EFT & Matrix Reimprinting: What They Are, Benefits, and Evidence

Mary Sue Abernethy
Oct 14, 2025
4 min read

When people hear about EFT or Matrix Reimprinting, they often wonder: Do these really work? What’s behind them? Are they safe? This post explores both, to help you decide if they might be helpful on your healing journey.

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What Is EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques)?

Basics: EFT is often called “tapping.” It combines elements of cognitive therapy, exposure therapy, and acupressure (tapping on specific meridian points on the body). The idea is that emotional distress can be reduced by tapping while recalling troubling thoughts, memories, or feelings, paired with focusing on affirmations or statements of acceptance.
Purpose: To reduce negative emotional charge from memories or triggers; to help regulate the nervous system; to offer a self-help tool and/or something used within a therapeutic relationship.

What Is Matrix Reimprinting?

Matrix Reimprinting is a technique that builds on EFT. It was developed by Karl Dawson. The process involves revisiting past memories (often from very early life) that carry emotional charge. In Matrix Reimprinting, a client works (often in EFT sessions) to re-imagine or re-write those memories: how they might have wanted things to be, what support was missing, new resources, forgiveness, etc. The idea is not just to reduce distress, but to transform how the memory sits inside the person: changing beliefs, healing, creating new “positive beliefs.”
It often works with “pre-conscious trauma” (trauma or distress from early childhood, before full verbal memory or awareness) and can help with patterns that may have formed from those early events.

Key Benefits

Here are some of the benefits people report, and some that are supported by research:

Reduced symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD
- EFT alone has been shown in multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses to significantly reduce anxiety symptoms compared with no treatment, and performance similar to or better than other interventions (e.g. muscle relaxation, breathing exercises). PubMed+1
- For depression, EFT has shown large effect sizes in RCTs. For example, a meta-analysis found that depressive symptoms dropped substantially after EFT, and effects held up in follow-ups (both under 90 days and beyond). PubMed
Physical and physiological benefits
- Studies have found that EFT can reduce physiological markers like cortisol (stress hormone), improve heart rate variability, lower resting heart rate and blood pressure, boost immune function (e.g. salivary immunoglobulin A). PubMed
- In chronic pain trials, EFT reduced pain severity and interference in daily life, with effects maintained over time. PubMed
Durability of effects
- Gains from EFT have been shown to last in follow-ups (some studies up to 6 months or more). For PTSD especially, 4-10 sessions of EFT produced large effect sizes that were maintained over time. PubMed+3PubMed+3PubMed+3
Matrix Reimprinting’s contributions
- In a pilot study in the UK, Matrix Reimprinting (MR) was offered via a dedicated service in a public health setting. Over time, clients showed both statistically and clinically significant improvements in psychological distress, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and well-being.
- Another pilot study among survivors of war in Bosnia using EFT + Matrix Reimprinting found improvements in PTSD symptoms and psychological healing. Although sample sizes were small, results were promising. Science Publications
Gentler and client-driven reframing
- One of the strengths of Matrix Reimprinting is that it allows clients more control over how they reframe their memories (what they needed, what they lacked, alternative resources, forgiveness, etc.). This can lead to beliefs shifts and to “rewriting” parts of the past in a way that supports healing.

What the Research Still Needs / Limitations

To keep things balanced, here are some of the limits and areas that still require more study:

Many studies are small sample sizes, pilot studies, or have limited follow-up. Larger RCTs with longer follow-ups are still needed, especially for Matrix Reimprinting.
Some studies rely heavily on self-report measures (questionnaires), which can introduce bias.
Blinding (making sure participants or evaluators don’t know whether someone is receiving the active treatment) is difficult or sometimes missing.
There is still debate about which parts of EFT do what: Is it the tapping itself? Is it the cognitive exposure / memory work? The affirmation component? Or the way the session allows reconnection with forgotten or misinterpreted memories?

Who Might Benefit Most

Here are some of the people for whom EFT + Matrix Reimprinting might be especially helpful:

Those with trauma or PTSD symptoms who want to address early memories or pre-verbal trauma.
People who feel “stuck” in negative beliefs or emotional responses tied to past events.
Clients who find talk therapy helpful but want more somatic / body-based work.
Those who prefer gentler, more self-paced techniques, or who are sensitive to more intense exposure therapies.
People wanting tools they can use between sessions (self-help tapping, visualization, etc.).

Safety, Practical Considerations, and How It’s Used in Therapy

These techniques are generally considered low risk. Most people tolerate them well. However, as with all work involving trauma, there can be emotional discomfort, resurfacing of memories, or strong feelings. It’s helpful to do this with a trained therapist who can provide support.
Matrix Reimprinting in particular involves revisiting memories; the therapist should be skilled to help clients stay grounded and safe.
Frequency: Some people see meaningful change in just a few sessions (4-10 seem common in several studies for PTSD, anxiety). Others may need more, depending on depth and complexity of their history.
Mode: Both in-person and online versions of EFT have been studied, and results suggest they can be similarly effective in many cases. PubMed+1

Bottom Line

EFT and its extension Matrix Reimprinting offer promising, evidence-backed tools for healing emotional distress, trauma, negative beliefs, and somatic symptoms. While more large-scale research is needed, the existing studies show significant improvements across anxiety, depression, PTSD, even physiological stress markers.

If you’re considering trying one of these, it’s worth exploring with someone experienced, especially if you have complex or early trauma. And even as a self-help tool, components like tapping, reframing memories, and integrating new beliefs can be powerful steps toward lasting change.