EFT Case Story: Tapping on the Group Entity

I tell every floor I am studying EFT and need a group to participate in an exercise.

I go to them with a letter to support my question and give a very short introduction on EFT.

In the introduction I explain that EFT focuses include:

• Release tension, anxiety and stress
• Dealing with emotions
• Processing of experiences

I also mention that the Technical University in Delft offers a course on EFT, focused on dealing with stress and increasing performance.

But... I tell them, there is more!!!

For example:

• Strengthen the group and the shared commitment of the group!

The target can be in many areas. From organizing a blast party, strengthening the solidarity between all people living together on the floor, setting up a running group, to passing examinations.

The mission aims to strengthen, positive, full of energy, activate and motivate the common goal by working together as an EFTeam. This is not about the contribution of each individual but being, as a group, highly connected to the target.

I find a group of students that want to start right away!

They are seven students at home that moment, six boys and one girl all aged around twenty (they live with fourteen students on that floor). Brian, Peter, Paul, Mike, Jake, Mike and Nancy.

They are curious and say: "Do it right now." Luckily I prepared and could start.

First I get coffee, and then I teach them EFT.

I do not sense any stress or tension, they are open and curious so I choose to teach them Positive EFT first, like I do with the children in therapy I work with.

I start with: "I let my energy flow _______" and ask them to fill in how they want the energy to flow. Immediately Mike says: "Proud" and Jake says: "Happy". I give the instruction and we go along the tapping points. At first they only fill in, stating with me, the last word: "happy":

"I let my energy flow, proud and..." then all together: "happy!"

But with some encouragement they all state with me loudly:

"I let my energy flow, proud and happy!"

It gets some laughs at first and then everybody works together and is in cadence with each other. It is amazing how quickly that goes.

We come to the group entity. They want the floor and its habitants to be the target.

I ask: "if the floor was a living being what would it be?"

Directly Nancy states: "the Peacock, we have the Peacock as a symbol."

The Peacock for majestic, highly respected. "He represents self-esteem, and is beautiful," they say. I ask them what they want for the Peacock. They also want the Peacock to be proud and happy!

We tap along and they pick up the rounds easily. We do the breathing, which is not that easy for some, but they follow. From proud and happy we come to what the Peacock needs to be proud and happy:

Do the dishes and cleaning the shared rooms, kitchen, bathrooms etc.

And more. The Peacock will benefit from:

• Doing thing together to bond as a group,
• To take care of each other,
• To stimulate and motivate each other to study, go to the library together to study hard and pass exams.

We all become more and more excited. They follow and adjust phrases during the rounds.

At the end the Peacock is jumping and showing and waving his feathers to represent the group, to take care of the group, happy and proud and confederate, bonded!

I ask them how they experienced it, doing this together.

Brian says; "It is too weird and I cannot use it daily." Daily routines are not always fitting in his day, he explains. I reassure him, they do not have to do it every day.

Peter states he feels relieved, feels it in his stomach. But with the notes in unit 10 in mind, on tapping in groups, I just repeat it, to let him know I hear him. I do not ask any further, because, the group tapping does not focus on the individual.

Paul says; "I am speechless and that does not often happen." Mike mentions the tingling in his hand and body. Overall they feel more bonded and are amazed by it.

"We are exited all together and we really want the others, who are not present at the moment, to experience it."

I ask them if they can explain it to the others, if they practice enough to teach it the others. They think so. But we also make an appointment to do it again on a floor activity moment, when everybody is there.

Talking further about it, Paul says; "I already use the collarbone point. I often tap it and I did not know EFT!" Brain says it is on his chin he taps.

It is so nice when people recognize and realize this!

I feel like +10 because it makes such sense. Without much explaining it is to the point for the group and me.

In this practice setting, the process also makes me proud and happy (yes, just like the Peacock!).

For future sessions, I'll remember:

• I forget some of the breathing in the excitement of tapping all together and the flow we are in. I can structure that more.
• At some points, I forget to tell we go to the next tapping point. But luckily this group looks at me and follows, so it goes well.
• I can ask more starting questions about what the group entity needs to let the goal succeed. There is more, like negotiate, solving problems right away that can be handy for a floor with many inhabitants.
• I can imagine that it is a very good thing to use the group tapping for the entity if there is tension in the group. Then, I think, you also can let every body write something down the group entity needs. Or take it in mind. Take some time to think what de entity needs and then we tap on it like: 'This thing, I think 'name of the entity', needs.'

And always end with the positive, going to the + 10. Because the power is especially in the happy, proud, dancing statements and fun tapping with the image of the entity fully energized!