EP 140 – The Science of EFT Tapping: Addiction, Cravings & Nervous System Regulation with Dr. Peta Stapleton

To watch the video of this podcast, please go to: https://youtu.be/Oll0O3sHTRM   What does the latest science reveal about how Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) affect the brain, body, and stress response?  How can EFT tapping on acupressure points help regulate the nervous system and shift the physiological patterns underlying cravings, addiction, and unresolved trauma?  How can reducing chronic stress and shame help people move beyond automatic patterns and access greater choice and lasting change in addiction recovery?   In this episode of Kaleidoscope of Possibilities, Dr. Adriana Popescu speaks with Dr. Peta Stapleton, a registered clinical and health psychologist, professor at Bond University in Australia, and one of the world’s leading researchers in Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT Tapping). Drawing on more than two decades of EFT research, Dr. Peta explores the science behind tapping and its effects on the stress response, autonomic nervous system, memory reconsolidation, cravings, trauma, and emotional regulation. She shares how she moved from traditional psychology into conducting groundbreaking clinical research on EFT, including her early studies using tapping for food cravings. Dr. Adriana and Dr. Peta also explore the relationship between trauma, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), shame, cravings, and addictive behaviors, and why changing an unwanted behavior often requires more than willpower or simply knowing what we “should” do. Dr. Stapleton also shares a surprising anecdotal observation from her years of EFT research and clinical work involving withdrawal symptoms, and why she believes the phenomenon warrants further study. The conversation is especially timely with the release of Dr. Adriana Popescu’s new book, EFT for Addiction, which explores how EFT can be used to address cravings, triggers, trauma, shame, emotional dysregulation, and other factors that can keep addictive and compulsive patterns in place. Together, they offer a fascinating look at the growing scientific evidence behind EFT and how tapping may help people move out of automatic stress responses and toward greater regulation, choice, and lasting change.   In this episode: 00:00 – Meet Dr. Peta Stapleton: A world-leading EFT researcher and the evolution of energy psychology research. 02:45 – From Skeptic to EFT Researcher: How a surprising experience with tapping led Dr. Peta from traditional psychology to pioneering clinical trials for food cravings. 09:30 – How Does EFT Tapping Actually Work? The science of acupressure points, the primovascular system, stress reduction, and the psychophysiological effects of tapping. 11:30 – Memory Reconsolidation and Lasting Change: How EFT may help the brain update old emotional learning rather than simply manage symptoms. 14:00 – Addiction, Cravings, and the Nervous System: Why addictive behaviors can become conditioned ways of regulating distress, and how tapping can create greater choice. 19:00 – Why Addiction Is More Than Willpower: The physiology of cravings, changes in the brain’s reward system, and why “just stop” misunderstands addiction. 22:00 – A Surprising Observation About EFT and Withdrawal: Dr. Peta shares an intriguing pattern she has observed over many years of EFT research and clinical work involving cigarettes, alcohol, caffeine, sugary drinks, and other substances and explains why this anecdotal finding deserves further study. 25:30 – Shame, Guilt, and the Addiction Cycle: How shame and self-punishment can perpetuate addictive behaviors and interfere with recovery. 29:30 – Identity and Psychological Reversal: Who are you without the addiction? Exploring unconscious resistance, protective patterns, doubt, and ambivalence about change. 34:30 – Trauma, ACEs, and Addiction: Why adverse childhood experiences and unresolved trauma are so closely connected to addiction and how EFT research protocols address underlying trauma. 39:00 – What the Research Shows About EFT for PTSD: Meta-analyses, effect sizes, and comparisons with established trauma treatments. 40:45 – If the Evidence Is Strong, Why Is There Still Resistance to EFT? Dr. Peta discusses the four-year effort to have clinical EFT recognized by the American Psychological Association and why acceptance may be changing. 47:00 – Dr. Peta on EFT for Addiction: Dr. Peta, who wrote the foreword, shares why she believes the book can help both clinicians and people struggling with addiction, and why EFT offers something beyond willpower. 52:15 – Where to Learn More About EFT: Evidence-Based EFT, EFT Universe, research resources, and ways to learn tapping.   “It’s not just psychological. It’s not just in your head. It is in the body. So it’s physiological. Cravings are physiological.” – Dr. Peta   Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Dr. Peta Stapleton: Evidence-Based EFT: https://evidencebasedeft.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petastapleton Books: https://www.petastapleton.com/books   Dr. Adriana’s New Book, EFT for Addiction: https://a.co/d/02creweT EFT Universe: https://eftuniverse.com/   About Dr. Peta: Dr. Peta Stapleton is a registered Clinical/Health Psychologist and Professor at Bond University, Australia. A world-leading researcher in Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT Tapping), she has earned major honors, including the APS Distinguished Contribution to Psychological Science Award. She authored The Science Behind Tapping and Memory Improvement Through EFT Tapping. A popular TEDx speaker and international keynote presenter, she hosted a Gaia TV series on tapping and has trained thousands of teachers and clinicians globally. She also collaborated with Dr. Joe Dispenza on a major school meditation study.   Would you like to continue this conversation and connect with other people who are interested in exploring these topics? Please join us on our Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kaleidoscopeofpossibilitiespodcast/   About Your Host: Dr. Adriana Popescu is a clinical psychologist, addiction and trauma specialist, author, speaker and empowerment coach who is based in San Francisco, California and practices worldwide. She is the author of the books, What If You're Not As F***ed Up As You Think You Are? and EFT for Addiction.   For more information on Dr. Adriana, her sessions and classes, please visit: https://adrianapopescu.org/ To learn about her trauma treatment center Firebird Healing, please visit: https://www.firebird-healing.com/ To find the books please visit: https://whatifyourenot.com/ and amazon.com/dp/1604153164   You can also follow her on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAdrianaPopescu/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dradrianapopescu/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriana-popescu-ph-d-03793 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCflL0zScRAZI3mEnzb6viVA TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dradrianapopescu? Medium: https://medium.com/@dradrianapopescu   Disclaimer: This podcast represents the opinions of Dr. Adriana Popescu and her guests. The content expressed therein should not be taken as psychological or medical advice. The content here is for informational or entertainment purposes only. Please consult your healthcare professional for any medical or treatment questions. This website or podcast is not to be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in any legal sense or as a basis for legal proceedings or expert witness testimony. Listening, reading, emailing, or interacting on social media with our content in no way establishes a client-therapist relationship.