Success Stories

Client Stories

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Margaret Tangible ResultsWhen people go on a journey of discovery it is natural to share their journey so that other people may learn what is possible, and perhaps be inspired enough to get support for themselves instead of struggling alone.

Please scroll down the page and see if you find a story which really speaks to what you’re going through.

My clients' privacy is very important to me and as some clients do not wish to be identified all stories are anonymous.

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"I was at my wit’s end when I found Margaret. Here I was, a successful professional with a solid career, which took obvious determination and discipline to achieve, and yet I was struggling with obsessive compulsive behaviours that were undermining my progress and holding me back from true happiness and peace.

I struggled with compulsive shopping and hoarding, an unwarranted negative body image, and compulsive exercising to rid the negative body image. I was in a vortex of negativity that I couldn’t seem to get out of, no matter how hard I tried.

Somewhere I read about EFT and the success people were having with that approach. Having nothing to lose, I started googling practitioners in Asia and came across Margaret.

To say our work together has been a success would be an understatement. In a very short time I was able to break the chains of my compulsive behaviours. Coming to understand how I got to this place was the first step we took in healing. Tapping was the instrument or device that created emotional release and healing.

The mental and physical freedom that I experienced was nothing short of amazing. I would call myself “cured” of my detracting behaviours. I no longer find myself hoarding food and objects, nor do I carry a negative body image or punishing exercise in the gym. I feel like I am finally “normal”!

I now have a functional tool to manage anxiety when it comes up in my life, and am grateful to discover that there is the possibility of finding a new lightness of being even after you have resigned yourself to living with emotional baggage."

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“I was burnt out, exhausted, anxious and angry.  Bone tired and feeling pretty small due to a tonne of self-blame, a ruthless work environment, and a way too busy lifestyle. All of which Margaret summed up in the first ten minutes. I confess it was a bit shocking to hear it at first (I thought I had it all well hidden beneath a carefully crafted veneer of corporate success), but after the initial shock it was just to be honest, a huge bloody relief.

At that first session I learned the basics of tapping and how to manage the self-talk, to slow myself down and be calm. I remember driving home feeling an internal quiet, a silence I had not experienced in years. That silence and calm has stayed with me ever since, and through the stillness; I was finally able to cope with ongoing work pressures and be hopeful that a new way of making a living within a better environment is within my reach.

For a few months we had fortnightly sessions, each time dealing with a new aspect of the complex web of pain and blame I had crafted in my head over a lifetime. Things I never even thought of as being important until Margaret asked. Often I would bounce into a session with something on my mind I wanted help with; and by the end of the session found we had dealt with something much bigger. It is like removing big black boxes with every visit and replacing them with light and space.

With her help, I figured out a few months into tapping, that the power and influence I wanted so desperately at the beginning…… I just don’t crave anymore. Now, I define my own success.

I still have a long way to go, but when I stop and look behind me, I have climbed mountains. Thanks Margaret!  I highly recommend giving tapping a chance, if nothing else it may prove to be your stepping stone if not your path.”

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When I approached Margaret I was feeling “trapped” and out of sorts: bored, frustrated, resentful, and down. I felt very “stuck” in personal relationships, my job and life in general. I wasn’t sure what was wrong in particular, just this awful feeling of being stuck and an intuition that perhaps something was trying to get my attention.

We started with my telling Margaret about my concerns: Very matter-of-factly I related how I felt afraid of moving on. I felt ambivalent and stuck in a job that also had some good points, a marriage breakdown 10 years ago that still seemed to haunt me, the deaths of my parents and brother, and (almost as an after-thought) a car accident that had occurred a long time ago.

Immediately I mentioned the car accident, Margaret invited me to start tapping, which came as a surprise to me. The accident happened 28 years ago, and the other issues seemed to be more “current”. However, I went along with it and when I started telling Margaret about what happened, almost immediately I started sobbing. I really don’t remember much about what actually took place during the session. What I do remember is Margaret tapping on me, talking about “this terrible shock”, “this awful shock” and I thought, “yes, I am in shock, yes, I do feel hurt”.

As I related it to Margaret, the accident seemed to be happening in the present. I couldn’t stop crying over my mixed emotions: the shock, the fear of being in a physically dangerous and isolated place and not being rescued for some hours, the loss of my new car which was damaged beyond repair, the loss of the relationship with the man who had been driving my car, the relief of not being too badly injured. I felt completely overwhelmed by it all. [Note from Margaret: one of the main aims of this type of work is for people to not have to re-experience the trauma but sometimes what has been stored suddenly whooshes to the surface. However it is short-lived and she is soon laughing, as you’ll discover in the next paragraph!]

