EFT vs EMDR: How the Two Trauma Therapies Compare
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and EFT tapping are sometimes lumped together as "tapping" or "body-based trauma therapies." They're actually different protocols with different evidence bases. Here's how they compare.
At a glance
| EMDR | EFT tapping | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | 1987, Francine Shapiro | 1995, Gary Craig |
| Core technique | Bilateral stimulation (eye movement, taps, or tones) while focusing on the memory | Tapping nine acupressure points while saying a setup statement |
| Self-applicable? | Not really. EMDR is designed to be delivered by a trained therapist. | Yes — the Basic Recipe is explicitly designed for self-use. |
| Evidence base | Extensive; recommended by WHO, APA, NICE for PTSD | Several PTSD RCTs and a meta-analysis; not on APA Division 12 list |
| Typical course | 6–12 sessions with a trained therapist | 4–10 sessions with a practitioner, or daily self-use |
| Insurance coverage (US) | Generally yes | Generally no |
| Best for | Single-incident trauma and PTSD treatment with a qualified clinician | Self-applied regulation, ongoing practice, complement to therapy |
The head-to-head research
The most important comparison is Karatzias et al. (2011) — a randomised controlled trial in the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease. 46 adults with PTSD were randomly assigned to EFT or EMDR. Both produced significant and equivalent improvements in PTSD symptoms at post-treatment and follow-up.
The Sebastian & Nelms 2017 meta-analysis on EFT for PTSD included this study alongside six others and concluded EFT meets criteria for an evidence-based PTSD treatment. EMDR has a similarly large evidence base for PTSD.
What's similar
- Both pair memory exposure with a body-based regulating action.
- Both rate progress using the 0–10 SUDS scale.
- Both can produce significant SUDS drops within a single session.
- Both are considered safe for most people in their clinical contexts.
What's different
- EMDR requires a therapist. Self-application is not how EMDR is meant to be used.
- EFT has a self-application tradition. Gary Craig published the Basic Recipe explicitly for self-use.
- Evidence base size. EMDR has hundreds of controlled trials and is recommended by the WHO, APA, NICE, and VA. EFT has approximately 100 trials and is not on the APA Division 12 list.
- Clinical recognition. EMDR therapists are licensed mental-health professionals with specific EMDR training and certification. EFT practitioners may or may not be licensed clinicians.
Which one is right for you
For a single specific trauma — an accident, an assault, a loss — EMDR with a qualified therapist is the better evidence-based starting place. The WHO, APA, and NICE all recommend EMDR for PTSD; none specifically recommend EFT yet.
For ongoing regulation, between-session work, and self-applied maintenance — EFT is the practical fit because EMDR isn't designed for self-use. Many people use both: EMDR with a therapist for the deeper trauma processing, EFT daily for between-session regulation.
Use EFT as a daily complement.
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