In 2021, my life changed in a split second. A car accident left me with a concussion and a new reality I never saw coming.
At the beginning, even the simplest tasks felt impossible. I was a single mom who could not figure out how to make my kids’ lunches. Their beautiful little voices, once my favourite sounds, felt like too much for my injured brain to process. As a professional dancer, I had to relearn how to walk on a straight line without losing my balance. Every part of my life felt foreign. I was a high school teacher, a choreographer, and someone who had always thrived on being able to do it all. Suddenly, I could not remember what I had just said. I could not handle noise, bright light, or busy spaces. And worst of all, I felt like the “me” I had always known had disappeared.
The Turning Point
For years, I fought against my new limits. I pushed myself to “get back” to who I was before, but the harder I pushed, the worse my symptoms became. The real shift came when I stopped fighting and began to surrender. Not in the sense of giving up, but in choosing to stop forcing my recovery to look a certain way. I gave myself permission to rest without guilt, to say no without apology, and to rebuild my life slowly, even if it did not match my old pace.
From that place of surrender came a new sense of clarity. If the answers were not coming from one place, I would piece them together myself. I became my own advocate and started exploring every nervous system regulation tool I could find, from evidence-based therapies to holistic and body-based practices.
It was in this search that I discovered one of the most powerful tools of my recovery — EFT Tapping.
How EFT Tapping Helped Me Heal
EFT combines gentle fingertip tapping on specific acupuncture points with focused attention on the problem you are experiencing, whether that is pain, fear, overwhelm, or a triggering memory. This process sends calming signals to the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for the stress response, helping shift the body from fight or flight into a state where healing can occur.
For me, EFT became a lifeline.
- It helped reduce the crushing headaches and muscle tension I carried daily.
- It eased my sensitivity to noise so I could be more present with my children again.
- It was my go-to tool when feeling overwhelmed.
- It gave me an immediate, portable tool I could use anywhere, no special equipment required.
Research has shown that EFT can significantly reduce pain, lower cortisol (the body’s primary stress hormone), and improve physical symptoms for people recovering from injury or trauma. For brain injury survivors, that means more than just feeling calmer, it means creating the conditions where your brain and body can truly repair.
Building My Recovery Framework
EFT became one part of a larger recovery framework I built over time, which I now teach in my upcoming book Moms with Concussions and through my free online community events. Every other month, I host Moms with Concussions Live, a free gathering for caregivers and brain injury survivors to connect, learn tools for nervous system safety, and remember they are not alone.
Here are the other practices that were essential for me:
- Nervous System Regulation Beyond EFT
I combined tapping with slow breathwork, grounding exercises, and micro-breaks throughout the day to signal safety to my body. - Gentle, Somatic Movement
As a dancer, movement was my language, but I had to rebuild it. I started with small, intentional movements that retrained my balance and coordination, helping my brain re-establish trust in my body. - Mindset Shifts
I let go of the idea that recovery meant “getting back to the old me.” Instead, I focused on creating a new, stronger version of myself, one who set boundaries, asked for help, and celebrated small wins. I let it lead to a new purpose and became a certified trauma-informed life-coach and speaker.
What I Want Every Survivor to Know
You are not broken. Your symptoms are your body’s way of protecting you.
Recovery is not linear. You will have days that feel like breakthroughs and days that feel like setbacks. Both are part of the process.
It is okay to grieve what you have lost. And it is okay to dream about a life that, in ways you cannot yet see, could be even more aligned than before.
If You Are Just Starting Out
- Start with one nervous system tool you can use daily. EFT tapping is a great place to begin, even two minutes can make a difference.
- Track your patterns so you can make choices that support rather than deplete your energy.
- Reach out for support early. You do not have to do this alone.
- Celebrate the micro-wins. Walking a little farther, tolerating more noise, remembering a detail without writing it down, these moments matter.
A New Chapter
Today, I am back to performing, coaching, and raising my kids. I now get to use EFT tapping not only for my own health but to support other survivors, athletes, and high performers in releasing pain, reducing stress, and unlocking their fullest potential. If you are reading this in the early days of recovery, please know: there is hope. You can heal. And your story is far from over.
For more information on , please visit: www.cynthiacoaching.com/mwc
Submitted by Cynthia Aguiar
This article is also featured in our 2025 Fall Issue of Sharing our Recovery.
