If you struggle with premenstrual syndrome (PMS), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) or endometriosis, you’ll know the toll that these conditions can take on your physical and emotional wellbeing. From mood swings and anxiety, to fears around fertility or pain, these overwhelming challenges can make the everyday feel impossible.
After years of working 1:1 with females supporting their nutrition and lifestyle, I have found that clinical EFT tapping, or Emotional Freedom Techniques has become the missing piece to providing effective relief from these challenges.
Understanding The Emotional
Impact of PMS, PMDD and Endometriosis
Firstly, a diagnosis can be scary as hell. For those diagnosed with PMDD or endometriosis, you may have been given varying amounts of information on what this diagnosis actually means, and how you can manage life alongside it. You may have had your fertility and chances of conception threatened, or offered medication as the only option forward. I have had so many women share their experience of feeling hopeless or frightened as to what their future looks like.
When it comes to PMS and PMDD, signs and symptoms can range from moderate to severe. Signs of PMS can include mood changes, mild anxiety, headaches and food cravings, with more severe cases of PMDD triggering emotional distress and extreme feelings of depression or debilitating fatigue. Endometriosis, with its chronic pain and heavy bleeds, often leaves women emotionally exhausted and unable to complete their daily tasks.
Your experience may differ within each of these challenges, however the deep emotional and physical toll is shared by many. EFT or ‘tapping’ offers you a tool to actively engage with your body, connect with your emotions and develop a sense of empowerment toward managing your symptoms.
What is Clinical EFT Tapping and How Does It Work?
Clinical EFT tapping combines elements of traditional Chinese medicine with modern psychology. By tapping on specific acupressure points along the body while focusing on a problem, emotion, or physical sensation, you send signals to the brain that help reduce the body's stress response.
This lowers cortisol levels (our main stress hormone), calms the nervous system and improves emotional resilience by rewiring our neural (brain) pathways.
When you experience physical or emotional pain, it activates your stress response by sending a threat signal to part of your brain called the amygdala. Whether this pain is real, perceived, in the past or the future, the same stress response is activated via the ‘fight or flight’ part of our nervous system. This can increase your experience of pain, emotional distress and uncomfortable feelings.
Whilst tapping and focussing on your experience, you send a signal of ‘safety’ to your brain, shifting your body into a state of calm and helping you to process these uncomfortable feelings. By using tapping to address the physical and emotional impacts of these conditions, you can experience a reduction in symptoms whilst improving self-compassion and love for your body.
Using EFT Tapping for Symptom Relief
Reduce Stress & Calm The Nervous System
Endometriosis, PMS and PMDD are often exacerbated by stress, which can increase cortisol and trigger the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response. This can intensify pain, increase inflammation, irritability and emotional overwhelm.
Tapping interrupts this stress-response cycle, calming the amygdala (your brain's threat centre) and promotes relaxation in the body.
1 hour of clinical EFT tapping can reduce cortisol by 42%
Alleviates Physical Pain
Tapping whilst focussing on the pain can reduce your perception of it by encouraging the brain to release endorphins, natural pain relievers
EFT supports the mind and body, allowing the nervous system to de-escalate pain signals, providing relief from physical symptoms
EFT helps to shift your perception of the pain by reducing its association with past memories or experiences
Regulates Emotions and Improves Mood
PMS, PMDD and endometriosis can lead to mood swings, irritability and depression due to fluctuating hormone levels and the distress of chronic pain
Tapping whilst focussing on these emotions helps to process them, releasing anger, sadness or shame. This improves emotional regulation and creates a more balanced mood
Release Negative Beliefs & Emotional Triggers
If you experience one or more of these conditions, chances are you’re carrying negative beliefs about yourself or your body and feeling shame or frustration related to your symptoms
Tapping supports in identifying these beliefs, working through them and releasing stored emotions that may exacerbate symptoms.
