Do you feel numb or panicked when you even think about checking your bank account? If your body takes over when money topics come up, you're not alone - this might be financial trauma. In this episode, financial therapist Rachel Duncan sits down with Sydney Harbosky, a certified EFT practitioner, to explore how Emotional Freedom Technique (also called "tapping") can help heal your relationship with money — BODY FIRST. Sydney guides us through what tapping is, how it works with your nervous system, and even leads us through a mini tapping session you can follow along with at home.
💬 "I was going to therapy. I'd have a coach. I was reading all the things and still something was stopping me from doing what I needed to do, and I was like, this has to be the body at this point." - Sydney Harbosky
Sydney Harbosky is a Certified EFT practitioner who helps people transform their relationship with money and creativity through tapping. She offers monthly sessions in the Money Healing Club and provides one-on-one support at sydneyharbosky.com.
What is EFT and How Does It Work? [00:02:00 - 00:07:00] Sydney explains how emotions are stored in the body and how tapping specific acupressure points while saying targeted phrases can change your emotional chemistry in real time.
Sydney's Journey to Tapping [00:07:00 - 00:12:00] Sydney shares how anger led her to discover grief, and how traditional talk therapy wasn't enough—she needed something that addressed what her body was holding.
Tapping for Money Healing [00:12:00 - 00:15:00] Discussion of how money triggers survival brain responses and why tapping is particularly effective for financial trauma and avoidance patterns.
Live Tapping Demonstration [00:15:00 - 00:23:00] Sydney guides Rachel (and listeners) through a mini tapping session focused on anxiety around checking bank accounts, including all the tapping points and healing phrases.
The Interview Process and Group Sessions [00:23:00 - 00:26:00] Sydney explains how she prepares for tapping sessions, using participants' exact words to activate their nervous system before introducing positive reframes.
Beyond Money: Other Uses for Tapping [00:26:00 - 00:29:00] Sydney shares how she uses tapping with creative blocks, working with artists and musicians when they know what they should be doing but something is stopping them.
🫴 Basic Tapping Points (in order):
Side of hand (the "karate chop" point) - Start here for setup statements
Side of eyes (where your eyelids meet)
Under eyes (on cheekbones)
Under nose (tapping finger like a little mustache)
Under chin (tapping finger like a little mustache)
Collarbone (back to two hands)
Under one armpit (raise arm and use other hand to tap - about 4 inches down from pit)
Wrists together (cross your hands)
Pressure: Like tapping someone at a concert to get their attention—firm but not painful
Frequency: Tap, tap, tap, tap about twice per second (you can go faster or slower, whatever feels right)
💝 Sample Tapping Sequence for Money Anxiety:
Setup (side of hand): "Even though I feel anxious about looking at my account, I choose to deeply and completely love, accept, and forgive myself."
Top of head: "I have this tight feeling in my chest"
Eyebrows: "I don't want to look"
Side of eyes: "What if it's worse than I think?"
Under eyes: "I feel frozen just thinking about it"
Under nose: "I have so much shame around money"
Under chin: "I judge myself for avoiding it"
Collarbone: "I judge myself for avoiding it"
Under arm: "I judge myself for avoiding it"
Top of head: "Even though I judge myself for avoiding it, I choose to deeply and completely love, accept and forgive myself"
Eyebrows: "I want to feel safe with money"
Side of eyes: "I'm open to more calm around money"
Under eyes: "And so it is"
Sydney Harbosky's website: sydneyharbosky.com
Instagram: @sydneyharbosky
Brad Yates (EFT practitioner mentioned) "I take full responsibility for my wellbeing."
Gala Darling (where Sydney discovered tapping and got certification)
C.S. Lewis quote: "I sat with anger long enough until she told me her real name was Grief"
The quote "grief is a physical process, not an emotional one" is often attributed to Christina Chipriano. She is a grief counselor and author who emphasizes the physical aspects of grief, according to the website Speaking Grief.
💬 Join the Conversation What money situations make your body go into panic mode? Leave us a voice mail and we can get Sydney pack here to design your tapping script! Leave us a voicemail at moneyhealingclub.com/podcast
🎧 Your next listen: S2 E15: 😶🌫️ Tax anxiety and what to do about it
💫 Monthly Tapping Sessions in the Money Healing Club Sydney leads monthly tapping sessions for Money Healing Club members, plus you get access to art therapy workshops, masterclasses, book club, and more. Join us at moneyhealingclub.com — no one is beyond help, and we'll see you there!
Use code PODCAST for 50% off your first month and start your money healing process - tapping included!
https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/club
Full transcript: https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast
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