Eft/tapping Q & A Podcast W/ Gene Monterastelli - Emotional Freedom Techniques

This is really embarrassing, but it’s a true story. I live in New York City, a pedestrian city where most people don’t drive. Even when you take mass transit you still need to walk a lot just to get around. The subway stop I use most is 3/4 of a mile walk from my apartment. As a result, people here tend to be healthier than the national average because of the daily walking they're required to do, so I see far fewer obese people in NYC than I do in other parts of the United States. Back in 2014 when this was originally recorded, I was in a rural part of the US. As we were entering a restaurant there was a group of people walking out. Two members of the group leaving the restaurant were obese; they were so big it was hard for them to walk. And this is the really embarrassing part…when I saw them my first thought and emotion was one of disgust. It washed over my whole body so intensely that I felt sick to my stomach for a second. The second emotion was of total shame for being disgusted. I was, and am, so disapp

On a recent episode of the Judge John Hodgman podcast, one of the litigants (when talking about her husband) said "I want him to have what he wants. I just want him to want something different." That is such a relatable sentiment. Sometimes we believe we can see the best path for our loved ones, but at the exact same time we want them to be in control of their own lives and choices. This week we talk about and tap about how to come to terms with wanting the best for others when they are making choices that we might not love. You can find the full tapping script as a pdf of this audio over at Tapping Q and A Podcast Scripts and Transcripts. Support the podcast! Subscribe in: Apple | iPhone | Android | Google | Spotify | Pandora

When we are wanting to take action, it is very easy for us to be stuck because of worry. Worry is nothing more than a part of us trying to keep us safe by keeping an eye out for everything that could possibly go wrong. The problem is that the part of us that worries, often worries way too much. The size of the concern for our safety doesn't match the size of any potential danger. This week I have a simple question you can ask when facing self-sabotage and resistance to taking action. If you ask this question and tap with the answer, you will clear resistance and be able to take action quickly. What are you waiting for?! Support the podcast! Subscribe in: Apple | iPhone | Android | Google | Spotify | Pandora

My clients tell me all the time: "This is so frustrating! I feel like I am dealing with the same issue over and over again. When am I going to get past this!?!" I can appreciate their frustration. We want to feel like the time we are spending on our transformation is fruitful. We want to move in a positive direction as we continue to do the work. In reality, we aren't dealing with the same issue over and over again but dealing with different issues that feel the same. This week I explore why it feels like you are repeatedly dealing with the same issue, why you aren't, and what is actually going on in the healing process. Understanding this framework will make it easier to keep moving forward. Support the podcast! Subscribe in: Apple | iPhone | Android | Google | Spotify | Pandora

There is this interesting phenomenon where the more we hear something, the more likely we are to believe it. It has nothing to do with the validity of the claim. The simple repetition of a statement somehow lends it credibility in our minds. A perfect example of this is in the shape of a question I often receive from my readers. It goes something like this: I really love your tapping scripts, but I am worried because you use the word ‘not’ all the time. I know the subconscious mind doesn’t hear the word not. When you have us tap on “I am not going to be anxious” you are really tapping on “I am going to be anxious.” Aren’t you worried that you are tapping in something negative? If you have ever worried about saying the word ‘not’ when tapping, then you need to listen to this podcast. Support the podcast! Subscribe in: Apple | iPhone | Android | Google | Spotify | Pandora

It is good that we are thankful for what we have in our lives. Expressing gratitude helps us to be appreciative, grounded, and there are even health benefits to being thankful. The problem is that on a subconscious level we may feel that wanting more means do not appreciate what we already have, and that can prevent us from moving forward. This week I have a short tap-along audio and script to help you to be thankful AND move forward at the same time. You can find the full tapping script as a pdf of this audio over at Tapping Q and A Podcast Scripts and Transcripts. Support the podcast! Subscribe in: Apple | iPhone | Android | Google | Spotify | Pandora

Every time we make a choice we are limiting our future options. That is the simple reality of choice. If I choose to study literature at university, I am limiting my ability to become a medical doctor. If I choose to go to Norway on vacation, that limits my ability to go to Japan this year. I have time for one movie tonight, so if I choose “Rear Window” I can’t watch “Strangers On A Train”. Recognizing that one choice can limit our future choices can hold us back from taking action because we don’t want to miss out. In the end we choose to do nothing, which is a choice in itself. In this short audio I share a few easy ways to approach making choices so that we don’t get stuck by choosing to do nothing at all. There is also a short tap-along audio to help clear the resistance to making choices. You can find the full tapping script of this audio as a pdf over at Tapping Q and A Podcast Scripts and Transcripts. Support the podcast! Subscribe in: Apple | iPhone | Android | Google | Spotify | Pandora