Margaret asked me to then tell her again about the accident, and to visualise what was happening as if I was watching it as a black and white movie. Margaret kept tapping on me as I did this. Then she asked me to think of a couple of cartoon characters and to visualise myself and the man as those cartoon characters. I was to then go through the “movie technique” of the accident but this time, my “role” in the movie was replaced by Garfield the Cat! Finally, I visualised my “movie” while Margaret was singing a “can can” ditty. I remember laughing a bit while I was doing this. We did several more rounds of tapping, then I took a deep breath, and had some water.

At the end, when Margaret asked me how I felt, I honestly didn’t know. I explained it as: “I feel like there’s something missing in my head, but in a good way”; “I feel like a circuit has been broken”; “I feel like something that used to travel around my brain on this long, tortuous, winding pathway, has now been zapped”. It was quite extraordinary. I left the session feeling amazed and excited, and so grateful for Margaret’s expertise and the power of EFT.

As a background to this I’ll explain that in the past I would divide the story of my life into two - before the accident, and after the accident. I was 28 when I had the accident, and nearly 56 when I saw Margaret. For 28 years I had been haunted by the accident and what happened. Within 2 weeks following the accident, I developed panic attacks and agoraphobia, and I changed from a person who had been a world traveller and unafraid of most things, to a fearful, bewildered, frightened, phobic invalid.

I had to have three months off work on sick leave, and went to various doctors, who all prescribed tranquillisers. I became addicted to tranquillisers, but I thought it was a small price to pay, as by taking them, I was able to negotiate my way in the world, and “appear normal”. I needed tranquillisers to leave my house, to get to work, to drive my car, to attend any social event.

About six weeks after the initial session, I spoke to Margaret about my feeling that I needed to address the fear of panic attacks and agoraphobia as a consequence of the accident. I was once again amazed that I cried and was so deeply hurt about my first panic attack after the accident, and my subsequent addiction and isolation. Margaret tapped on me as we covered these aspects using the movie technique once more, and at the end I felt such wonderful relief.

I am coming to realise that now I am rid of the debilitating, unfounded fears that dogged me for half my life, the world really could be my oyster. I have been given a new freedom, and the opportunity to live in a healthier, happier, more productive way. The question now is, what will I choose? How do I want to make the most of the opportunities that seem to be manifesting nearly every day?

In practical terms, it means that I am planning an overseas trip, and then I will look around for a new job. However, the real development, the beautiful outcome, is that I am recognising that by living in the moment - this moment - I am in a powerful, supportive place of wonderful choice and opportunity. I can understand and appreciate these choices and opportunities without the burden of the fear and isolation of the past that previously had coloured all my experiences.

I have a sense of positive anticipation and expectation that I am and will be alright, no matter what happens. The future no longer needs to be feared and will unfold as it needs to for the higher good of all, and when that time comes, as well as this moment, I am as happy and joyful as I choose to be. I am so very grateful to Gary Craig, EFT and Margaret for freeing me from 28 years of hurt, fear and isolation.”

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When I contacted Margaret I had been working on healing my issues for many years but had reached a point where my progress had stalled. I was still very stressed in my job to the point where I was having physical symptoms that were very uncomfortable.

Each time Margaret and I met I would tell her what had come up since we last met and she would very quickly uncover the root cause of the issue and we would work through it. She had many tools in her toolkit, including my favourite EFT, all of which were very helpful in revealing and clearing different aspects of issues.

Over one and a half years I noticed myself changing. My anxiety reduced, I started responding more from my authentic self and my physical symptoms of stress either reduced or disappeared. Other people have noticed my greater confidence, calmness and authenticity. I feel happier and laugh more now. At work I’m achieving more with less stress. And I’m passing on what I’ve learned to other people in my life and they’re benefiting too.

In unearthing my authentic self I’ve come to realise that my career is not completely aligned with who I am as a person. Margaret has helped me imagine other possibilities, breaking my victim thinking.

I am writing two nonfiction books based on my life experiences and spiritual path, the first of which I have just sent to a publisher for review. I have previously tried to write five different books but since working with Margaret I have finally succeeded.

I believe it’s because now I’m trusting myself and have cleared away enough mental baggage that I can hear the spiritual guidance that was there all along. I have plans to create a website and other materials to support my books which will help guide others on their spiritual journeys.

