EFT & Counselling near Huddersfield | Online & Slaithwaite Practice
EFT for Chronic Pain
By Charis Kaps, BSc (Hons) Neuroscience, Accredited EFT Practitioner and Counsellor.
Neuroscience-informed EFT for people living with
persistent pain.
Understand the connection between pain, stress and the nervous system, and discover how EFT may help you find greater ease, resilience and freedom.
Living with chronic pain can be exhausting.
Many people find themselves caught in a cycle of pain, stress, poor sleep, frustration and worry about the future. Over time, this can begin to affect confidence, relationships, work and overall quality of life.
If you're living with chronic pain, you have probably already tried many different approaches. You may even feel frustrated by suggestions that seem to dismiss or minimise what you are experiencing.
I want to be clear: your pain is real.
At the same time, modern neuroscience has shown that pain is influenced by far more than injury or tissue damage alone. The nervous system itself plays an important role in how pain is experienced.
This is where EFT may help. Please feel free to get in touch to explore whether this approach could work for you.
Meet Charis
Counsellor, Accredited EFT Practitioner and Neuroscience Graduate
I help people explore the relationship between stress, emotions, the nervous system and chronic pain. My approach combines evidence-based EFT with a compassionate understanding of how pain can affect every aspect of life.
To read more about my approach, background and qualifications, click the button below
" Four months on, I still feel it shifted some really old wounds and lightened my heart in a permanent way "- Client AB
What does neuroscience tell us about chronic pain?
One of the reasons I became interested in EFT for chronic pain is my background in neuroscience.
Modern pain science has transformed our understanding of how pain is created and maintained and what we are coming to understand is that pain is that it is not simply a signal travelling from the body to the brain.
Pain is a dynamic process involving the brain, nervous system, emotions, memories, expectations, attention and stress responses.
Pain pathways communicate in both directions. Signals travel from the body to the brain, but the brain also sends signals back down that can either amplify or dampen pain.
Over time, pain systems can become increasingly sensitive. Sometimes called central sensitisation, this means the nervous system becomes more efficient at detecting and responding to pain signals.
The good news is that this adaptability works both ways. Just as the nervous system can learn patterns of protection and sensitivity, it can also learn patterns of safety.
EFT can help by reducing stress, processing difficult emotions and supporting nervous system regulation, helping to ease some of the factors that can contribute to the experience of chronic pain.
How Can EFT Help?
EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), often called tapping, combines gentle tapping on acupressure points with focused attention.
While EFT is not a replacement for medical treatment, emerging research suggests it may offer meaningful support and real change for people living with chronic pain.
In a 2024 randomised clinical trial involving 147 adults with chronic pain, participants who completed a structured EFT programme reported significant reductions in both pain severity and the extent to which pain interfered with daily life. Improvements in quality of life were also observed and remained present six months later.
The treatment protocol involved between four and ten EFT sessions delivered over six weeks, suggesting that meaningful change may be possible without years of therapy.
EFT may help by
• Reducing stress and tension associated with pain
• Calming an overactive nervous system
• Supporting emotional processing around unexpressed emotions and unresolved trauma
• Reducing fear, frustration and helplessness
• Reducing some of the emotional and physiological factors that can amplify pain
• Improving quality of life and day-to-day functioning
Many people describe feeling calmer, more resilient and better able to cope with the challenges of living with chronic pain.
Click the button below to learn more about EFT and to read testimonials from past clients
Your pain is real.
But so is your nervous system's capacity to learn new patterns.
What A Session Is Like
Sessions are gentle, collaborative and tailored to you.
We do not ignore your physical symptoms or assume that pain is psychological. Instead, we explore the relationship between your pain, your nervous system, stress levels, emotions and life experiences.
We begin by talking about your experience of pain and how it affects your daily life. I listen carefully to understand how it shows up for you, both physically and emotionally.
You then tap on specific points on your face and upper body while I guide you through the process step by step. I tap along with you, so there is no need to remember anything or worry about doing it "right".
As we tap, we gently explore thoughts, feelings and patterns that may be contributing to stress, tension or nervous system activation. The aim is not to fight the pain, but to help the nervous system feel safer, calmer and less burdened.
You remain in control throughout, and many clients find the process surprisingly calming and empowering.
How does it work?
EFT blends somatic (body-based) and cognitive (mind-based) processing, helping to regulate the nervous system while exploring thoughts, emotions, beliefs and memories.
For people living with chronic pain, this can be particularly relevant.
Chronic pain and emotional pain often become intertwined. Living with pain can generate fear, frustration, grief and hopelessness, while unresolved emotional experiences or trauma can place an ongoing burden on the nervous system.
EFT provides a structured way of working with these experiences without becoming overwhelmed by them.
By working with both the body and mind together, EFT offers a way of safely exploring these emotional aspects of pain while supporting nervous system regulation.
Many people find they are able to process difficult emotions, reduce stress and develop a different relationship with their pain.
As emotional burdens begin to ease and the nervous system becomes calmer, new perspectives, possibilities and ways of responding can emerge.
How I work
Safety and acceptance
Creating a space where you feel heard, respected and emotionally safe is central to everything I do. Living with chronic pain can be exhausting, and many people arrive feeling frustrated, overwhelmed or unheard. My aim is to offer a space where all aspects of your experience are welcomed without judgement.
Collaboration
You are the expert on your own experience.
My role is to listen, walk alongside you and help you explore the relationship between your pain, your nervous system, your emotions and your life experiences. Together, we work at a pace that feels right for you.
Meaningful, lasting change
Chronic pain affects more than the body. It can shape how we feel about ourselves, our relationships and our future.
As stress reduces and emotional burdens begin to ease, many people find they develop a different relationship with their pain.
While I cannot promise the elimination of pain, I believe meaningful change is possible. My aim is to help you experience greater freedom, choice and quality of life, whatever your starting point.
Is EFT a replacement for medical treatment?
No.
EFT is intended to complement, not replace, appropriate medical care. The information provided on this page is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
If you are experiencing chronic pain, it is important that your symptoms are assessed by an appropriate healthcare professional. All persistent or unexplained pain should be medically evaluated.
EFT can be used alongside conventional medical treatment, but it should not be used as a substitute for it. If you have been prescribed medication or other treatments, you should continue to follow the advice of your healthcare team and should not stop or alter treatment without consulting them first.
If you are unsure whether EFT is appropriate for your situation, I encourage you to speak with your doctor or another qualified healthcare professional.
Get in Touch or Book In
Not sure where to start?
You can book a free introductory consultation to ask questions, find out more about how I work and explore whether I'm the right therapist for you.
Consultations are available online or in person at my therapy room in Slaithwaite.
Ready to begin?
If you've already decided you'd like to work together, you can book an initial session directly.
Looking for more information?
You can also view my session options, packages and fees before deciding what feels right for you.
Please note, I am not a crisis service. if you are currently experiencing mental health or emotional difficulties and need immediate support you can follow this link to access contact information for other organisations who offer support.
If you are a resident of Kirklees you can contact the Kirklees emotional support helpline on 0800 183 0558. It is a 24 hour service and can support you if you are experiencing mental distress or are seeking information, support or advice regarding your mental health.