Many of my clients would identify as the 'black sheep' of their families or communities. Because they moved to the beat of their own drums, they were usually out of step with everyone else. This can be particularly difficult for youngsters to handle because it felt unsafe to express their true selves. In order to survive, it's human nature to develop tricks, tools, and techniques to get by. At the time they were the best (and often the only) way to get through those difficult times, but the tools that were helpful as children are not necessarily helpful as adults. The problem is that when we use certain tools and tactics for so long, they become ingrained and habitual. In this audio we talk about how to let go of these old tools in favour of new and better ways to manage our lives. In addition to the instruction in this podcast, there is a tap-along audio. You can find the full tapping script as a pdf of this audio over at Tapping Q and A Podcast Scripts and Transcripts. Support the podcast! Subscribe in: A

Support the podcast! One of my clients recently asked me, “What is the endgame to this tapping thing?” What he meant by the question is besides the constant improvement of our lives (which is no small thing), where does tapping lead us? What is the final goal? We usually think that we tap to feel better, and of course this is true, but there's more to it than just feeling better. In my mind, we tap for two main reasons. How we tap is impacted by these reasons and each has its own tapping approach. In this audio I explain the two reasons and how to best tap for them. Subscribe in: Apple | iPhone | Android | Google | Spotify | Pandora

There is no shortage of pain or struggle in the world. Because of this, at any given moment any number of our loved ones can be suffering in big and small ways. When our loved ones are in pain, we really want to ease their burden, but just because that is our intention doesn't mean that there are tangible actions we can take to be helpful. In this week's podcast I have a simple tap-along and script that you can use when your loved ones are struggling. I am not naive enough to believe that tapping for a struggling loved one will completely transform their world. I do know that if I take a few moments to tap for them, I will be more present to their difficulties, meaning I will be more thoughtful in the moment in how I respond. ALSO, I believe that spending a few moments thinking loving thoughts for a friend in pain is a good investment of my time. You can find the full tapping script as a pdf of this audio over at Tapping Q and A Podcast Scripts and Transcripts. Support the podcast! Subscribe in: Apple | iP

How we end a tapping session is sometimes more important than how we begin it. At the beginning it is most important that we simply start tapping. With each successive round of tapping, we gain clarity about the issue at hand and where we should focus our efforts. For me, there are two goals for the last little bit of tapping at the end of a session. First, I often feel a little groggy and fuzzy brained when I've been tapping for a while, which makes sense as tapping often releases a lot of stored emotion and memories. It is important that I'm able to return to my day feeling calm and grounded. Second, even though we have stopped tapping doesn't mean the process of healing and transformation has ended. The new thoughts and beliefs we've connected with are still integrating even after the tapping stops. At the end of the session, I find it useful to remind myself that the process of healing and transformation will continue after a session. This recognition encourages me to come back and tap again and again. By

On October 20th I received the sad news that Dr. Pat Carrington had passed away the day before at the age of 95. In the tapping world Pat was best known for creating the Choices Method and was one of the Founding EFT Masters. On a personal level, she was an amazing champion of my work and I know I wouldn't have the career that I have today if it weren't for her public support. When someone we love and care about dies, it is emotionally hard. It is natural to feel grief and loss, but sometimes these emotions can be too much. This week I have for you a tap-along audio and tapping script to help in times of grief and loss. Learn more about Dr. Carrington's life and work You can find the full tapping script as a pdf of this audio over at Tapping Q and A Podcast Scripts and Transcripts. Support the podcast! [player] Subscribe in: Apple | iPhone | Android | Google | Spotify | Pandora  

Today it is commonly acknowledged that cultivating a sense of gratitude can be a powerful tool for helping us to live better and emotionally healthier lives. So much so that I even have clients who try to find their way to feeling a sense of gratitude when struggling with an emotional issue. My clients regularly tell me things like, "I spent some time this morning doing gratitude exercises to try to change my mindset." Unfortunately, simply saying that you feel thankful is not enough to turn around an emotional issue. In this week's podcast I share with you the difference between the feelings of gratitude and poverty. When I use the word "poverty" in this context I'm not talking specifically about a lack of money, but rather feeling like we don't have enough of anything. We can feel a poverty of support, opportunity, love, health, or just about anything else. When we understand the difference between the emotions of gratitude and poverty, we can use this understanding in our personal transformation work. Supp