I feel I am creating a new life for myself, one that is authentically mine, not built on the pressures and desires of others, and I'll be eternally grateful to Margaret for her invaluable support, love, care and understanding.”

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“I was recommended to Margaret by a friend of mine, who was one of the major causes of my anxiety at the time. She was oblivious to her effect on me, but I had managed to once again find a person who would render me powerless and afraid. I was unable to make a decision for myself and, frankly, living a life with little enjoyment.

I have been repeating the same pattern of behaviour since childhood, being bullied and having little self- worth. Margaret showed me how to step back and watch the manipulation process in action. To be aware of exactly how I was contributing to this also. What an eye opener! I had been actively enabling people to put me right back where I belonged - powerless and afraid. This was my comfortable place.

Through tapping I realised the fear and hurt was so deep I wasn’t even aware of it. Slowly I regained some control of my life and gradually the weight lifted and lightened. I felt freedom for the first time in possibly my whole life. I don’t have to do what other people want and expect. I can choose to live a happy life and I can say “ NO.” This won’t result in people hating me or thinking badly of me. It’s what adult people do.

Slowly the guilt started to abate and I could look at things objectively without my panic button immediately going off, and charging into action to do something I didn’t want to.

Of course, I still dip my toe into the old behaviours, they have been there a long time. However now I can acknowledge that they don’t serve any purpose and they are merely a behaviour, not a fact or real life. When they do, I start a round of tapping and quite often something profound happens, and a great sadness is released. I feel calmer and all together happier.

I will always be grateful to my friend for trying to help me and sending me to Margaret, it was a very generous act. I now feel braver and metaphorically taller since tapping and I am eternally grateful to Margaret for fishing me out of the mire I had been floundering in.”

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“I am writing to offer my heartfelt thanks for the Faster EFT session you did with me a couple of months ago. I see the results of that session as a powerful testimony to the intrinsic links between our physical symptoms and unresolved traumas.

I came to you as I had been experiencing sex as intermittently painful for about 3 months. I had a pap smear with a GP who confirmed that I had atrophic changes to my vagina, which she assured me was normal for someone who is peri-menopausal. She explained that the blood supply to the vagina had lessened so that the walls now looked pale and that I had some angry looking red areas of inflammation, which would explain why sex (and the pap smear) was painful. I was devastated.

As you know I had spent some 10 years in counselling after discovering that I had been sexually abused as a very young child. The driver to get help in my early 20's had been that the pain associated with having sex was akin to being raped virtually every time. Healing to the point that I could enjoy pain-free sex had been a long and difficult journey. The thought of going back to painful sex was profoundly upsetting and as I value the intimacy and closeness that comes with having sex with my husband, I didn't want to give it up.

Of course, I could have used the hormone cream that the doctor prescribed, but I have had strong reactions to hormonal drugs like the Pill in the past, and was frightened of the side effects I may have to endure.

With profound gratitude, I am able to report that following 2 hours of Faster EFT with you, I have not had any further experiences of pain. These sessions have had other flow-on effects too. I find it easier to be true to myself and to articulate my needs. I am not going with the flow so often just to keep the peace and make others happy. On the other hand, I have been less reactive in various scenarios with my husband. I've felt more able to sit back and respond from a place of compassion, rather than reacting from fear for what 'it' is going to mean for me. I hadn't even realised that I had been doing this in the past, until I stopped.

Thank you so much for your kindness, wisdom and insight. Thank you also for being so committed to your own journey of growth, and for your passion for sharing your understandings and learning with others.”

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“I started seeing Margaret when the stress and anxiety caused by my high pressure job was at breaking point. I was constantly depressed, couldn't sleep and was taking regular anti anxiety medication to cope with my severe depression. I felt totally trapped by my circumstances and even had thoughts of hurting myself because I couldn't see another way out.

Seeing Margaret changed my life. In a very short period time (5 sessions over a few short months), I am off the anti anxiety medication, have found a new job (or perhaps I should say found the confidence to make a change), have learned to create a much healthier work/life balance, feel good about myself again, and perhaps most importantly, now have the tools to efficiently and effectively process the ups and downs that life presents and continue progressing toward the healthy, happy life to which I aspire and deserve.

For me the journey is only half way finished. The dark days may be behind me, but now the focus has changed from saving my life to building the life I want to live.”

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“I was a high performing, award-winning medical recruitment specialist until I developed serious insomnia and anxiety. This led to symptoms of fatigue, memory loss, a racing mind, irritability, brain fog, an overall personality shift and under achievement at work. I deteriorated over several months despite seeking clinical help from a GP. I was introduced to Margaret by a service offered by my employer.

