Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) for Children, Teens and Parents
Gentle, effective support for anxiety, stress and emotional struggles.
Helping you and your child feel calmer, more confident and free.
Natalie Mobbs
Accredited Certified EFT Practitioner
Supporting Your Child When They’re Struggling
Hello, and a warm welcome.
If you’ve found your way here, I’m guessing your child or teen may be struggling right now — perhaps with anxiety, overwhelm, low confidence, school pressures, friendships, exam stress, or big emotions.
If your child is struggling, that is likely impacting you too. You might be feeling helpless, exhausted, frustrated, or simply unsure how to help anymore. However you are feeling is okay. Parenting can be really hard!
I want to reassure you that you are not alone and don’t need to figure it all out by yourself.
I use a gentle yet powerful technique called EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), also known as tapping, to support both children and adults. EFT is extremely effective. It helps to calm the nervous system, process difficult emotions, and create lasting change.
I offer a free consultation where we can chat and see whether EFT feels like the right fit for you or your child. You can also ask any questions you may have.
What is EFT and How Can It Help?
Feelings like anxiety, stress and frustration can cause the nervous system to go into an “alarm state” — often known as fight or flight. In this state, it becomes much harder to think clearly, manage emotions, feel confident, or cope well with everyday challenges.
EFT works with both the mind and body to gently calm this stress response.
Using light tapping on specific acupressure points on the face and upper body, while gently talking through thoughts, feelings and experiences, calming signals are sent to the brain and nervous system. This helps the body begin to feel safe again.
As this happens, emotions such as anxiety, stress, anger and overwhelm can begin to soften and release.
When people use EFT they often begin to feel:
calmer and more relaxed
clearer in their thinking
more emotionally regulated
more confident and resilient
more able to cope with challenges
Once the body feels safe, we can gently explore and release some of the deeper thoughts, beliefs or experiences that may be contributing to the issue.
We can also work with limiting beliefs such as: “I’m not good enough”, “No one likes me”, “I’m rubbish at Maths”. As these beliefs begin to soften and release, we can start building more supportive and empowering ways of thinking instead.
What Can EFT Help With?
EFT can help with a wide range of emotional challenges, including:
anxiety and worry
stress and overwhelm
exam stress and school pressure
low confidence and self-esteem
overthinking and negative thought patterns
anger and emotional outbursts
friendship and relationship difficulties
low mood
phobias and fears
sleep difficulties
emotional eating or issues around food
past upsetting experiences or trauma
physical symptoms linked to stress or emotions, such as headaches or upset stomachs
Many people also notice improvements in sleep, emotional resilience, focus and overall wellbeing.
EFT can also help improve the relationship we have with ourselves. As we release stress, anxiety and limiting beliefs, we often begin to feel more accepting of who we are and more comfortable in ourselves.
This can positively impact relationships too. We may worry less about being judged or trying to please everyone else, and instead feel more able to live in a way that feels true and authentic to us.
Why I Do This Work
Before becoming an EFT practitioner, I was a teacher for over 13 years.
While I was teaching I saw so many children (and parents) struggling with issues like anxiety, stress and overwhelm. So many children seem to have low self-confidence and are plagued with self-doubt and feelings of not being good enough. There are also many children who struggle with strong emotions like anger, finding it so hard to manage and control their feelings. I saw the same in my friends’ children, and heard so many cases of children who were now being home-schooled because they were just too anxious to go to school.
EFT is such a beautiful solution to these problems. The impact EFT can have is so profound that I left my teaching career to fully focus on this incredible work. It’s such a gentle yet powerful way to help children not just talk about how they feel — but actually shift and release those feelings. Each session is completely tailored to the individual.
Here is a brief summary of my qualifications and experience:
I am an accredited and certified Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) Practitioner
I have a degree in Psychology
I have a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
I was a teacher for over 13 years and I have experience of working with children with special educational needs including ASD and ADHD
I am DBS checked
I am extremely passionate about the work I do and the people I work with. I am very dedicated to my work and I take regular courses, read and attend workshops and summits to make sure I am up to date and able to help the people I work with in the best possible way.
