Summary: A powerful first-hand account of conquering aerophobia using Emotional Freedom Technique to tap away the fear of flying.

Using EFT to Conquer a Fear of Flying

By: Baerbel Froehlin

This story is about myself, how I applied EFT to myself, to release an issue from more than 50 years ago when I was a small child that was causing post traumatic stress syndrome.

All my life I never felt comfortable to leave home to go on a vacation, any kind of trip. Didn't matter if I wanted to be where I had to go or not, I just never felt comfortable leaving home. To prepare for a trip or being in an airplane was always filled with anxiety. Never mind how well I prepared myself with hypnosis and relaxation audiotapes; I wasn't even able to listen calmly to the tape on the plane.

This time, as I was getting ready for my trip to Europe, I noticed even stronger anxiety, so I finally started to tap about it. Sitting in front of my computer, typing the EFT phrases as fast as I could I started weeping bitterly, as the tapping opened the gates to old memories.

• Even though I'm scared out of my mind to leave home...
• Even though I know this is just a vacation...
• Even though I am not able to control what happens to me while I am traveling...
• Even though it's frightening to leave home, NOT KNOWING IF I CAN COME BACK...

I found myself back at being four years old (1949), in the darkest of night with my mom and baby sister, in an unfamiliar and scary forest, trying to escape from the Eastern part of Germany, which was then occupied by the Russians. There were several traumatic situations that I clearly remembered. My Mom, my baby sister and I got away because I had insisted that I needed to pee. Against my Mom's hesitation to split from the group we stepped behind a tree and therefore stayed behind, as the rest of our group of people got caught right before our eyes and transported to prison, or worse.

Being scared to death as we were, we then ran into a Russian soldier. He turned away to let us pass, so we could make it into the refugee camp on the other side of the border.

As I kept tapping, it all unfolded real fast, I could again feel my own incredible fear and on top of that, my Mom's.

• Even though I do understand now where my fear comes from...
• Even though I weep for this little, scared girl I was then...
• I choose to understand I can protect myself.
• I'm not that little, helpless girl anymore.
• I choose to pull out of situations that scare me.
• I know how to protect myself.
• I don't have to stay with people that make me feel uncomfortable.

Then it dawned on me. That little girl had to leave her relatively safe home, only to find out later she would never be able to come back! Never be in her safe environment again, never was able to play with her toys again, not to mention the terrible time in the crowded refugee camp, where she had to stay for quite awhile.

• Even though I may feel I have no control over what happens around me...
• If situations or people scare me, I choose to take care of myself, in whatever way that is necessary.
• I choose to protect myself in any given situation that calls for my protection.
• I choose to accept the fact that today I have choices.
• I choose to fully be aware of my choices at all times and in any situation.

Finally I calmed down.

• I choose to feel liberated, relaxed and calm... as I understand.
• I don't need control because I am being well taken care of.
• All is well with me.
• I am in good hands.
• I am protected by higher powers - always have been!

• Even though leaving home means not being as comfortable...
• I choose to see the bright side of my vacation...
• Visiting with friends... feeling close to family... seeing new exciting things.

• I choose to feel completely relaxed and at ease!

And there it was: great ease and calmness, paired with understanding. After that I was able to go on my vacation, to be in a plane for eight hours, crossing the Atlantic (no safety net beneath me!) and sleep for several hours on the plane! Not even once did I think about being safe or not, I just was!

I had the most wonderful time with friends, family and others I met on my trip. Many surprising things happened to me, many times I felt very special and much loved. All of my family and friends kept asking what I had done, because I looked so happy and peaceful, everybody wanted to just be with me.

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Also beginning with E:

• EFT case study: Cures Test Anxiety, Child Sleeps in Own Bed
• What is EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)?
• Using EFT to Solve Weight and Anxiety Problems
• Using EFT to Conquer a Fear of Flying