After our first session and over the course of a week my body began to feel less stressed and I was less anxious at bed time, which was a huge win for me. After the second session I began to sleep and by three sessions I felt my spirit had returned, in fact I was a totally different person to the individual who sat in Margaret’s chair on day one.

Daily activities are no longer too hard to cope with, I have started contributing at work once more and my friends and colleagues comment that I am back to being my bubbly self.”

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“It seemed ridiculous, yet at the age of 50, after all this time, Margaret uncovered that the ongoing inner turmoil was due to boundary issues I had with my mother which I had not even realised were not only being crossed, but I could safely say, obliterated!

My major breakthrough came with a tool Margaret gave me called "the broken record". I tried to call my mum a number of times to have a conversation about not doing something she had pretty much 'ordained'. I wanted to let her know that 'it didn't work for our family'. The call finally connected and I dived madly for my bit of paper with my words and a few hints.

It worked. I was quite honestly terrified and shaking - but I did it. There was silence at the other end as she was used to the fight that usually ensued - which never came. I was proud of me (I think Margaret was too) - sure it's only a first step - and I do feel I have quite a ways to go, but things have now quite obviously shifted in me and in the relationship between my mother and me.

The anger is subsiding, the light at the end of the tunnel is no longer an oncoming train!”

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“I had reached the end of my tether. Tired, frustrated and with little hope, I was sending my last effort, a cry for help out into the world, in the form of an email to Margaret Munoz, who I came to know about at my local library where fate would have me pick up her book, The Power of Tapping.

I described in my email to Margaret how much I felt like a monster, suppressing my true feelings, wanting to break out and let go, but not knowing how. For so much of my life I wanted to change and be rid of the old habits that kept me on the ‘mouse wheel’. I had tried so many times to change and I didn’t understand why I never did or couldn’t.

It was clear that I was not happy or satisfied with my life. In fact I was frustrated angry and sad. But if I measured my life by society’s standards, I was succeeding. This confused me, as I then felt guilty for being unhappy and wanting more. In essence, I felt like I was waiting for my life to happen.

Margaret took me on a journey, one that was about me. I have experienced many things since commencing my work with her, some of which were painful and others which were joyous and heartfelt. I had a lot of ‘stuff’ to work through (as we all do).

We peeled back the layers, dove deep into many childhood issues that were still presenting in my adult life. We worked together and with Margaret’s help I stayed committed to myself and the ‘work’. Many times I cried, was angry, frustrated, lost and disappointed. Sometimes I felt like giving up. But I didn’t and maybe this is because Margaret never gave up on me (Thank you J).

I am a very different person now and when I reflect back to the beginning of my journey with Margaret, I see a person who was at a fork in the road. I could have continued unhappily, giving up on myself and all my dreams and aspirations. But I chose to take the other path leading to living, to joy and the feeling of being alive, being connected and powerful. I am happy to report that I now feel all of these. I am a creative being; I feel and believe that everything is possible.

The world is a beautiful place and I accept and love myself more than ever. That is not to say that I do not experience turmoil and avoid having bad days, because I feel those things too at times. But I am equipped with the knowledge and tools to recognise these moments as opportunities for practise and growth. I am a true believer that whatever you ask for will be provided. If you want to be more patient the universe will provide you with the opportunity to practise patience.

I am very grateful to work with Margaret. I have learned so many things. My friends often comment on how much of a different person I am. My journey has been filled with an array of emotions. To know that someone else can experience the growth and changes I have makes me feel fantastic and inspired. This is why I tell my story, so that others, like you, may see and know that change and growth is possible.

My adventure continues, as I know and feel that there are more wondrous things to experience. Life for me is truly about growth and transformation. It is a dream come true, to know that others can experience the healing I did, to feel connected and powerful as I do and most of all feel the love and self-acceptance that is available to us all.”

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“Through the highs and lows of working with EFT comes the significant breakthrough. Many times I have arrived for my appointment wondering what I was doing there, castigating myself for not being able to get ‘it’ and get on with life.

Magically, what needs to come up arrives; the layers that I am not aware of, the weights that are holding me back and keeping me in a familiar holding pattern reveal themselves under skilful guidance. The small wins clear the way for the breakthrough shifts.

