EFT for Coping with Infertility and Enhancing Fertility
Written by Naomi Woolfson
Infertility can affect every area of life, impacting not only a couple’s health and relationship, the persistent inability to conceive can also eat away at their self-esteem. Careers can be affected by having to take time away from work for tests and treatment and, as the majority of fertility treatment has to be paid for privately, the financial strain can add to the burden.
However, it still may come as a surprise that women undergoing infertility treatment experience the same level of stress, anxiety, and depression as women who have cancer, HIV, or heart disease. (Domar A. Fertility and Sterility Issue 58.)
I can identify with that statement; while infertility is not life threatening it does threaten your life. The future you have planned that includes being a parent and a grandparent may not be possible and that realisation is terrifying.
Enter EFT, which has been proven to significantly reduce stress and therefore enhance fertility due to the links between stress and the ability to conceive. (Please see bio for links to research.) Tapping is the perfect tool when faced with infertility and can be used to control anxiety, as pain relief – both physical and emotional, for clearing limiting beliefs about your body, conception, pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood and for installing new positive affirmations to make you feel empowered.
When we consciously slow down and check in with our bodies, our thoughts and our feelings by using EFT we open ourselves up to a wider perspective.
EFT Tapping script for releasing negative beliefs while experiencing infertility:
Say the following sentence out loud and rate how true it feels for you right now from 1 to 10, with 10 being it feels completely true.
“I believe that I cannot be happy until I am pregnant.”
When I was at my lowest this phrase was a 10/10 for me much of the time. By using EFT to acknowledge and accept my feelings rather than pushing them away I was able to release them.
If you are new to tapping then please see how to tap before continuing.
www.thetappingsolution.com/what-is-eft-tapping/
Working on the issues surrounding infertility with EFT can be like stirring the water in the bottom of a pond, all the mud comes up to the surface. If you have been holding your emotions back as the majority of us do while going through fertility issues you may find that a lot comes to the surface when you start to tap.
Say the phrases out loud and really focus on how it feels to voice these thoughts.
Karate chop: Even though I believe that I cannot be happy until I am pregnant, it’s okay I accept myself anyway.
Even though I can’t see how I can be happy until I am pregnant, I accept myself and how I feel.
Even though I believe that I cannot be happy until I am pregnant, I accept myself in this moment.
Eyebrow: I believe that I cannot be happy until I am pregnant
Side of eye: It feels like my life is on hold
Under eye: There is just too much to think about
Under nose: All of these worrying thoughts
Chin: I’ll be happy when I’m pregnant
Collar: And not a moment sooner
Under arm: I can’t be happy until I’m pregnant
Top of head: I will relax when I am pregnant
Eyebrow: I believe that I cannot be happy until I am pregnant
Side of eye: I’m just too anxious
Under eye: There is so much uncertainty
Under nose: I just can’t see how I can be happy
Chin: I’ll relax when I’m pregnant
Collar: I believe that I can’t be happy now
Under arm: I can’t be happy until I am pregnant
Top of head: Can I?
Take a deep breath in, release it slowly and just allow your mind and body to settle.
What thoughts are arising for you? How do you feel? Perhaps a lot is coming to the surface for you. Fantastic! Bottling up emotions does not serve us and once you are aware of them you can use EFT to clear them.
Check-in with our original working statement
“I believe that I can not be happy until I am pregnant” and rate it again from 1 to 10.
I recommend that you repeat the round above a few more times until your rating lowers, then when you are ready, move on to the next round. Note that EFT works best when you are persistent and when you use language that is specific to you, so feel free to use your own words to really voice how you feel.
Karate chop: Even though I’m still not convinced that I can be happy until I am pregnant, it’s okay and I accept myself anyway.
Even though it seems like a tall order to be happy before I am pregnant I accept myself and how I feel.
Even though something is still holding me back, so I don’t think I can be happy until I am pregnant, I accept myself in this moment.
Eyebrow: I’m still not convinced that I can be happy until I am pregnant
Side of eye: It seems like a tall order
Under eye: Something is still holding me back
Under nose: I will relax when I am pregnant
Chin: What if I could relax now?
Collar: What if I could just let go and enjoy this moment?
Under arm: What would that feel like?
Top of head: To relax right now?
Eyebrow: Nope, I can’t relax until I am pregnant
Side of eye: But what if I could?
Under eye: I choose now to take a deep breath
Under nose: And relax right now
Chin: And if I can relax, maybe I can be happy too
Collar: What if I could just let go and enjoy this moment?
Under arm: What would that feel like?
Top of head: To relax right now?
Take a deep breath in, release it slowly and just allow your mind and body to settle.
What thoughts are arising for you? How do you feel compared to before you tapped?
Check-in with our original working statement
“I believe that I cannot be happy until I am pregnant.”
Rate it again from 1 to 10. I really hope that this has given you a taste of the peace of mind that is perfectly possible while experiencing infertility. If you would like to learn more about the mind-body techniques that are allowing me to be the most relaxed and happiest I have ever been, even though I’m still on my own fertility journey, then please check out the links in my bio. Also see links to research and reports mentioned above regarding the link between stress and fertility.
Are you experiencing infertility? Are you using EFT to support yourself? We would love to hear what tapping phrases you use.