From Financial Stress to Full-Body Healing: How Tapping Transforms Life’s Most Challenging Moments

I recently received this beautiful message from Heidi that I wanted to share with you:

“Hi Nick! I would love to tell you how much tapping has helped me in so many ways. I started my journey with tapping by joining your program about tapping for financial freedom. It is the best investment I have ever made, even though I had to think about it, because my finances were terrible at the time. But I did it and have not regretted it for a minute. I am not rich but I am comfortable and in a good financial position now, but that is not all. It has helped in many other ways too. I sometimes get stress related dizzy spells and it comes out of the blue. Before I had tapping to turn to, I got so dizzy that I could not stand up and when they hit, I really have to get to the toilet, because it comes out of both ends. It is not a pretty sight. After that I am completely naggered and have to sleep and it would take me 2-3 days to get my energy back. I have now learned to control it with tapping, so I can manage getting to the bathroom and manage the dizziness, plus when I wake up from my nap, I am usually fine again. Huge improvement. It has also given me a tool to help in many situations and helped me have more patience and tolerance towards myself and others. So I would like to take the opportunity to say thank you to all of you for this wonderful tool. I am forever grateful. Kind regards”

Heidi, first, thank you so much for sharing your story! It absolutely made my day to read about your transformation. The courage it took to invest in yourself when your finances weren’t in the best shape speaks volumes about your commitment to growth and healing. And what a beautiful testament to how Tapping works beyond the specific issue we initially tap for—creating ripple effects of healing throughout our lives.

What fascinates me most about your story is how vividly it demonstrates something I’ve observed countless times: when we release stuck energy or stress in one area of our life, it often unlocks healing in seemingly unrelated areas too. Your experience with financial healing extending to physical symptoms shows exactly how our bodies, emotions, and life circumstances are all deeply interconnected.

The Mind-Body Connection: When Stress Gets Physical

Those stress-related dizzy spells you described are a perfect example of how our bodies process and express emotional stress. What many people don’t realize is that stress isn’t just a mental state—it’s a whole-body experience that can manifest in incredibly physical ways.

When your nervous system gets overwhelmed, it can trigger what’s often called a “stress cascade.” Your brain signals danger, flooding your body with stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. For some people, this manifests as a racing heart or sweaty palms. For others, like you, it can trigger vertigo, digestive issues, and complete energy depletion.

What’s important to understand is that these physical reactions aren’t “just in your head”—they’re real physiological responses happening in your body. The dizziness, the digestive upset, the exhaustion afterward—these are all signs of your nervous system being stuck in an activated state and unable to regulate itself properly.

This is why conventional approaches that only address the physical symptoms often fall short. They might temporarily relieve the dizziness or stomach upset, but they don’t address the underlying dysregulation in your nervous system that’s causing these responses in the first place.

Disclaimer: This information is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional when navigating new symptoms.

The Stress-Symptom Loop: Why Your Body Reacts This Way

Have you ever wondered why your body responds to stress specifically with dizziness and digestive upset? There’s a fascinating explanation for this.

Our bodies develop what I call “stress signatures”—unique patterns of physical response to stress that become established over time. These signatures often begin with a single stressful event where we experienced particular physical symptoms. Then, our nervous systems essentially “learn” this response pattern and repeat it whenever similar stressors arise.

For example, maybe years ago you experienced a particularly stressful situation that triggered dizziness. Your brain formed a connection: stress = dizziness. Now, whenever your stress reaches a certain threshold, your body automatically follows that established pattern.

What makes this even more complex is that our bodies can become sensitized over time, so the stress threshold needed to trigger symptoms becomes lower and lower. That’s why you might experience these dizzy spells seemingly “out of the blue”—your conscious mind might not even register the stress that triggered it, but your body is already responding.

How Tapping Breaks the Cycle

Here’s where Tapping comes in as such a powerful intervention. Unlike approaches that only address either the mental or physical aspects of stress, Tapping works directly with your nervous system—the bridge between mind and body.