For all my working life I have been dissatisfied with bureaucracy, critical of management, advising we should do this, change that.  I need to get out and into a different environment…I need to do something radically different. This insight was an absolute revelation, I am in the wrong place, the system is what it is and does not provide what I am seeking. Let it be and move on.

Life continues as I reflect on doing things radically differently. Again I arrive at my appointment wondering what I am doing here, but am buoyed by the feeling of that breakthrough and the value of having Margaret to keep me moving forward to observe and create my future self.

‘Before enlightenment chopping wood, after enlightenment chopping wood.’ (Buddhist saying)”

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“I wanted to let you know how things played out after I took some time to consolidate our work. It went a bit like this: I practised the tapping, although not rigorously, but as I felt the need. I pursued one job opportunity for the wrong reasons - they were offering part time. The interview went surprisingly badly and so I decided to back off and refocus on myself.

Well, the very next day I was approached out of the blue for two interesting jobs. Now I had choice! I followed my heart and pursued the one that was the biggest change and allowed me to express who I am, and resonated with the focus words we collected in one of our sessions.

As this was a career change, they did try to talk down my terms, but I held firm, reminding them of the skills and experience I bring outside of the immediate job description. (I want to note here that this process seemed completely natural to me. In retrospect I can't imagine behaving in this way, feeling this way, prior to my work with you.)

I started this week and my manager tells me every day how well I'm doing and, while that is great feedback, I am truly deriving my own satisfaction from learning and working in ways that feel like "why wasn't I doing this 32 years ago!!!" This role really makes me feel all of those focus words we worked on.

The tapping has been very helpful and I use it often - whenever I notice my mind is preoccupied, my body stressed, or I am irritable. The work we have done has set me on my way to a new career and a life of feeling so much better about myself and hence about everything around me. Thank you for facilitating this process.”

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“I’ve always thought of myself as a bright and bubbly person, so it came as a complete surprise when I found myself needing assistance to get over a problem that had appeared in my life. I am a singer and songwriter, and my dream is to record my own album.

However, I am also a wife and mother to two beautiful children, and I found myself in a situation where the two things didn’t seem to go together. I had written the songs for my album, and had almost finished recording it, but I felt physically drained and a bit overwhelmed. I felt guilty too because I didn't think that I deserved to take time away from my young family and spend the money, as it is an independent album.

My family and friends could see the pressure I was under, and didn’t want to see me in this pain. I thought about giving up, and letting the dream go, because the pressure to try to do everything was making me miserable. I think I had already made up my mind that I still wanted to continue on my path when I went to see Margaret, it was just that I couldn't figure out how to be positive about it when it seemed so difficult.

I didn’t know anything about EFT or tapping but I was willing to try anything. I was quite sceptical at first, but open to the process. I trusted when I heard that you don’t have to believe the tapping will work for it to work, and so I wanted to give it a try. I just went with it - I'm the kind of person who will give almost anything a go. During the sessions I felt vulnerable, but I trusted Margaret.

We tapped on self esteem, mainly focusing on me deserving to make my own choices and stick by them. A lot of this stems from my past and it was about facing that and accepting it and moving forward. I had to create new pathways of thinking, stop the self depreciation and negative thoughts and create positive ones. The real issues became so crystal clear. I knew I needed to follow my heart with my songwriting and singing when I heard myself say things like “this is what I love”, and “I deserve this”.

Afterwards I felt slightly numb, but positive, and felt like a weight had been lifted from me. All of a sudden the problem didn’t seem to be a mountain anymore! I also noticed an interesting thing: this change in me seemed to also be reflected in my husband and family. The clearer I got and the more peaceful and directed I felt seemed to be reflected back to me by them. It was as if they were benefitting directly as well! This was really a great change.

Margaret helped me to focus on small steps rather than overwhelming myself with the big picture. I have now learned to 'enjoy the ride', while still aiming for something bigger. I think the time pressure I put on myself was a big part of it. I have been working on this album for 3 years and had a baby in the middle of it. I think my expectations of myself were a little harsh. I also felt like I wasn't getting any younger.

Now I really don't worry about any of that, I've really enjoyed finishing my album and I only have to do a few final touches before I head out and launch it - which still scares me a bit, so I might be making a trip back to Margaret before too long!

My independent pop/rock album is called “Midnight Sun” and I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved. The name comes from a lyric in one of the songs and to me represents the impossible.”

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"I made my first appointment with Margaret at a desperate time in my life. I filled out a preliminary form on my issues, and ran out of paper!

