EFR 959: How to Use Tapping to Rewire Your Nervous System, Lower Cortisol & Stop Anxiety From Controlling You with Jessica Ortner
Podcast: Ever Forward Radio with Chase ChewningPublished On: Tue Aug 25 2026
Description: You consciously know what you should do, but your body keeps stopping you. Why? What if your anxiety, procrastination, self-sabotage, and limiting beliefs aren't signs that something is wrong with you—but signals that your nervous system doesn't feel safe? Jessica Ortner, co-founder of The Tapping Solution and co-author of Rewired, is here to explore the science and practice of EFT tapping and how regulating the nervous system may help change the way we respond to stress. Jessica breaks down why we can't always think our way out of anxiety, how tapping combines psychological principles with stimulation of acupressure points, and research examining its effects on cortisol, PTSD, food cravings, and emotional distress. We also explore why self-sabotage may actually be "misguided self-love," the difference between resilience and simply forcing yourself through discomfort, why self-criticism eventually stops working, how parents can help children regulate big emotions, and why our modern information environment may keep our bodies chronically overstimulated. Most importantly, Jessica explains how creating a sense of safety in the body can give us the freedom to make better decisions, face fear, and keep moving forward. Follow Jessica @jessicaortner Follow Chase @chase_chewning ----- 00:00 Intro 01:06 Why You Can't Think Your Way Out of Anxiety 02:44 What Is EFT Tapping and How Does It Work? 04:52 Fatty15 06:13 Can Tapping Actually Lower Cortisol? 09:08 Stress, Pain and the Body 10:22 Why Your Nervous System Doesn't Care About Your Goals 12:32 Self-Sabotage Is "Misguided Self-Love" 13:36 How to Tap Through Anxiety and Fear 16:13 Why Positive Affirmations Sometimes Don't Work 17:14 Tapping for Veterans, PTSD and Trauma 20:17 Tapping vs. Meditation, Breathwork and Therapy 22:45 Ketone-IQ 24:04 Using Tapping for Sleep and Feeling Safe 25:52 How Parents Can Use Tapping With Kids 28:34 The 9 EFT Tapping Points Explained 32:11 Using Tapping Before a Stressful Event 33:48 Is Tapping a Cop-Out? 34:25 Why Willpower and Self-Criticism Eventually Fail 36:25 Does Reducing Anxiety Make Us Less Resilient? 40:21 When Is Tapping the Wrong Choice? 42:29 Jessica's Personal Story of Rewiring an Old Wound 45:52 Tapping for "I'm Not Good Enough" 48:42 Tapping for "I'm Not Successful" 49:28 Is Tapping Becoming Mainstream Medicine? 51:42 What Brain Scans Reveal About Tapping and Food Cravings 54:18 The Research on Tapping, PTSD and the Brain 56:21 Could Lowering Cortisol Change Long-Term Health? 58:59 Why We're "Stressing About Stress" 59:46 Is Modern Life Making Us More Stressed? 01:02:17 Jessica's Book Rewired + The Tapping Solution 01:03:12 Hugh Jackman, Tapping and Peak Performance 01:05:02 What Ever Forward Means to Jessica ----- Episode resources: 20% off Operation Podcast studios with code EVERFORWARD 30% off Ketone-IQ energy shots with code CHASECHEWNING 15% off C15:0 essential fatty acids with code EVERFORWARD Watch and subscribe on YouTube
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