit, nurses benefit – what’s not to like?
9. TAPPING for PERFECTIONISM
It’s well-known in the mental health space that perfectionism is not healthy. As an EFT Practitioner, I’ve noticed a rise in school age and university students who are suffering with too much stress and anxiety because they have this limiting belief: “I’m not good enough unless I’m perfect”.
Problem is, students will say ‘I’m a perfectionist’ as if it’s a badge of honour; many aren’t even aware that it’s unhealthy. One of the tell-tale signs that a student is suffering from perfectionism is they struggle to get the work handed in on time, or if they do, they do so by cramming last minute, staying up until the early morning hours just to get it done.
I can tell the ones who’re more psychologically informed who come to me already having done a lot of really good work with their talk therapists because they know that perfectionism is not healthy. They know that perfectionism a stress-related coping strategy, not an authentic character trait. And they’re ready to work on chipping away at it so that they can replace it with healthier ways of being and doing.
The truth is, no one can and ever will be perfect. You are not human if you are ‘perfect’! We all make mistakes. We all have ways we can improve. Always. At any age. Doesn’t matter how long you’ve been working on your personal development, your professional development, there will always be something else to learn.
And there’s nothing ‘perfect’ about missing deadlines because of perfectionism (which often causes procrastination). There’s nothing perfect about handing in half-finished work to your teacher or lecturer. What’s ‘perfect’ about not even being willing to have a go on a challenging assignment in order to maintain the illusion of trying to be ‘perfect’?
Excellence, on the other hand, is something we can all strive for. And that’s a lot more productive, and healthy, than perfectionism.
WHERE TO FROM HERE?
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RESEARCH ON HOW EFT WORKs
RESEARCH ON EFT FOR ACADEMIC ANXIETY
Aremu, A. O., & Taiwo, A. K. (2014). Reducing mathematics anxiety among students with pseudo-dyscalculia in Ibadan through numerical cognition and emotional freedom techniques: Moderating effect of mathematics efficacy. African Journal for the Psychological Studies of Social Issues, 17(1), 113–129.
Boath, E. Stewart, A. Carryer, A. (2013). Is Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) Generalizable? Comparing Effects in Sport Science Students Versus
Complementary Therapy Students. Energy Psychology Journal, 5(2). doi
10.9769.EPJ.2013.5.2.EB.AC.AS.SU
Boath, E., Stewart, A., Carryer, A. (2013). Tapping for success: A pilot study to explore if Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) can reduce anxiety and enhance academic performance in University students. Innovative Practice in Higher Education, 1(3).
Boath, E., Stewart, A. & Carryer, A. (2012). Tapping for PEAS: Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) in reducing Presentation Expression Anxiety Syndrome (PEAS) in University students. Innovative Practice in Higher Education, 1(2).
Jain, S., & Rubino, A. (2012). The effectiveness of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) for optimal test performance: A randomized controlled trial. Energy Psychology: Theory, Research, & Treatment, 4(2), 13-24. doi:10.9769.EPJ. 2012.4.2.SJ Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
McCallion, F. (2012). Emotional Freedom Techniques for Dyslexia: A case study. Energy Psychology Journal, 4(2). doi: 10.9769.EPJ.2012.4.2.FM
Benor, D. J., Ledger, K., Toussaint, L., Hett, G., & Zaccaro, D. (2009). Pilot study of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Wholistic Hybrid derived from EMDR and EFT (WHEE) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for treatment of test anxiety in university students. Explore, 5(6). Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.
Sezgin, N., & Özcan, B. (2009). The effect of Progressive Muscular Relaxation and Emotional Freedom Techniques on test anxiety in high school students: A
randomized controlled trial. Energy Psychology: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 1(1), 23-30. Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
Sezgin, N., Ozcan, B., Church, D., (2009). The effect of two psychophysiological
techniques (Progressive Muscular Relaxation and Emotional Freedom Techniques) on test anxiety in high school students: A randomized blind controlled study. International Journal of Healing and Caring, 9(1). Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
Stapleton, P., Mackay, E., Chatwin, H., Murphy, D., Porter, B., Thibault, S. Pidgeon, A. (2017). Effectiveness of a school-based emotional freedom techniques intervention for promoting student wellbeing. Adolescent Psychiatry, 7(2), 112-126. RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL
Gaesser, A. H., & Karan, O. C. (2017). A randomized controlled comparison of Emotional Freedom Technique and cognitive-behavioral therapy to reduce adolescent anxiety: A pilot study. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 23(2), 102-108. doi:10.1089/acm.2015.0316 RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL
Gaesser, A. H. (2014). Interventions to Reduce Anxiety for Gifted Children and
Adolescents. Doctoral Dissertations, 377. http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/dissertations/377 RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL
TAPPING BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
Stapleton, P. (2022) The Science Behind Tapping: A Proven Stress Management Technique for Mind and Body
Stapleton, P. (2023) Memory Improvement Through EFT Tapping: A Way to Boost Recall and Clarity
EFT MEDITATIONS VS. EFT COACHING FOR ACADEMICS
Like I said, EFT Meditation videos are for educational purposes. They don’t reflect the impact that you can experience when you take part in an EFT group session, individual session, or program that participants who took part in the EFT research listed above experienced.
Educational 30 second videos of self-help “internet EFT” are not the same as doing a 1:1 personalised session with a qualified EFT Coach in private practice or in an EFT research trial. Just like you wouldn’t expect an aesthetician to just wash your face and use the same techniques and methods that you use for daily self-care when you go for a facial, doing EFT with an EFT Practitioner in private practice or via an EFT Research trial involves a whole other level of impact.
To learn more about transformational EFT Tapping, you can check out these real life EFT coaching for academic success articles and audio recordings:
- “Panic Attacks in School Tests” (middle school exams prep)
- “Panic Attacks in Tests and Exams” (high school exams prep)
- “Final Exam Stress: Tapping into Confidence“ (university exams prep)
- “Tapping Away Exam Stress and Procrastination” (professional exam prep)
meet eleni
Eleni Vardaki is a certified and accredited Advanced EFT Practitioner (Level 3) with EFT International, one of the world’s leading EFT Tapping trainers. She works with individuals, schools, and universities. Her therapeutic coaching and training services support the well-being of kids, teens, and adults. To book an obligation-free introductory meeting to see if it’s a match: eleni@elenivardaki.com
