Find the Light Within

I had a lovely experience helping not only two young boys feel better but also an Intern relax while taking blood samples. Imagine the stress an Intern must feel when having to take samples from a screaming child as well as the difficulty if the child is moving around and resisting.

As the Intern was about to take the sample from Christopher I started to tap with him. He was crying and almost screaming, not wanting what was to come. As we tapped he relaxed and cried less. Actually he forgot to cry a few times and had to remind himself to do so, cuz that’s what you do when someone pokes you with a needle.
We tapped:
The Intern is a good lady and she will do her best.
I am relaxed so it is easier for her to take the sample.
She does such a good job that it is over before I know it.
It doesn’t even hurt.
I’m so relaxed that it all happens quickly.

I continued to tap and he relaxed more and more and before he realized it, the blood sample was taken. His arm didn’t even bleed.

At that point we started talking about other things as if that is what we were doing before the Intern came to take the sample. It was all over and forgotten. A few minutes later he was asleep.

The Intern asked if I would tap with the next young boy, Eduardo, as she took his blood sample. I went across the room and started tapping with him as she prepared herself and the boy. He started to cry for him mommy, but as I tapped and spoke to him he relaxed, cried a little, relaxed. He was watching her put on her gown, the mask, and gloves and that made him uncomfortable.
We tapped:
She is wearing the gown and mask to make sure everything stays clean.
She’s a good Intern making sure everything is right.
She wants everything to go right.
She is making sure everything is perfect.
I don’t have to be scared.
I relax and stay calm.

Then he saw the Intern with the gauze all ugly-colored from the Iodine to clean his skin. I could see the panic on his face.
We tapped:
It is only a liquid to clean my skin.
It is like soap, nothing more, but it has an ugly color.
It doesn’t hurt me.
It isn’t blood.
It is just like soap.
See now she is using water to clean off the soap.
She wants to make sure your arm is clean.

He relaxed. As the Intern took the sample, he did cry as it hurt some, but he could immediately relax as she took the sample.
We tapped:
I’m a brave boy.
I relax and it will all be over soon.
I relax my arm and it hurts less.
I am a good boy.

When it was over, he did relax.
We tapped:
Now that it is over and I can relax completely.
It is all over and I let my arm relax.
I send away the pain. I don’t need it.
I am a good boy.
I feel better now.
His mom asked how it went and he told her it hadn’t hurt so much. Even as young as he is, 3 years old, he knew something was different than what he had experienced before. I could see the curiosity in his eyes as he tried to figure it out.

Afterwards, the Intern thanked me telling me that for her it was a much better experience because the boys were much calmer. As I tapped on the boys and watched them relax, I saw her relax and feel more confident. In fact, I was tapping for her as much as the boys by the phrasing that I used. It was a nice win-win for both the boys and the Intern.