‘I fully and completely accept myself’
Lindsay Guttridge during community event
For July’s Community Event, Autistic Revolution (AR) welcomed Lindsay Guttridge of Emotional Freedom Techniques to guide community members through an Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) or ‘tapping’ online event.
Background
While Autistic Revolution is a magazine, we see it more as an invitation of community. We know the importance of being able to spend time together in fun, leisure or learning – or perhaps a mix of all three!
Our July Community Event was hosted by one of AR’s Associate Editors, Laura Hellfeld.
A Bit About Lindsay
Lindsay (she/her) is an Energy Therapist, passionate about sharing a powerful self-help tool known as EFT Tapping.
Lindsay has worked as an Integrative Counsellor and Parent Support Advisor, and professionally studied Energy Therapies including Reiki & Emotional Freedom Techniques.
Together with her husband, extended family, and black kitty cat, Luna; Lindsay is raising their 12yr old daughter who is diagnosed and comfortably self identifies as Autistic & as a PDAer (PDA stands for Pathological Demand Avoidance or Persistent Drive for Autonomy).
They are a life-long Radically Unschooling Family.
Lindsay also shares her passions and loves to connect with her community in her Facebook group Peace With PDA, and in her daily Coffee Break videos for PDA Parents on her YouTube Channel.
A photo of Lindsay and her daughter inside at what appears to be a busy place. The photo is of both of them from just below their shoulders up and they are both looking at the camera for a selfie. Lindsay’s daughter is on the left and has shoulder-length dark hair, has a wide-smile and is wearing a cowboy hat. Lindsay has brown hair to her ears, smiling and is wearing colourful jewellery.
Photo of Laura from waist up. Laura is a pale person with red-blonde hair to their shoulders. Laura is facing the camera, smiling and wearing blue rimmed glasses. They are in front of a colourful graffiti wall with a pink peace sign.
The Session
Lindsay’s Personal Reason for Learning and Practicing EFT
After Lindsay welcomed us all into the session, she generously shared her personal reasons for learning and practicing EFT. Lindsay explained that she was looking for a tool for her own self-care in order to better be open and hold space for her family.
This naturally expanded into Lindsay explaining the overall goals with EFT. She shared that EFT is about letting go and releasing you from what is stopping you from enjoying and benefitting from
- Hearing your own body sensations
- Access clearer thinking
- Relaxing into and returning to your open and peaceful self
Why Sharing EFT with Us in the Community Event?
Lindsay then went on to explain that EFT is a free and relatively easy tool (Ya! For accessibility). This is a tool that we can then do ourselves after this event. EFT is available to us if we end up liking the process. Lindsay stated ‘I will teach you this and it’s yours to take!’
Explanation of EFT
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is often referred to as ‘tapping’ as this refers to the tapping movements done in the practice.
We were taught to use our fingers to tap on energy points or energy centres that are under our skin. When we tap on these energy centres, this sends impulses to our brain. Impulses that aim to tell our nervous system that we are safe and we can relax.
| Adjustments: -Tap at different pressures -Rub the points -Tap just above the spot on the skin |
When to do EFT as a Practice?
- In the moment – perhaps when you are feeling overwhelm, anxiety or have another immediate need
- As more of a conscious practice – this is more as a deliberate work. Often working with memories that are still bothering or triggering you
To Begin:
To start the practice, Lindsay invited us to pause and notice ‘how or what am I feeling? Followed by ‘how do you know that it’s (the feeling) there?’. Maybe it’s through
- Thoughts
- What is your body telling you? Lindsay described our bodies as ‘The Truth Teller’
- Maybe you notice a tense jaw
- Maybe you have a pit in your stomach
- Maybe you are picking at your finger nails
After noticing the feeling, Lindsay invited us to try to understand how big does this feeling feel to us. We did this by holding up our hands in front of us with palms facing each other. Then we pulled our palms apart to begin illustrating how big the feeling was.
Next, Lindsay began to show us the tapping points for our practice. We were guided to start with the Hand Point. Lindsay described that tapping on this hand point primes our bodies or helps it to get ready and ‘become friends with the issue you want to tap about’.
Illustration by Mira Norian for Verywell Health
While tapping on this hand point, we were encouraged to use a beginning statement such as…
‘Even though I have this anxiety…’ or
‘Even though I have this lump in my throat…’ or
‘Even though I feel like I’m going to throw up…’
And then these beginning statements were followed with an affirmation
…’I fully and completely accept myself’.
…’I deeply accept myself.’
…’I am enough.’
…’I am a good parent.’
Lindsay suggested to say this full statement 3 times
- In order to really tell our nervous system that we are safe
- In order to get this clear and firm message to our brain
We then continued to tap through the other tapping points to create a full practice. Lindsay let us know that as we go through the practice, our bodies may invite ourselves to relax. This could be through physical and subconscious reactions such as relaxation of shoulders, closing eyes, sneezing or deep sighs. One attendant stated that they yawned a lot through the practice.
In addition, Lindsay reminded us that we are encouraged to recognize that we may need to process the practice after. This may be through journaling or reaching out to a trusted friend for support.
| Additional Tips Lindsay Shared: Breathing: follow what breathing happens naturally for you, you don’t need to consciously do a breathing technique Tapping: You can use either hand to tap and can switch hands, you can also try tapping with whole hand or with a stress ball if that feels easier for you. Have a play! Tap at the pace that feels right for you, it may be faster or slower each session depending on the emotion with that topic and how you are feeling Begin practicing at times you feel more regulated that way when you want to use it during times of dysregulation, the practice is already familiar and feels safe |
Attendant Feedback
“I loved this event. I valued the acceptance that I saw in Lyndsay. My Pda can strike big yet the workshop was so gentle and considerate. The understanding that I needed fine detail along with options. Options is always good! Recognition that my hyper Brain needs stimulation was appreciated. I feel better equipped to share this with clients but to also use this for me. It gives me another way of supporting other ND folk but also gives hope that the ND Community have more Professionals out there understanding us. Thank you both!” Jill Holly of NeuroDiversity University
Thank You
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Lindsay for having held the space for all of us in such an inviting and gentle way. We would also like to thank all of the community members who set aside this time to join in. Thank you so much for spending time with us.
You Can Catch Up with or Learn More from Lindsay Here
EFT Tapping for parents on a different path
‘Peace With PDA’: our closed & private Facebook Community for PDA Parents
‘Emotional Freedom Techniques’ is my public & open FB page so everyone can follow
@peacewithpda on Instagram
YouTube for weekly Coffee Break Videos: @peacewithpda
Inquire for information on The Freedom Centre – our beautiful Membership space for parents ready for a deeper dive in supportive community with EFT Tapping. Email: lindsayguttridge@gmail.com
Thank You,
Laura Hellfeld and the Team at Autistic Revolution
Last modified: 14 July 2024