When you tap on the meridian points while focusing on your stress or symptoms, you’re essentially sending calming signals directly to your brain’s alarm center (the amygdala). This interrupts the stress response and helps your nervous system return to a regulated state.

What makes your story particularly impressive, Heidi, is that you’ve learned to use Tapping not just preventatively, but even during an active episode. This shows remarkable presence of mind and speaks to how effective the technique can be, even in acute situations.

Research has demonstrated that Tapping reduces cortisol (the primary stress hormone) by an average of 43% in just one session. This biological shift helps explain why you’re experiencing such dramatic improvements in recovery time—from 2-3 days down to just a short nap. Your body is literally processing and releasing the stress more efficiently, rather than getting stuck in that prolonged state of dysregulation.

Financial Stress: A Special Kind of Burden

I’m not surprised that your journey began with financial healing. Financial stress has a unique way of infiltrating every aspect of our lives. It’s one of the most common sources of chronic stress, partly because:

1. It’s persistent and doesn’t easily go away on its own
2. It touches nearly every decision we make daily
3. It often carries deep shame and self-judgment
4. It frequently connects to our sense of safety and survival

When you carry financial stress, your nervous system stays in a low-grade alert state—constantly scanning for threats to your security. This prolonged activation is precisely the kind of stress that can manifest as various physical symptoms.

By addressing your financial stress through Tapping, you weren’t just changing your money situation—you were literally rewiring your nervous system’s response to a fundamental survival concern. This created a more stable foundation for your entire system, making it easier to address other issues that arose.

A Tapping Sequence for Stress-Related Physical Symptoms

If you’re experiencing stress-related physical symptoms like Heidi described (or if you’re Heidi and want to deepen your practice), here’s a Tapping sequence that addresses multiple layers of this experience:

Start by taking a deep breath and tuning into your body. Notice any early warning signs of stress—tension, slight dizziness, stomach discomfort, or whatever might be your particular “stress signature.” Rate the intensity on a scale of 0-10.

Take a deep breath and check in with your body again. Notice if there’s been any shift in the intensity of symptoms or your emotional response to them. Continue tapping as needed, getting more specific about your particular symptoms and experiences.

The Ripple Effects: Beyond the Original Issue

One of the most beautiful aspects of Heidi’s story is how Tapping for financial stress created ripple effects throughout her life—improving physical symptoms, enhancing relationships, and fostering greater self-compassion.

This isn’t coincidental. When we tap on one issue, we’re not just addressing the surface problem—we’re regulating our entire nervous system. This creates a more stable platform for all aspects of our health and wellbeing.

Think of it like this: your nervous system is like the foundation of a house. When that foundation is unstable (dysregulated), every room in the house (areas of your life) feels the effects. Cracks appear in unexpected places. By stabilizing the foundation through Tapping, you create greater resilience and stability throughout the entire structure.

That’s why people often report improvements in areas they weren’t even focusing on. They might tap for anxiety and notice their digestion improves. Or they tap for physical pain and find their relationships getting better.

A Tapping Sequence for Continuing Your Journey

Heidi, to help you (and others) continue building on the beautiful progress you’ve made, here’s a Tapping sequence focused on integration and continued growth:

The Science Behind Your Success

What you’ve experienced, Heidi, aligns perfectly with what research is showing us about Tapping and nervous system regulation. Recent studies have demonstrated that Tapping:

1. Reduces activity in the amygdala, the brain’s alarm center, helping to calm the fight-flight-freeze response
2. Increases heart rate variability (HRV), a key marker of nervous system flexibility and resilience
3. Shifts brain activity from stress-dominant patterns to more balanced, coherent patterns
4. Influences gene expression related to stress and inflammation

In other words, your experience isn’t just anecdotal—it’s backed by emerging science that confirms how Tapping creates these profound shifts in our physical and emotional wellbeing.

