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How The Journal Tapping Method works

From journal entry to tapping script to a SUDS of 0 or 1 — here's everything you need to know before your first session.

1

Write your journal entry

Open Nova and write a few sentences about what's going on. Tell her what happened, who was involved, how you feel, and what you notice in your body — tightness in your chest, a knot in your stomach, heaviness in your shoulders.

The more detail you give, the more personal your tapping script will be. Nova reads every word and uses your exact language throughout every round.

Example: "I'm really worried about school tomorrow. I'm scared I'll get picked to read out loud and I'll mess up. My stomach feels tight and I keep thinking I'll embarrass myself."
2

Give a SUDS score

At the end of your journal entry, rate how strong the feeling is right now on a scale of 0 to 10. 0 means completely calm. 10 means the most intense feeling you can imagine.

This is your starting number. Nova will ask you for a new SUDS score after every 3 rounds — so you can see exactly how much the feeling is shifting.

There's no right or wrong answer. Just an honest number for how you feel right now.
3

Follow Nova's 3-round tapping script

Nova creates a personalised 3-round script using your own words. Work through all three rounds, tapping each of the 9 points 7–10 times while saying the phrase — out loud if you can, in your head if you prefer.

The phrases in the first scripts will acknowledge the negative — the feelings, the sensations, exactly as you described them. This is intentional. Your brain must feel heard and understood before it can release.

Tap either side of your body — both sides work equally well. You don't need to count exactly — a rhythm of roughly 7–10 taps per point is perfect.
4

Check your SUDS

After every 3 rounds, Nova says: "That was 3 rounds. Let's check your SUDS score now." Take a slow breath in through your nose for 4 counts, out through your mouth for 6–8. Notice how you feel about the issue or memory now. Give Nova your new number.

If SUDS is still above 1, Nova immediately builds a new 3-round script and continues. If SUDS is 0 or 1, the session is complete.
5

Keep going until 0 or 1

Nova never stops too early. As your SUDS drops, her language gradually shifts — introducing gentler, more accepting phrases. But she never rushes to positivity until your body and brain are genuinely ready.

When you reach 0 or 1, the session is complete. Nova closes with a grounding message and invites you to place one hand on your heart.

The 9 tapping points

Where to tap and how

Tap each point firmly but gently with 2–4 fingers, 7–10 times, while saying the phrase. Either side of the body works.

1
Karate Chop
The fleshy outer edge of your hand, below your little finger. Tap here while saying the setup statement 3 times.
2
Top of Head
The very centre of the top of your head. Use all four fingers of one or both hands.
3
Eyebrow
The inner edge of either eyebrow, just above the nose. Use 2 fingers.
4
Side of Eye
On the bone at the outer corner of either eye — the bony ridge, not the temple.
5
Under Eye
On the bone directly below the centre of either eye. Tap gently.
6
Under Nose
The groove between your nose and your upper lip, centred. Use 2 fingers.
7
Chin
The indent between your lower lip and the tip of your chin. Use 2 fingers.
8
Collarbone
Just below your collarbone, to the side of your breastbone. Use 3–4 fingers.
9
Under Arm
About 4 inches below your armpit on the side of your body. Use 4 fingers.
Tapping points diagram
Image shown in the app
The SUDS scale

What is SUDS?

SUDS stands for Subjective Units of Distress Scale. It's simply a number from 0 to 10 that shows how intense a feeling is — and how much it shifts as you tap.

It makes the invisible visible. A parent watching their child go from an 8 to a 1 in twenty minutes sees something measurable happening. A child who checks their own number after each script learns to trust the process.

Nova asks for a SUDS score before the first script, and after every subsequent script. She never declares a session complete until you reach 0 or 1.

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
0 — Completely calm 5 — Moderate 10 — Most intense
0
Completely calm · Session complete
1
Very low · Session complete
2
Very low · Nova continues
5
Moderate intensity
8
High intensity
10
Most intense possible
The science

Why EFT works

EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) is grounded in both ancient acupressure theory and modern neuroscience. Research consistently shows it reduces cortisol, calms the amygdala, and changes how distressing memories are stored in the brain.

The reason The Journal Tapping Method uses your own words — rather than generic scripts — is rooted in how the brain processes language. Phrases that match your internal representation of an event activate the right neural pathways for release.

The reason we start with negatives is equally simple: the brain knows when you're still emotionally charged. Introducing positive statements before the charge is released creates cognitive dissonance — the brain rejects them as untrue.

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Calms the amygdala
Tapping on acupressure points while focusing on a distressing thought sends a calming signal to the amygdala — the brain's alarm system. Studies show measurable reductions in amygdala activation during EFT tapping.
Lowers cortisol
Multiple studies show EFT tapping significantly reduces salivary cortisol — the primary stress hormone. In one study, participants showed a 24% reduction after a single EFT session, vs 14% for talk therapy alone.
Creates safety signals
By maintaining focus on a negative memory or feeling while simultaneously sending calming signals through tapping, EFT teaches the nervous system that the memory is not dangerous — reducing its intensity long-term.
Co-regulation is real neuroscience
Dr Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory demonstrates that nervous systems physically synchronise with those of people we are close to. A regulated parent activates the social engagement system in a child — shifting them out of fight/flight without a word being said.
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