What do knee pain, test anxiety, snoring, anger, panic attacks, weight loss, and forgiveness all have in common? According to Bethel resident and first-time filmmaker Nicholas Ortner, 29, they are just a few of the multitude of issues that can be addressed through a breakthrough known as Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). Ortner’s film, Try It On Everything, shows you how.

EFT, also known as “emotional acupressure” or “energy psychology,” is a process of self- help and self-discovery gained through the bridging of one’s emotions with inner physical energy. It is a healing concept with roots in Eastern medicine. By painlessly tapping parts of the body known as meridian points, while concentrating on accepting and resolving negative emotions, balance can be restored.

Ortner learned about EFT through the Internet five years ago. “I tried it, followed it, and it worked,” he says. He forgot about it until sometime later, when he decided to explore the process further.

According to Ortner, there are about 1,000 practitioners of EFT in the US alone who teach the tapping technique to clients. Several of those experts, in addition to others in related fields, contributed to the film. Jack Canfield, author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series; Cheryl Richardson, personal coaching pioneer; Bob Proctor, author and success mentor; and Dr. Joseph Mercola, founder of the Optimal Wellness Center, can be seen throughout Try It.

The film is centered around a three-day retreat that took place in Stafford Springs, Connecticut. From about 300 applicants, Ortner selected a diverse group based on different personality types and unique presenting problems. The individuals were educated about EFT and taught the methods; their successes were documented in the film.

As his first endeavor into filmmaking, Ortner says the film is not a “Hollywood production.” However, he feels it is “crisp and clean with a message. The honesty comes through.”

Younger sister Jessica, 23, and high school pal Nick Polizzi, 29, worked on the project for a year, doing all production and editing themselves. They were self-taught. “We just picked up the equipment and figured it out,” Ortner says.

“I really enjoyed the process,” he continues. If this film proves successful, Ortner hopes to do other films in the self-help genre, possibly including a follow- up to Try It.

So far, reactions have been very positive. After a premiere of the film at the Bethel Cinema, Ortner says, “People were really pleased. Those who weren’t familiar with (EFT) started doing it. Now they feel good.”

But it is not just about watching the movie; it is the experience and putting the techniques into practice, he says. Jack Canfield and Cheryl Richardson were reportedly very happy with the finished product. “I expect good things,” Ortner says enthusiastically.

Distribution of the film is essentially through word of mouth right now. “The experts in the film are sending the word out to their lists,” Ortner says. Some of these individuals have thousands of contacts.

The DVD can be ordered on Ortner’s website TryItOnEverything.com. He received 300 orders on the first day the film was available. For every order placed, Ortner donates a copy to organizations that he feels can benefit from teaching and utilizing the techniques. He’s already gone global—about 25 percent of the orders have been international — as far away as Israel. He eventually plans to create several translations for the next edition.

The website is filled with additional resources and links to other sites, including those of the many experts in the film.

“I really don’t think it is a film you see only once,” Ortner says. “But you can try it on something. You might think it’s silly, but give it a shot. People will see a difference, and it didn’t cost them anything.”

You can continue to use it regularly, Ortner explains. “Use it on anything that comes up. You don’t even have to believe it to try it. Just try — go with it!”