Increase Energy and Reduce Fatigue
Chronic pain and emotional stress lead to fatigue and feeling constantly ‘drained.’ Calming the nervous system and releasing painful emotions can reduce both mental and physical fatigue.
Let's Get Practical
Now we’re going to get practical so you can experience the benefits yourself. I’d like to offer you a guide for symptom relief that you can try at home. Firstly, download the FREE Intro Guide To EFT Tapping so that you can familiarise yourself with the practice and tapping points.
Each woman’s experience of the above conditions will differ, however below are some common physical and emotional symptoms you may be able to relate to:
Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder, PMDD
Emotional: Feelings of hopelessness, out of control, irritability & anger, fear, worthlessness, guilt, shame or in severe cases, suicidal thoughts
Physical: Migraines, insomnia, difficulty functioning in everyday life, debilitating fatigue
Pre-Menstrual Syndrome, PMS
Emotional: Irritability, mood swings, mild anxiety, feeling overwhelmed
Physical: Difficulty sleeping, headaches, cramps, tender breasts
Endometriosis
Emotional: Frustration, helplessness, isolation, body image issues, emotional exhaustion, anxiety or depression, fear of symptom flare ups
Physical: Pain including cramps, pain during sex or use of the bathroom, bloating, chronic fatigue
Whether you’re experiencing the above symptoms now (physical or emotional), or have in the past, note which feels the most present for you currently. You may wish to jot them down on a piece of paper.
Step By Step Tapping Sequence for Symptom Relief
Now that you’ve noted your main symptoms, rate how intense they feel, from 0-10 (0 being minimal, 10 being extreme).
For example, I am day 2 of my period experiencing severe menstrual pain. The pain is an 8/10, and I feel so angry at my body.
You might want to describe what the physical sensation feels like, or if it has a colour. E.g. a gripping red rope strangling my uterus.
Create a set-up statement
This may sound like “Even though, I am in so much pain, it feels like this gripping red rope strangling my uterus, and I am so angry at my body, I deeply and completely accept where I am at.”
Starting on the side of the hand, repeat this statement 3 times.
Moving to the other points on the body, you can continue with your reminder phrases.
Top of the head: I am in so much pain
Inner eyebrow: This gripping red rope, it feels like it’s strangling my uterus
Side of the eye: I feel so angry at my body
Under the eye: All this pain
Top of the lip: It feels like a gripping red rope is strangling my uterus
Under the chin: This pain
Collar bone: I feel so angry at my body
Side of the ribs: This pain, just noticing how it feels in my body
Take a moment to stop, check-in and re-rate the intensity of the pain. It may go up, down or stay the same. You may also notice your emotions shift, and that’s ok, you can adjust your set-up statement accordingly.
Re-rate the pain or symptom and do another round of tapping. Continue until you feel a significant change in your symptoms.
You can continue to use this process as your symptoms shift and change. If you find you’ve hit a roadblock or aren’t sure how to proceed with using EFT tapping, continue reading.
Noticing a Plateau in Your Results?
I love that EFT tapping is accessible to anyone, anytime. However, many of my clients reported that whilst self-tapping was effective, it often only takes them so far before they reach a plateau.
Working with a clinically trained practitioner offers tailored guidance and accountability to help you achieve your specific goals and navigate any challenges along the way. This approach provides a safe environment for exploring complex emotional issues or deep-seated beliefs, such as feelings of inadequacy or self-worth.
As tapping encourages emotional attunement, many people find that unexpected thoughts and emotions emerge, often revealing underlying patterns previously out of reach. A practitioner’s support not only facilitates these discoveries but also ensures you feel safe and supported when facing sensitive topics. Additionally, a skilled practitioner can help you identify and address areas your mind may naturally avoid due to discomfort, allowing for a more comprehensive and transformative healing experience.
To find out if Clinical EFT Tapping is right for you, book in a FREE 15 minute discovery call
**Appointments available online & In Person
You deserve to know how to work WITH your body, connect with your emotions and develop a sense of empowerment toward managing your symptoms.
Sarina xo
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