For years, energy psychology — and especially its signature technique known as tapping — has lived on the fringes of mainstream psychotherapy. Often dismissed as pseudoscientific, tapping has nonetheless garnered a loyal following among holistic practitioners and individuals seeking alternative methods for healing trauma, stress, and anxiety. But now, science is finally catching up.
In a pivotal moment for the field, Dr. David Feinstein, a leading authority in energy psychology, has published a landmark paper that seeks to bridge the gap between ancient healing methods and modern neuroscience. His work, “Physiological Mechanisms of Energy Psychology Treatments: An Updated Synthesis,” offers compelling scientific insights into why and how tapping works — and why it deserves a place in evidence-based mental health care.
From Fringe to Foundation: The Evolution of Energy Psychology
The journey of energy psychology — particularly Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) — began in the 1980s. What started as an experimental integration of acupressure, talk therapy, and Eastern medical principles quickly gained traction for its surprising results. But despite anecdotal success and growing popularity, the method struggled for recognition due to a lack of scientific explanation that fit within Western paradigms.
That’s changing. Over 200 peer-reviewed studies now support the efficacy of tapping techniques for treating a wide range of conditions, from PTSD to phobias to food cravings. Millions of users have downloaded the EFT app globally. Yet the biggest hurdle has remained: understanding the mechanism behind these results.
Tapping Into Science: Seven Key Mechanisms
Feinstein’s latest research doesn’t just affirm that tapping works — it explains how it works through seven empirically grounded premises:
- Physiological Shifts: Tapping has been shown to trigger measurable biological changes. These include reduced cortisol levels (a marker of stress), improved heart rate variability (linked to emotional resilience), and even favorable changes in gene expression.
- Electromagnetic Signal Generation: When we tap on specific acupoints, mechanical pressure is converted into electrical signals — a process called mechanosensory transduction.
- Signal Transmission Pathways: These signals travel to the brain through both the nervous system and connective tissue, creating rapid communication between body and mind.
- Targeted Brain Response: The signals reach precisely the brain regions activated by the thoughts, images, or emotions a person is focusing on — making the intervention deeply specific.
- Neurological Regulation: Once in the brain, the signals help modulate activity, either enhancing or calming certain neural responses. This helps rewire maladaptive patterns.
- Memory Reconsolidation: Tapping aligns with how the brain updates old memories with new information — essentially rewriting our emotional responses at a deep level.
- Enhanced Exposure Therapy: Combining tapping with psychological exposure (such as recalling a traumatic memory) accelerates desensitization and healing by soothing the limbic system during the process.
A Closer Look Through Brain Imaging
Feinstein’s synthesis draws from a variety of disciplines — psychology, neurology, and molecular biology — to paint a vivid picture of what tapping does inside the brain. For instance, imaging studies using fMRI show that areas associated with pain and emotional distress light up less after tapping sessions.
One study observed reduced brain activation in response to food cues after tapping interventions in individuals struggling with obesity. Others suggest tapping helps the brain reprocess negative emotions, allowing people to integrate past traumas more effectively.
This research strengthens the rationale for having clients concentrate on specific emotional triggers while tapping — because the brain’s emotional centers are directly involved in the transformation process.
Why This Matters for Psychotherapists
The implications for therapists and clinicians are substantial. With a clearer understanding of the biological basis for energy psychology, practitioners can more confidently introduce tapping techniques in sessions — especially with skeptical or science-minded clients.
More importantly, knowing how memory reconsolidation is involved enables therapists to recognize the windows of opportunity when clients are most open to changing entrenched emotional patterns. This allows for more targeted and effective healing work.
A Roadmap for Future Research
While Feinstein’s synthesis marks a huge step forward, it’s also a call to action for further study. Among the areas still needing exploration:
- Measuring the electromagnetic signals produced by tapping in real time
- Mapping how these signals travel through the body
- Deepening our understanding of how various brain regions respond to different tapping protocols
These efforts could lead to even more refined and effective approaches within energy psychology — and potentially reshape how we understand healing itself.
Toward a New Therapeutic Era
Feinstein’s work signals the dawn of a new era: one in which energy psychology may finally claim its place in the therapeutic mainstream, not just as an alternative but as a complement to conventional methods. The scientific foundation now being laid opens doors not only for wider acceptance but also for innovative treatment strategies that harmonize the physical and emotional systems of the body.
For those who practice tapping, this validation is both empowering and practical. For researchers, it’s an invitation to explore an emerging field with significant potential. And for clients, it offers renewed hope — proof that healing can happen through methods that are as gentle as they are powerful.
As we continue to uncover how the body and mind collaborate in healing, energy psychology may well prove to be one of the most valuable tools in modern mental health care.
David Gruder, PhD, DCEP, is a psychologist, bestselling author, and founding president of the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology. He will be speaking at the 27th International Energy Psychology Conference in Litchfield, Arizona, May 29–June 2, 2025. Learn more at DrGruder.com.