Measuring Your Progress: A Guide to the SUDS Scale in EFT Tapping

When you're doing deep emotional work, one question naturally comes up: Is this actually helping me?

EFT Tapping can lead to powerful shifts—but because those changes are often emotional or energetic, they can be hard to measure in the moment. That’s where the SUDS scale in EFT Tapping becomes a valuable tool.

This guide will walk you through how to use the Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS) to measure EFT Tapping results, notice subtle shifts, and understand exactly how to know if EFT Tapping is working for you.

What Is the SUDS Scale in EFT Tapping?

SUDS stands for Subjective Units of Distress Scale. It’s a simple numerical scale—typically from 0 to 10—that helps you rate the emotional intensity of what you're feeling in the moment.

0 = No emotional charge
10 = Maximum emotional intensity (panic, overwhelm, shutdown)

This tool was originally developed in the world of psychology, but it’s now a foundational part of EFT Tapping techniques because it helps both clients and practitioners track progress.

Why Use the SUDS Scale?

If you’ve ever walked away from a Tapping session wondering, “Did that actually shift anything?”—the SUDS scale gives you a concrete way to check.

Using the SUDS scale in EFT Tapping helps you:

Track progress in real-time
Validate even subtle emotional changes
Build trust in your body’s feedback
Stay grounded in your emotional experience

When you begin to measure EFT Tapping results using this method, you stop second-guessing yourself and start recognizing your own EFT Tapping progress.

How to Use the SUDS Scale Step-by-Step

Here’s a simple breakdown of how to apply the emotional intensity scale during an EFT Tapping session:

1. Before You Tap

Identify the issue you’re focusing on (e.g., anxiety before a meeting, guilt from a past event).
Ask yourself: “When I think about this issue, how strong is the emotional intensity right now?”
Rate it from 0 to 10.

2. Begin Tapping

Use your chosen EFT Tapping techniques, staying connected to the specific emotion, memory, or body sensation.

3. Pause and Reassess

After 1–3 rounds, pause.
Ask yourself again: “What is my level of intensity now?”
Use the SUDS scale to re-rate it.

4. Repeat as Needed

If your number hasn’t dropped significantly, continue tapping with more specificity.
You may also discover new emotions or memories coming up—track those, too.

This is one of the most practical ways to measure EFT Tapping progress in both self-guided and practitioner-supported sessions.

Real-World Example: Measuring Progress Over Time

Let’s say you start a session with a 9 out of 10 for fear around public speaking.

You tap through memories of being laughed at in school. Halfway through, you pause and re-rate—it’s now a 6. By the end of the session, it’s a 3. That number didn’t lie.

That’s the beauty of using the SUDS scale in EFT Tapping—you’re not guessing, you’re tracking.

Over time, it also helps you build an internal map of which triggers carry more charge, and where progress is happening.

What If the Number Doesn’t Change?

This is a common question—and a good one.

If your SUDS score stays the same, it doesn’t mean the Tapping isn’t working. Here are a few possible reasons:

You may be tapping on a generalized emotion instead of a specific memory
There could be subconscious resistance (sometimes known as psychological reversal)
The emotion may need more time and permission to soften

This is where a trained practitioner can help you refine your focus and bring more precision to your EFT Tapping techniques.

How to Know If EFT Tapping Is Working (Beyond Numbers)

While the SUDS scale gives a numerical snapshot, there are other signs that indicate your EFT Tapping progress:

A shift in your body—your shoulders relax, or your breath deepens
A memory loses its charge or feels more distant
You gain new insights or perspectives on a long-standing issue
You feel calmer, lighter, or more emotionally neutral

These are equally important markers, especially if you're the kind of person who “lives in your head” and has trouble identifying numbers on the scale.

Why Emotional Intensity Matters in EFT Tapping

EFT Tapping works by acknowledging and reducing emotional intensity. That’s why we pay close attention to how strong a feeling is—not to stay stuck in it, but to help it shift.

Using the emotional intensity scale keeps the process honest. It prevents you from bypassing real feelings or pretending you’re “fine” before you truly are.

That honesty is what makes EFT Tapping techniques so effective.

Making the Most of the SUDS Scale in Your Own Practice

Whether you’re new to EFT Tapping or have been practicing for years, here are a few tips:

Write down your SUDS scores before and after each session to track progress over time
Use the scale even for “small” issues—sometimes those carry big emotional weight
If the number doesn’t drop, try tapping on a different aspect or earlier memory

When you consistently measure EFT Tapping results, you build trust in the process and gain clarity on what’s actually shifting.

When to Work with a Practitioner

There’s no wrong way to start with EFT Tapping, but there is a deeper layer that’s easier to access with support.

If you find that your SUDS score never seems to change, or you’re not sure if you're being specific enough, working with an experienced EFT Tapping practitioner can help you:

Uncover hidden emotional blocks
Work with psychological reversal or subconscious resistance
Feel supported in difficult emotional territory

Sessions are designed to guide you safely through the process so you can experience real and lasting shifts.

Ready to Track Real Progress in EFT Tapping?

Learning to use the SUDS scale in EFT Tapping helps you tune into your emotional experience with honesty and clarity.

You don’t have to guess whether it’s working—you’ll know.

If you want help applying these tools in a guided way, I invite you to book a free 20-minute discovery session here:

👉https://calendly.com/tappingoasis/free-20-minutes-discovery-session?month=2025-10