How to Make Peace with Unfinished Business with EFT Tapping

8 Tapping Phrases to Close an EFT Session Gently When there is More to Heal

What happens when you have a long list of emotional challenges, but there just isn’t enough time to address them all in one session?

It can feel like you've opened a can of worms — and the idea of walking away with raw, unresolved emotions might feel unsettling, even overwhelming.

“I’ve got anxiety, fear of failure, relationship wounds, and I feel like I’m never good enough. Can we clear all of that today?”

I often work with clients who come in hoping for a miraculous breakthrough — and I understand that hope deeply. When emotional pain has been building for years, it’s only natural to want quick relief.

And yes, EFT tapping can create surprisingly fast results, but like any profound healing modality, it also honours the natural pace of your body, your nervous system, and your inner readiness. Pushing too far, too fast, can actually disrupt the very safety we’re trying to build.

What Happens When There's More to Work On?

So what do we do when there's still unfinished business after say, one hour of tapping?

You’ve made some progress — maybe even had a breakthrough — but you're aware there’s more beneath the surface. This is where how we close the session becomes just as important as how we began it.

Rather than rushing to resolve everything or leaving a client feeling incomplete, I like to offer a final round of tapping that acknowledges where they are, gently and professionally.

Tapping Phrases to Ground and Close

Here are 8 phrases I would like to suggest for your own self-help of closing a session:

If you’d like, you can apply the phrases round the Tapping Sequence as follows…

(Top of the Head) “Even though I still have some remaining issues, I accept that I am a work in progress.”

(Eyebrow) "I’m not fully there yet, and that’s okay."

(Side of the Eye) "Healing takes time, and I’m allowed to go at my own pace."

(Under the Eye) "There’s still more to clear, and I choose to be gentle and to feel safe."

(Under the Nose) "I acknowledge the progress I’ve made, even if it’s not complete."

(Under the Lip)"I give myself the permission to move ahead even though I still have unresolved issues."

(Collarbone) "I choose to trust the process, even with these remaining issues."

(Under the Arm) "I honour where I am on this journey, and it is safe to pick up healing another time."

These phrases help ground the session and remind us that progress doesn’t have to mean perfection. Healing isn’t about “fixing” everything at once — it’s about creating space to keep showing up for yourself, one layer at a time.

You’re Exactly Where You Need to Be

Trying to address everything in one sitting can overwhelm the nervous system. What’s more healing — and sustainable — is cultivating safety, compassion, and trust in your own timing. So if you ever end a session with emotions still lingering, please know…

Unfinished business doesn’t mean failure. It means you’re in process.
It means you’re healing — and you’re doing it in a way that honours your capacity.

Addressing Unfinished Business Properly

You may decide to work with a practitioner for your issues.

A trained practitioner should be able to help you safely and effectively close a session, even when there’s unfinished business left to explore. This is one of the key differences between working with someone formally trained and someone who isn’t. When trauma or deeper emotional wounds are involved, a trained practitioner can hold space with sensitivity, ensuring you leave the session grounded rather than overwhelmed.

Alternatively, you can learn these tools for yourself. Join my upcoming EFT Tapping Training Workshop and acquire advanced skills and techniques on how to tap safely, confidently, and compassionately — whether for your own healing or to support others.

With love,
Evelyn Lim
Transformation Coach
EFT Trainer & Accredited Advanced EFT Practitioner