EFT Client Assessment & Goal Setting 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a client presents with a vague complaint like 'I just feel bad all the time,' what is the EFT practitioner's best first step?
- Begin tapping immediately on the general feeling
- Use the Tell Me More technique to identify specific events (Correct answer)
- Refer the client to a mental health professional
- Assign homework to journal about the feeling
Correct answer: Use the Tell Me More technique to identify specific events
EFT works best on specific events, so the practitioner should use questioning to identify concrete memories or incidents underlying the vague complaint.
Question 2: Which assessment tool helps a practitioner understand the full scope of a client's presenting issue before setting goals?
- The Personal Peace Procedure
- The Movie Technique
- The SUDS baseline measurement (Correct answer)
- The Apex Problem checklist
Correct answer: The SUDS baseline measurement
Establishing a SUDS (Subjective Units of Distress Scale) baseline before tapping gives both practitioner and client a measurable reference point.
Question 3: A client states their goal as 'I want to feel happy.' How should the EFT practitioner refine this goal?
- Accept the goal as stated and begin tapping on happiness
- Ask the client to identify what specifically blocks their happiness (Correct answer)
- Tell the client happiness is not a measurable EFT outcome
- Schedule a follow-up session before setting any goal
Correct answer: Ask the client to identify what specifically blocks their happiness
Vague positive goals must be grounded in specific obstacles or negative experiences that EFT can target.
Question 4: What does a thorough intake assessment in EFT primarily seek to identify?
- The client's dietary habits and sleep patterns
- Core issues, specific events, and intensity levels (Correct answer)
- The client's learning style and communication preference
- Contraindications to physical tapping only
Correct answer: Core issues, specific events, and intensity levels
EFT intake focuses on uncovering core issues, relevant specific events, and their emotional intensity to plan effective sessions.
Question 5: During goal setting, a client says they want to 'stop procrastinating on my business.' Which EFT-aligned reframe best clarifies this goal?
- 'I will tap until procrastination disappears'
- 'I want to feel calm and confident taking action on my business tasks' (Correct answer)
- 'I will meditate daily to overcome procrastination'
- 'I want to earn more money from my business'
Correct answer: 'I want to feel calm and confident taking action on my business tasks'
Reframing into a positive emotional state target (calm, confident action) gives EFT a concrete emotional outcome to work toward.
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of asking a client about past traumas during initial assessment?
- To determine if the client needs medication
- To identify table legs that support the presenting issue (Correct answer)
- To satisfy legal documentation requirements
- To assess the client's pain threshold
Correct answer: To identify table legs that support the presenting issue
In EFT, past traumas often act as 'table legs' that hold up the presenting problem, so identifying them shapes the treatment plan.
Question 7: Which question is MOST useful for uncovering the emotional aspect of a client's goal during an EFT intake?
- 'How long have you had this problem?'
- 'What would it feel like if this problem were completely resolved?' (Correct answer)
- 'Have you tried therapy before?'
- 'What medications are you currently taking?'
Correct answer: 'What would it feel like if this problem were completely resolved?'
Asking how resolution would feel helps the practitioner and client identify the positive emotional target and the negative emotions currently blocking it.
EFT Client Assessment & Goal Setting 2
When a client presents with a vague complaint like 'I just feel bad all the time,' what is the EFT practitioner's best first step?