Releasing Regret with Tapping

The Science: Why Regret Holds Us Hostage

Regret keeps your mind trapped in the past, endlessly replaying what you wish you'd done differently. The brain processes regret similarly to pain—it literally hurts. And because you can't change what happened, regret can feel like a prison with no exit.

Chronic regret is also linked to depression and anxiety. The constant mental replay keeps the stress response activated, affecting your ability to make decisions in the present and stealing your capacity for joy.

Real Results of Releasing Regret

I regret so many things, but now I have a way to let them go, one at a time.

Grainne, finding a path forward

Regret, Shame, and the Addiction Cycle

One user made a powerful observation: "Did shame and regret—excellent. When done, had thought about how much these are a part of addiction. The shame and regret become too much so drink or smoke or eat or gamble to find relief. These things inevitably cause more shame and regret—and the cycle thrives."

Regret doesn't just feel bad—it can drive behaviors that create more regret. Breaking this cycle requires addressing the regret itself, not just the coping mechanisms. Tapping helps process the original regret so you're not constantly running from it.

It was helpful to include and tap on how it would feel without the regret. It felt like a powerful switch from the negative towards the positive, in a balanced and harmonious way.

Alexandra, experiencing the shift

Working Through Multiple Regrets

Many people carry multiple regrets—decisions from different times in their lives, paths not taken, words said or unsaid. This session helps you address them one at a time.

As one user shared: "I've done this one three times in the last couple weeks—brings up a lot of feelings for me. I need to keep doing it! A lot to work through..."

Each time you return to the session, you may find different regrets surfacing, or the same regret releasing at a deeper level. This is normal and healthy—the layers peel back over time.

Accepting What Was

The goal isn't to pretend the past didn't happen or that you made perfect decisions. The goal is to accept what was, take any lessons, and stop punishing yourself for being human.

You made the best decisions you could with who you were and what you knew at the time. Even if you can see now that you could have chosen differently, that hindsight wasn't available then. Tapping helps you internalize this truth, not just intellectually but emotionally.