I will always remember my dear friend and mentor, Louise Hay. A few years back, I flew out to sunny San Diego to spend some time with her. Louise used Tapping in her own life and achieved amazing results. I had the opportunity to tap with Louise privately, but in this video, originally filmed for our Tapping World Summit, she was brave enough to tap on camera so that we could share it with you. Louise was one of many teachers, researchers, and practitioners who helped shape Tapping into what it is today, and below I've gathered a few more of them worth knowing.
I've got to tell you… what Louise shares in this video is real, vulnerable, and extremely moving!
For more like this, browse our behind-the-scenes collection.
You can watch it here:
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Louise was an extraordinary woman, for so many reasons. She sold over 50 million copies of her book, "You Can Heal Your Life", which has been translated into 30 languages.
She was also the founder of "the" publishing house in the self-help world, Hay House Publishing, and produced countless written and audio publications that have enhanced the lives of millions of people around the world. The list goes on and on.
But none of those "achievements" define who she was, because the real magic in Louise was her love for life, her love for the world, her love for YOU (yes, you!) and the joy and beauty she spread. So you can imagine my fond memories of spending time with her in San Diego, especially in front of the camera so that we could share it with you.
Until next time…
Keep Tapping!
Nick Ortner
Other Tapping Pioneers Worth Knowing
Louise wasn't working alone. Tapping as it exists today came together through a small group of researchers, teachers, and practitioners, each building on the others' work. Here are a few more of them.
Dr. Patricia "Pat" Carrington
Dr. Patricia Carrington was one of the original thought leaders in energy psychology, using Tapping as far back as the 1980s and helping it spread from there. She's the originator of the Choices Method, a way of pairing a tapping setup statement with a positive choice, which is still used in Tapping meditations released today. Nick met her in 2007 while filming The Tapping Solution documentary, and this community came together to support her financially in her later years. Read the full tribute in Remembering Pat Carrington.
Steve Wells
Steve Wells is a psychologist and performance coach based in Perth, Australia, who trained directly under Gary Craig and co-developed Simple Energy Techniques (SET) with Dr. David Lake. He was one of the first practitioners to bring tapping-based techniques into elite athletic performance and corporate training. Wells is also a co-author, with Patricia Carrington, of the 2003 controlled study on tapping for small-animal phobias, one of the earliest peer-reviewed EFT trials. He's taught a Tapping Solution masterclass on depression and been featured on the Tapping Solution blog's depression coverage.
Margaret M. Lynch
Margaret Lynch is a Tapping teacher and author of Tapping Into Wealth, known for applying Tapping to money mindset and self-sabotage. Her Ignite conference community raised $34,000 for the Tapping Solution Foundation, one of many ways her audience and Nick's have overlapped over the years.
Gene Monterastelli
Gene Monterastelli is a Brooklyn-based tapping practitioner who has hosted the long-running Tapping Q&A podcast, interviewing dozens of EFT teachers and practitioners (including several named on this page) about how they use tapping in their own work.
Kris Ferraro
Kris Ferraro is an Accredited Certified EFT Practitioner and author who previously hosted Tapping Insiders Club for The Tapping Solution, a series where she interviewed hundreds of EFT professionals about their approach to the work.
Mary Ayers, PhD
Mary Ayers holds a PhD in Human and Organizational Systems and discovered tapping through Thought Field Therapy training in 1997, before expanding it across her coaching practice. She spent five years coaching with the Anthony Robbins organization and has appeared as a Tapping expert at past Tapping World Summits.
Judy Byrne
Judy Byrne is a Queensland-based EFT Master and trainer, and author of Introducing EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques): A Practical Guide, one of the more widely read beginner's guides to the technique outside the US.
Steph Dodds
Steph Dodds is a certified EFT practitioner and coach who runs the Emotional Freedom Academy, training newer practitioners in the same one-on-one Tapping work this page is about.
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Join the free summitTapping pioneers and practitioners, at a glance
| Name | Known for | Learn more |
|---|---|---|
| Louise Hay | Author, You Can Heal Your Life; tapped on camera for the Tapping World Summit | This page |
| Dr. Patricia (Pat) Carrington | Originator of the Choices Method | Remembering Pat Carrington |
| Steve Wells | Co-developer of Simple Energy Techniques; co-author, 2003 phobia study | EFT Down Under |
| Margaret M. Lynch | Author, Tapping Into Wealth | Most Proud Of |
| Gene Monterastelli | Host, Tapping Q&A podcast | Tapping Q&A |
| Kris Ferraro | Former host, Tapping Insiders Club (The Tapping Solution) | EFT International |
| Mary Ayers, PhD | Tapping World Summit expert; coach | Tap Into Action |
| Judy Byrne | Author, Introducing EFT: A Practical Guide | Judy Byrne EFT |
| Steph Dodds | Founder, Emotional Freedom Academy | Steph Dodds |
None of these people worked in isolation, and neither did Louise. If you want the fuller history of how Tapping went from a single discovery to what it is today, we've traced it in Who Invented EFT Tapping?, and in our tributes to Roger Callahan and Gary Craig. And if you're new to Tapping altogether, Tapping 101 is the place to start.
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Tapping pioneers: frequently asked questions
Who is Pat Carrington?
Dr. Patricia Carrington was an energy psychology pioneer who used Tapping as early as the 1980s and created the Choices Method, a way of pairing a Tapping setup statement with a positive choice statement. She was a friend and mentor to Nick Ortner.
What is the Choices Method?
The Choices Method, created by Dr. Patricia Carrington, pairs a standard Tapping setup statement acknowledging a problem with a second statement affirming a positive choice, rather than stopping at acknowledging the problem alone.
Who is Margaret Lynch?
Margaret M. Lynch is a Tapping teacher and author of Tapping Into Wealth, known for applying Tapping to money mindset, self-sabotage, and business success.
Who is Steve Wells?
Steve Wells is a psychologist who trained under Gary Craig, co-developed Simple Energy Techniques (SET), and co-authored one of the earliest controlled studies on EFT for phobias, alongside Patricia Carrington.
What is Simple Energy Techniques (SET)?
Simple Energy Techniques (SET) is a tapping-based approach co-developed by Steve Wells and Dr. David Lake, designed as an accessible, user-friendly entry point into tapping-based work.
Who is Mary Ayers?
Mary Ayers, PhD, is a coach and therapist who discovered tapping through Thought Field Therapy training in 1997 and has appeared as a Tapping expert at past Tapping World Summits.
Who is Kris Ferraro?
Kris Ferraro is an Accredited Certified EFT Practitioner who previously hosted Tapping Insiders Club for The Tapping Solution, interviewing hundreds of EFT professionals about their work.
Are all these pioneers connected to The Tapping Solution?
Some, like Pat Carrington, Steve Wells, Margaret Lynch, and Kris Ferraro, have worked directly with The Tapping Solution or Nick Ortner. Others, like Judy Byrne and Steph Dodds, built their own independent Tapping practices and training programs alongside it.