After my first teary session, it was clear I had no boundaries in my life, and was a classic ‘door mat’ for humanity, always pleasing those around me and never myself. This is a pattern I have had all my life, and it had turned me into a resentful, angry being. I felt stuck, depressed, frustrated and out of control. I was also in physical pain with constant low-grade hip, neck and back issues and felt very fatigued.

We started tapping on ‘I’m not good enough’ and ‘I’m stupid’ followed by a myriad of childhood memories of lifelong learning difficulties. Never quite being able to hear or read well – in fact life had always been a ‘huge struggle, and was never easy. I was shocked at how deep the memories were, and felt relieved to express them. Many memories of hurt and struggle, and being unsure of myself surfaced.

Next came the boundary work, and getting comfortable with the word ‘No’. We even practiced it in the session, and I learned about the ‘brick wall’ - no means no, with no negotiation. We tapped on many issues, but a major one was learning to trust my own approval. It was a hard place to sit, as it felt so alien. For the next week I was angry at everybody in my life, and was frightened by my responses. Our next session centred on a feeling of being stuck and locked- away. Many emotions later – sadness, anger, fear, loss – I found a part of myself I had not seen for years. The left hip pain I had experienced for over 10 years began to release.

The next week was full of shifting emotions and beliefs. The next session involved looking at the judgment of the self-critic, and imprinted family belief patterns. And releasing feelings of frustration, sadness, and responsibility. My neck and shoulders felt like a rod of duty and service – but I concluded after tapping on the issues that it was a belief or judgment that does not have to be. I floated out of the room with a light body and loose shoulders.

Body pain after 4 sessions was shoulders and neck pain 80% better, hip and heel pain 60% better. Left hip still strong throb of central core pain, and left side very heavy. Feeling bruised and fatigued, but constant pain abating.

Next session addressed setting boundary work for my family. As a mother of 2 early teenagers and a husband who did little at home, I was seething inside. I worked on the ‘No wall’ being a broken record – no bargaining, manipulation or excuses. I promptly drafted a family schedule of weekly house jobs. I announced to my family that we would have a family meeting and allocate jobs.

Reporting back next week my whole family had stepped up to the challenge and starting shopping, cooking, cleaning. People in my life were complying to my requests, and it felt great. Pain measure at Week 8 was neck and shoulders clear, hip and back less bruised, but dull ache, relieved by exercise.

I reluctantly finished with Margaret on my 10th Session and felt very focused and clear of my intention to shift patterns.

One month later my family, friends and workmates have shifted around me, or is it me!!! What a place to sit; one of strength and clarity.  My husband and children are continuing to help with house-work, my work environment has altered dramatically, my friends and family are respecting my needs, as I speak more and more from my own needs and not my duty.

I have learned valuable tools, and am so grateful that I persevered through the pain to come to another place in my life, to finally let go of the struggle.”

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"I had a problem in my lower back which had been developing over some years with three episodes of acute pain lasting several days.  It passed by and I continued with my work as a midwife until one night I was attending a woman in labour.

I leaned forward to catch the baby, and caused a further injury to my back, ending up with a large disc protrusion between L5 and S1.  This time the pain was continuous, I had to take painkillers and movement was very restricted.

It was a very serious injury and I was referred to a neurosurgeon.  However the neurosurgeon needed me to have an MRI before I went to see him.

Despite my nursing training and working in a hospital I had no concept of what it was like to have an MRI.  It didn’t occur to me that I wouldn’t be able to lie in a position that didn’t aggravate my back and I was totally unprepared for the noise, which sounded like jackhammers around my head, and for feeling claustrophobic.

I’d never ever felt claustrophobic but now I felt trapped and just wanted to get out.  I felt scared, out of control and assaulted by the noise.  I also had to lie completely still and the position I was in was causing me a lot of pain.

I decided to do some yoga breathing to help with the stress which helped a bit but then I thought of tapping.  Obviously I couldn’t actually tap on the points because I couldn’t move so I decided to do it in my imagination.

I focused on each point in turn and did continuous rounds dealing with the fear, the claustrophobia and feeling trapped as well as the pain in my back.   I also imagined the noise as a laser beam which, as I tapped, was coming into my body to heal it.

I kept going until the MRI was over and besides the effect of the tapping it felt good to have this focus for my mind.  It still seemed as if I was in there for hours and I felt very traumatized when it was over but I’m so grateful for being able to tap in this way because I’m sure if I hadn’t done the tapping I just wouldn’t have been able to finish the MRI.

And I’m happy to report that I subsequently went through a difficult operation which has had a successful outcome."