Julie Banks, B.S., EFTI Accredited Certified Advanced EFT Practitioner

EFT is an innovative tool that helped me transform my negative, limited focus and shift into a better thought/feeling place. For years, I struggled with severe anxiety, low self-esteem, and abuse. As an adolescent, I felt so alone in my pain and  had no understanding or healthy ways to cope with the intensity of all that I was feeling. I disliked having intense feelings and longed for a way to shut them off. This longing for what I now know to be 'soothing,' compelled me to look outside of myself to fill the void I felt inside. At a young age, I learned to use food to make myself feel better, which worked great until I became overweight. My weight became a constant focus of harsh ridicule and disapproval by my family and friends. I felt so much shame, but I couldn't stop eating. All the criticism I endured became my own voice. I hated myself for being fat and feeling so flawed. At such a delicate stage in my development, my self-hatred and inability to cope pushed me into the darkness of bulimia and ultimately, heroin addiction-- which almost killed me. In the midst of my darkness, my 18-year-old brother was tragically killed in a car accident. I had such survivor's guilt that God got it wrong. I was the 'problem child,' so I should have died, not my brother. One night, I took too much heroin and thought I was dying. I heard my brother's voice as if he was standing in the room talking to me. He said, "Stop hurting yourself! I was supposed to go and you are supposed to stay. You have a mission that you have not fulfilled yet." A week later I checked myself into a treatment center and never used heroin again. I believe my brother saved my life that night. Despite being in recovery, I struggled for years to understand what my brother meant about me having a mission that I needed to fulfill. It wasn't until I found EFT and learned not only how to hold space for myself but also to allow my feelings that it was possible to soothe myself without acting out by using self-harm. It then became abundantly clear that I was meant to help others to do the same. This transformation opened a healing doorway beyond my imagination to a whole new vision full of purpose and possibility. 
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My passion is to help people who feel stuck and want to move forward, beyond their pain and trauma. As we use EFT, you will notice the intensity of your issue subside, your emotions soothe, your body relax. You will  begin to feel into a newfound reality of safety, strength, and possibility.

My approach to EFT is to meet you where you are now in your experience. I hold a space for you to speak your truth and explore your experience. This honoring of your experience creates a level of safety within that helps you trust yourself and the process. The disturbing issue can then begin to safely evolve away and empower you to feel better fast and live the life you are wanting.                                                                                                                                                                     

​In the throes of trauma and emotional turmoil, it can be incredibly challenging to envision what is possible, what you want for yourself, or what your future holds. As we 'Tap' into, explore, and honor your present reality, the power that your emotional distress has over you begins to diminish. Through the use of EFT, I have seen my clients and myself experience profound expansions of the heart and mind. These expansions will stretch your reality and empower you to step into the flow of your passion and purpose. It is possible to feel better and move forward in life in the way you desire. However, it all starts with honoring what is true for you in the present moment.
                                     
 Are you ready to embark on this journey?

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​Julie's Professional Background

I am an Accredited Certified Advanced EFT Practitioner and Supervising Mentor through EFT International. In 2011, I pioneered the use of EFT at Backus Hospital's acute psychiatric unit in Norwich, Connecticut. I assisted patients in self-soothing and calming any emotional dysregulation that often affects those in an acute psychiatric setting.

In January 2013, I was privileged to join Nick Ortner and Dr. Lori Leyden as one of the EFT practitioners for The Tapping Solution Foundation's Stress and Trauma Relief Project for Newtown. I underwent an intensive year-long training in trauma relief and resiliency, which enabled me to heal my own trauma and become fully present to hold a safe and supportive space for others and their trauma. We were the first emotional rapid response team in the United States to use EFT with those affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Additionally, I provided EFT mentoring and supervision to licensed mental health professionals serving Newtown, helping them to build their professional competence and confidence in using EFT for trauma.

​IIn March 2018, Dr. Leyden invited me to join her in Parkland, Florida to provide Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) sessions to those affected by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas School shooting, including survivors, educators, community leaders, and families. During our time there, we also conducted a masterclass series for over 100 licensed mental health professionals, teaching them how to effectively use EFT to treat trauma.

One might think that working in Sandy Hook and Parkland would be heartbreaking. Instead, this work has broken my heart open to the potential for healing and demonstrated that with love, commitment, and the right resources, such as EFT, we can heal anything!

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Julie Tapping with EFT Level 1 Participants - Sandy Hook, CT

Children Services Council EFT for Trauma Masterclass Parkland, FL

Parkland Grace Angels EFT for Trauma Masterclass