Your Greatest Self Emerging

What strikes me most about your story, Heidi, is how it demonstrates the journey of becoming your greatest self. This isn’t about becoming perfect or never experiencing challenges—it’s about developing the resilience and tools to navigate life’s difficulties with more ease and agency.

The patience and tolerance you mentioned developing toward yourself and others—that’s a hallmark of this journey. As we release layers of stress and old patterns, we naturally become more compassionate, both with ourselves and with those around us.

You didn’t just change your circumstances—you transformed your relationship with yourself. That’s the deepest healing of all.

For Those Inspired by Heidi’s Journey

If you’re reading this and feeling inspired by Heidi’s story, here are some starting points for your own journey:

1. Start where you are: Begin by tapping on whatever feels most pressing in your life right now, whether that’s financial stress, physical symptoms, or emotional challenges. The specific entry point matters less than simply beginning.
2. Notice the connections: Pay attention to how different areas of your life influence each other. How does financial stress affect your physical health? How do your relationships impact your energy levels? These connections offer valuable insights about where to focus your Tapping.
3. Be consistent: Even 5 minutes of Tapping daily creates more impact than an hour once a month. Small, consistent steps create the nervous system regulation that leads to lasting change.
4. Trust the process: Sometimes healing happens in unexpected ways and unexpected order. Trust that your system knows what needs to be addressed first, even if it doesn’t match your conscious priorities.
5. Celebrate all progress: Like Heidi, acknowledge and celebrate improvements, even if they’re not “complete” healing. Moving from debilitating symptoms that last 2-3 days to milder symptoms that resolve after a short nap is HUGE progress worth recognizing!

A Final Note of Gratitude

Heidi, I want to express my deepest gratitude for sharing your story. Your experience will undoubtedly inspire others who are facing similar challenges. The vulnerability and honesty with which you shared your journey—including the details of your dizzy spells—creates space for others to be honest about their struggles too.

This is how healing spreads—one courageous story at a time.

I’m truly honored to have played a small role in your journey through the Financial Freedom program, and I’m even more inspired by how you’ve taken this tool and made it your own, applying it creatively to address various aspects of your life.

Please keep tapping, keep noticing the subtle shifts, and keep sharing your story. Your voice matters, and your experience offers hope to others who may be struggling right now with challenges that seem insurmountable.

Resources to Support Your Continued Journey

If you’d like to continue exploring how Tapping can support various aspects of your well-being, here are some resources that might be helpful:

• Find a Certified EFT Practitioner – Connect with someone experienced in addiction recovery who can provide personalized guidance.
• The Tapping Solution for Manifesting Your Greatest Self: This book explores how to use Tapping to release limiting patterns and step more fully into your authentic potential. (The audiobook is also in the App!)
• The Tapping Solution App – Features specific meditations for stress relief, physical symptoms, and financial well-being that can support your continued progress. Here are some I recommend:
  • Micro Boost of Financial Stress Relief – This short session is a powerful way to help release stress about finances so you can think more clearly, and make empowered choices. We also have a whole Wealth and Abundance category in the app to address Debt Anxiety, Limiting Beliefs, Attracting Abundance and more.
  • Support Your Body: Dizziness and Vertigo – Since Heidi was dealing with dizziness specifically, I wanted to mention this session, along with our Settle Your Stomach session.
  • 5 Day Release Anxiety Series – This 5-part series helps you release anxiety held in your breath, body, heart, and mind so you can move forward from a place of peace. Many listeners comment on how illuminating it is to go through these different ways we can hold anxiety, and to release them layer by layer.
  • Anxiety Soother Card Deck and Quick Taps – These short, focused meditations are a wonderful way to help maintain the nervous system regulation you’ve been building. The Card Deck feature is a fun way to pick your Tapping session for the day, and can help eliminate decision fatigue because it can pick for you!

Note: You can access these meditations by clicking the links above using your mobile device, or type the name of the meditation into The Tapping Solution App’s search function.

Have you experienced unexpected benefits from Tapping in areas you weren’t initially focusing on? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!

Until next time… Keep Tapping!
Nick Ortner