I am a Mum myself! I have 2 sons and a stepdaughter, so I understand both personally and professionally how hard it can be when a child is struggling.
EFT for Exam Stress and Anxiety
Ahh the dreaded exams! Fun for the whole family!
Exam periods can bring huge amounts of pressure, stress and emotion — not just for young people, but for parents too.
You might notice:
tears or emotional overwhelm
anger and irritability (door slamming, harsh words and emotional outbursts)
lack of motivation to revise
negative thinking and self-doubt
difficulty sleeping
emotional eating or loss of appetite
headaches, tummy aches or other stress symptoms
increased tension within the family
Maybe you feel like you’re walking on eggshells, or perhaps with all the stress and tension you feel like you want to scream, shout or have a good cry yourself!
EFT can help so much during these times. It gives children and teens a safe space to express everything they are feeling, rather than bottling it all up inside.
We can gently work with:
anxiety, stress and overwhelm
fear of failure
perfectionism
pressure and expectations
low confidence and self-belief
negative thought patterns
As difficult emotions begin to release, children often begin feeling:
calmer and more relaxed
clearer in their thinking
more motivated
more emotionally balanced
more confident in themselves and their abilities
When young people feel calmer emotionally, they are often far more able to focus, revise effectively and approach exams with a clearer mind.
“I was recommended to have Natalie for my first EFT experience to help with exam stress. From the moment the call started, Natalie made me feel comfortable by reassuring me that it was a confidential and safe space where I could speak freely. This helped me open up about the stress I was experiencing, and Natalie guided me to explore where those feelings may have originated. Through the use of tapping, we were able to release stress connected from the past, focus back to the present, and work towards feeling more positive about future events. Natalie also reassured me that the emotions I was feeling were completely normal, which made me feel safe, understood, and comfortable enough to share further thoughts and feelings. At the end of the call, Natalie gave me some tips of how to use tapping in everyday circumstances. It was a really supportive and calming session, and I would definitely recommend Natalie to anyone considering EFT”
Priya Larsen (age 17)
What Happens in a Session?
Sessions take place online via Zoom, so your child can be in the comfort of their own home.
Depending on what feels best for your child, I can either work with them independently or with you present during the session.
We begin by gently exploring what has been troubling them and how they would like to feel instead — perhaps calmer, more confident, more motivated or more in control.
I then introduce the tapping process and we gently tap together while talking through thoughts, feelings and emotions connected to the issue.
Sometimes we also gently explore deeper root causes or beliefs that may be contributing to the issue.
Everything is done gently and at your child’s pace. I regularly check in to make sure they feel comfortable, safe and happy with everything we are doing.
My aim is always to create a calm, supportive and non-judgemental space where your child feels safe, understood and able to open up in their own way.
I can also share simple tapping techniques they can continue using at home between sessions, if they would like to.
Support for Parents
Supporting a child through emotional struggles can feel incredibly hard. In EFT we honour all our feelings — it is a safe place to openly share and release your fears, frustrations, your own anger, disappointments, hurts and guilt.
EFT can help you feel:
calmer and more regulated
less reactive and overwhelmed
stronger emotionally
more resilient and grounded
more able to cope with challenges compassionately
And there really is no greater gift you can give your child than being regulated yourself.
You do not have to cope with all of this alone. I am here to support you too.
Taking the Next Step
If you’re wondering whether EFT might be right for your child, or yourself, you are very welcome to get in touch.
I offer a free call where we can talk things through to see whether EFT feels like the right fit for your family. You can also ask any questions you may have.
“I loved my session with Natalie she taught me a bunch of great ways to calm myself and access my emotions. She explained it so clearly and I am enjoying trying out some new techniques.”
Agatha Neill (age 13)