How can EFT help ADHD dysregulation by helping you to release emotions?
- Nat Harrison
- Jan 24, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Have you ever heard of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)? If you have ADHD and you haven’t, then read on, as it can really help you connect to yourself, increase interoception, allow you to process your emotions and reduce your ADHD symptoms.
When I was in the ‘not knowing’ phase of my ADHD (pre-diagnosis, and I had assumed I had grown out of it), I had a couple of years of talking therapy, but my emotional regulation didn’t improve.
What I came to realise is that the 'little T' trauma which often comes along with ADHD (either from experiencing the years of criticism and/or the negativity that often come with a hyperactive child) sits in the body, and as ADHDers often intellectualise therapy, staying in the drama of day to day life and keeping in all in their heads, this trauma is never addressed or processed out of the body.
I think it is quite difficult to shift any emotions or past traumas stuck in the body through verbalising. I was never able to identify, process or remove stuck emotions (and many are from a non-verbal phase in my life, too).
So, about five years ago, I learnt about EFT (from Instagram) and met a highly skilled coach called Alice Southern, who just so happened to be an EFT practitioner. I started working with her during lockdown, and the results have been remarkable.
EFT quickly became one of my go-to techniques (alongside journaling and the 4-7-8 breathing method) for regulating my nervous system. In this post, I’ll be talking about:
What is EFT, and how does it work?
EFT, or tapping, is all about identifying the physical representation of your emotions and feelings in the body while talking aloud about some of the topics you would like to discuss in talking therapy.
Instead of just talking, the words you capture are very intentional, including what your body is conveying to you, and, at the same time, you’re tapping various energetic meridians (ancient Chinese medicine describes meridians as a network of channels that allow energy to flow).
EFT uses eight meridian points - side of the hand, eyebrow, side of the eye, under the eye, under the nose, under the mouth, collarbone and under the arm, which you tap in order, facilitated by your ETF practitioner.
This helps process your emotions in your body because, whilst you’re talking, you’re also touching your body, and there’s something about that mind/body connection that allows you to focus on your bodily sensations, which often, in turn, changes how your emotions present in your body.
The way it works practically with an EFT practitioner/coach is that you explain to them what you’re feeling in your own words, and the practitioner will form a script for you and then repeat your words back to you whilst showing you which meridian to tap on at what time, and then you repeat those words back to them, whilst mirroring their tapping.
You might need to do two or three rounds of tapping before the feeling shifts in your body, and the physical representation of your emotions might move to a different part of your body, or become more or less intense.
It’s really about focusing on whatever you’re experiencing in your body due to your emotions/feelings. If you struggle to identify your emotions and put them into words, check out my Feelings Wheel post. It’s a great tool to help you (and for you to use daily).
What are the benefits of EFT for ADHDers?
It has really helped me get curious about how I am feeling, and since I have learned to start listening to what my body is saying about my emotions, trying to understand them, and actually processing them, it's done me a world of good and really helped me with self-regulation.
Here are some other benefits of EFT:
It reduces stress and overwhelm by signalling to your brain that you are safe, lowering cortisol levels and helping you process your emotions.
It helps to remove stuck emotions that can exacerbate ADHD and mental health, improving executive functioning.
It can help process past trauma by addressing your emotional response to traumatic memories and triggers, giving you a release for distress, and detaching emotion from the memory.
It can help with behavioural changes and breaking unhealthy habits by managing the emotional triggers that create them, so that you can replace them with healthier habits.
Finally, all of this together can help you stay regulated, which leads to better relationships, better executive functioning, better productivity and ultimately more success and fulfilment in life! What's not to love?
Ready to give EFT a try? Here's a step-by-step to DIY!
Although I always recommend working with a practitioner, you can do it yourself. You can also add it to your morning routine (which is also recommended). You can read more about how a morning routine can help you regulate and boost performance here, or you can download the Ayama Morning Routine One-Pager—it’s free! In the meantime, here’s a quick step-by-step guide to DIY it.
Set yourself up for a successful day by becoming aware of your thoughts, feelings and daily goals each morning!
Think of one specific issue that holds emotional weight - this could be anxiety around a big meeting you have coming up or a task you need to finish with a tight deadline.
Think of a phrase that acknowledges the issue and an affirmation to counteract it. For example, 'even though I’m nervous about this important meeting, I am confident in myself'.
Use two fingers to gently tap on the meridian points on the top of your head, your eyebrows, the side of your eyes, under your eyes, under your nose, your chin, your collarbone, and under your arm.
Repeat your affirmation multiple times, and pay attention to how you feel about your body and the emotional weight of the issue. Has it changed? Keep going until you feel your anxiety begin to fade.
Quick Tip: Something I really love about EFT is the way it uses the power of metaphor; metaphors are extremely powerful in coaching. In EFT, all you need to do is envisage how your emotions appear; they could be colours or take shape or form. For me, I sometimes imagine a bottle with a cork stuck in my throat, making me a bit croaky, which usually means I want to say something that I’ve been holding back on. Over time, using EFT, I’ve been able to change its temperature, texture, or shape to release the cork, allowing me to say the things I’ve been holding back. This is a massive relief and has been very helpful for my relationships - why not try it?
EFT is massively helpful, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to make some big shifts. That’s all from me on EFT, but keep your eyes peeled for my next post, all about strengths journaling.
About Nat Harrison, Specialist ADHD Career Coach, Ayama
Hi, I am Nathalina (everyone calls me Nat). I help people become more fulfilled and happy in their working lives by aligning their careers or businesses with their skills, values, and interests, and by helping them overcome barriers to success at work.
I am a Certified Specialist ADHD coach, and I work with neurodivergent people who want to harness their brains for the better, improve their relationships with themselves and manage their symptoms.
Book a consultation below if you would benefit from some coaching on your ADHD and working life.
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