The 5 essential TFT tapping points

30 Apr 2026 · 5 min read · By Tracey White

If you've watched a TFT or EFT session and wondered what's actually being tapped on, this is your map. Five points show up in nearly every algorithm — here's what each one does and exactly where to find it on your own body.

A note before we start: knowing the points is useful, but the right sequence for the right issue is what makes TFT clinical rather than rough self-help. For complex issues — trauma, addiction, persistent anxiety — work with a practitioner. For everyday stress and the occasional spike, this guide is enough to get you tapping.

How to tap (the technique)

• Use the index and middle fingers of either hand. Two fingers, side by side.
• Tap firmly but not painfully — about the same pressure as drumming your fingers on a desk.
• Tap 5 to 7 times on each point.
• Breathe normally throughout. Don't hold your breath.
• Keep your attention lightly on the issue you're working with — not heavily, just enough to feel it.

Tapping on either side of the body works equally well — choose whichever is more comfortable for the point in question.

1. Eyebrow point (EB)

Where: the inner edge of either eyebrow, where it meets the bridge of the nose.

Meridian: bladder meridian, in traditional Chinese medicine associated with fear and the nervous system.

What it's used for: general anxiety, fear, frustration. Often the opening point in an algorithm because it sets a calming tone for what follows.

2. Under-eye point (UE)

Where: on the bone directly below the centre of either eye, about a centimetre under the lower eyelid.

Meridian: stomach meridian, associated with worry, anxiety and disgust.

What it's used for: the workhorse point. Phobias, anxiety, panic. This is the point Callahan first asked Mary to tap on when he discovered TFT in 1980 — and the result was the first phobia clearance in TFT's history.

3. Under-arm point (UA)

Where: about four inches (10 cm) below your armpit on the side of your ribcage. Roughly where a bra strap sits, for those with a frame of reference. Use either side.

Meridian: spleen meridian, associated with self-acceptance and rumination.

What it's used for: self-criticism, obsessive thinking, "going round and round" worry, rumination after an event.

4. Collarbone point (CB)

Where: just below where the collarbone meets the breastbone — drop two fingers about an inch (2.5 cm) below the inner end of the collarbone, on either side. Many people prefer to tap with a flat hand on this point because it's easy to find.

Meridian: kidney meridian, associated with vital energy and willpower.

What it's used for: low energy, exhaustion, "stuck" feelings, generalised stress. Often the closing point in an algorithm because it integrates the work and grounds the body.

5. Karate chop point (KC) / side of hand

Where: on the fleshy outer edge of either hand, between the base of the little finger and the wrist — the point you'd use if you were doing a karate chop.

Meridian: small intestine meridian, associated with self-acceptance and "psychological reversal" (Callahan's term for an unconscious block to change).

What it's used for: setup. The karate-chop point is what you tap on at the start of an EFT round while saying the setup statement ("Even though I have X, I deeply love and accept myself"). In TFT, it's used to clear psychological reversal — the unconscious "yes but" that stops some clients from improving.

A simple anxiety sequence to try

This is a stripped-down anxiety algorithm that works for most everyday-stress situations:

1. Bring the worry to mind. Rate the intensity 0–10. (0 = no charge. 10 = unbearable.)
2. Tap 7 times on the eyebrow point.
3. Tap 7 times under the eye.
4. Tap 7 times under the arm.
5. Tap 7 times on the collarbone.
6. Re-rate the worry 0–10. Note the change.
7. Repeat the sequence 1 or 2 more times if the rating is still above 2.

If the number doesn't move after two or three rounds, that's not a failure of the technique — it usually means there's psychological reversal (an unconscious block) or that you need a more specific algorithm. That's where working with a practitioner saves you a lot of self-experimentation.

What about the other tapping points?

Standard TFT and EFT use 8 to 12 points in total — including side-of-eye, chin, top of head, and a couple of finger points. The five above are the ones that show up in nearly every algorithm and that account for most of the effect.

One important caution

Tapping is broadly safe, but if you have unprocessed trauma, working alone can sometimes surface more than self-tapping is built to handle. If you find yourself getting overwhelmed, stop, breathe, and reach out to a practitioner. More on trauma-informed pacing →