On any given day there are more than a dozen stories in the news about what is happening to the Earth's environment. On one level it is good that we are better informed about what is going on in the world and how our choices impact our environment. But on another level it can feel overwhelming because the problem is so vast. When we don't see how we can make a difference, it is easy to become discouraged and hopeless. Even though the problem is big and the solutions are hard to come by, it doesn't mean it is hopeless. Here is the tapping I do to feel hopeful and encouraged to take whatever actions I can take. You can find the full tapping script as a pdf of this audio over at Tapping Q and A Podcast Scripts and Transcripts. Support the podcast! Subscribe in: Apple | iPhone | Android | Google | Spotify | Pandora  

One of the most powerful tools in my own learning as a practitioner has been listening to other practitioners working with real clients on real issues. It is a great chance to see how a skilled practitioner takes concepts I understand intellectually and apply them in real world situations. In this unique audio you have the opportunity to hear me working one-on-one with a real client. As well as hearing me tap with my client, you'll hear my additional commentary explaining my choices and my thought process in the moment. You can find the full tapping script as a pdf of this audio over at Tapping Q and A Podcast Scripts and Transcripts. Support the podcast! Subscribe in: Apple | iPhone | Android | Google | Spotify | Pandora  

For me, loneliness is one of the toughest emotions. The sense of disconnection that comes with feeling lonely almost feels like we are losing touch with our own humanity. That swirling black hole of emotion seems to keep pulling us in ever deeper. One of the hardest parts of loneliness is feeling it even when we are surrounded by others. Here is the tapping that I do when I feel lonely. You can find the full tapping script of this audio in pdf form over at Tapping Q and A Podcast Scripts and Transcripts. Support the podcast! Subscribe in: Apple | iPhone | Android | Google | Spotify | Pandora  

It is no fun when we feel hurt by what someone else says or does. In many cases these hurtful words or actions are unintentional, and others may be completely unaware that they have hurt us. Even though it wasn't their intention to cause us pain, we feel hurt nonetheless. In this podcast we explore the best way to respond when we are hurt by the words or actions of others. You can find the full tapping script as a pdf of this audio over at Tapping Q and A Podcast Scripts and Transcripts. Support the podcast! Subscribe in: Apple | iPhone | Android | Google | Spotify | Pandora

Sometimes it's hard to know where to start tapping on an issue. We know tapping will help. We know that we just need to start. But we don't quite know where to start. Our emotions feel like a knotty, tangled up necklace, with no obvious place to begin. In this week's audio I have the perfect way to start tapping for an issue when you don't know where to begin. It's particularly useful for helping us to tap when we are feeling stuck about taking action. I encourage you to listen to find out how to tap for: The nature of fear Not needing to be perfect Clearing the emotions around the situation so that you can work towards uncovering root causes The beautiful thing about this process is that after you listen to it just once, you will be able to use it any time you sit down to tap. Support the podcast! Subscribe in: Apple | iPhone | Android | Google | Spotify | Pandora  

Tapping is a powerful tool that can be used to clear a huge range of issues, even those that have plagued us for years. Starting to make better choices feels great and allows positive change to seep into every part of our daily lives. At a certain point we almost forget about the issue because it seems like a distant memory. But then: WHAM! Out of nowhere we are right back in the middle of the old issue, emotions, or belief. We feel bad because of what we are experiencing AND we feel bad because we feel we've failed by falling back into our old behavior. That happened to me recently. Something I thought I had cleared snuck back up on me. In this audio I share how that can happen and what we can do to respond to backsliding on issues we thought we had cleared for good. You can find the full tapping script as a pdf of this audio over at Tapping Q and A Podcast Scripts and Transcripts. Support the podcast! Subscribe in: Apple | iPhone | Android | Google | Spotify | Pandora  

I pride myself on being a thoughtful and helpful person. I like to believe that I am good at living up to my commitments. Most of the time this is true. BUT I am also human and I do make mistakes and unintentionally let people down. This week I have a very simple tap-along audio (and tapping script) to deal with those times in which we feel shame for letting others down. You can find the full tapping script as a pdf of this audio over at Tapping Q and A Podcast Scripts and Transcripts. Support the podcast! Subscribe in: Apple | iPhone | Android | Google | Spotify | Pandora