By Marian M., Life Coach
“Mary” came to see me at my coaching practice and she was in some desperation over her issue with restless legs and arms. I’d heard of Restless Leg Syndrome before, but never arms as well. She was unable to sit still during the day and she experienced interrupted sleep at night, often spending time pacing the room, waiting for the restless feelings to pass.
I tuned in quite quickly to the fact that Mary was someone who likes to keep herself busy, and found it very difficult to unwind and relax, even without the restless feeling in her legs and arms.
Becasue of this, at her first session with me, we used EFT to tap on her beliefs (the “writing on her walls“) that came from her childhood in a rural farming community. These were mostly issues to do with laziness, hard work, and guilt at the sacrifices her parents had made to put her through school and college.
We tapped:
Even though the devil makes work for idle hands, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though nobody just sat around, there was always work to be done, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I wanted to run away from it all, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I felt trapped by what was expected of me, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I was told off if I didn’t complete my chores, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though Mom and Dad worked so hard for my sake, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I had to go to college for Mom and Dad’s dream, I deeply and completely accept myself.
At the end of the session, she told me about her daughter who had been born with a disability. Mary had placed her daughter in a specail home when she was 7-years-old. We agreed to focus on that memory in the next session.
When she came for the next session, she atmitted that some of the restlessness in both her legs and arms had subsided, and she had had the first good night’s sleep in years. However, she wasn’t completely better and felt there was more we could do. We started tapping for her feelings of guilt and remorse at “giving her daughter away.”
We tapped:
Even though I feel guilty about that decision, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I felt so incredibly sad, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I knew she would have a better life if I let her go, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I had to decide so quickly, I really didn’t have enough time, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though it was such a huge decision and I had to make it alone, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I was doing the best I could, it just wasn’t enough, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I felt quite sure I was doing the right thing, what if, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I got it wrong, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though they would be cruel to her, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though she missed me too much, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I missed her terribly and felt so sad that she was no longer with me, I deeply and completely accept myself.
She had one particular image that came from a vivid dream that had stayed with her for years after. She was able to recall it in clear detail. We tapped for the image, and I didn’t ask her to describe it to me, as she was evidently extremely upset. After a round or two of silent tapping, she was sufficiently calm to tell me it was an image of the care workers in her daughter’s home pouring scalding hot water on her daughter’s legs, and her daughter being completely helpless to defend herself.
We tapped for the fears this dream image brought up and the extreme guilt she had carried for years about her decision to place her daughter into special care rather than struggling to care for her at home. She visibly relaxed in front of my eyes, and she told me then that she had never before told anyone about the dream. She felt relieved.
We booked a follow-up session for the following week, but she phoned me only a few days later to cancel it, saying that all symptoms of restlessness in both arms and legs had completely subsided. She was able to sit down in the afternoon and sleep through the night.
She was so grateful for the release from the symptoms that had been torturing her for more than 20 years. She had also finally managed to tell her husband about what had happened all those years ago and how she no longer had the guilt or sadness she had become so accustomed to experiencing.
