Emotionally Focused Therapy | Individuals & Couples
Therapeutic Recovery Network offers Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFT) for Individuals and Couples.
WHAT IS EFT?
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a short-term form of therapy that focuses on adult relationships and attachment/bonding. The therapist and clients look at patterns in the relationship and take steps to create a more secure bond and develop more trust to move the relationship in a healthier, more positive direction.
This approach to couples therapy was developed by doctors Sue Johnson and Les Greenberg in the 1980s and is rooted in research on love as an attachment bond. While often used for couples, it has also been adapted for use with families. This treatment can help couples, individuals, and family members form a more secure emotional bond, which can result in stronger relationships and improved communication.
HOW IT WORKS?
EFT focuses on the present time to makes changes in the here and now. There are three steps, or stages, of EFT. The first is to de-escalate the couple’s or family member’s negative cycle of interactions, and help them see and understand what is happening in their relationship. Clients come to see that the problems lie in insecurities and distance. The next stage is to restructure interactions, wherein the therapist helps clients discuss their fears in the relationship, using language that doesn’t push the other away. Clients learn to turn toward each other and discuss their needs and they become more open and responsive to each other. Consolidation is the third stage of EFT, wherein the therapist helps clients see how they got into negative patterns and points out how they were able to change those patterns and can continue these types of conversations in the future.
WHAT EFT CAN HELP WITH?
Emotionally focused therapy can benefit couples who are struggling with conflict, distress, and poor communication. While often used in couples therapy, EFT can also be helpful in individual therapy and family therapy. With individuals, this approach can help people improve emotion-related problems. It can also help family members form more secure bonds with one another.
Individuals and couples who may benefit from EFT include those where one or both partners have:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Trauma
- Addiction
- Chronic Illness
- Post-tramatic stress disorder (PTSD)
WHAT IS EFIT?
Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy or EFIT is a variation of the highly successful Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT). EFIT was developed by Dr. Sue Johnson. EFIT is influenced by attachment theory and the premise we are all hard wired to connect and the quality of those connections dramatically influences our wellbeing.
EFIT focuses on understanding the underlying emotions that drive behavior and therefore helps us understand why we get stuck in certain patterns or repeat patterns that interfere with having the life we want. For example, the ability to be vulnerable with people is a key aspect of how well we connect with others and helps them to know us which creates a deeper more satisfying connection, therefore if we struggle to be vulnerable all our relationships suffer. EFIT works well with anxiety, depression, trauma, improves your ability to connect with others and provides a framework to increase your self-awareness.
Let today be the start of something new!
- Catherine Rosborough, M.Ed., CPS
Resources:
Emotionally Focused Therapy for Individuals (EFIT) Featuring EFT Trainer Lorrie Brubacher - Video
A Primer for Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy - Article
Wiebe SA, Johnson SM. A review of the research in emotionally focused therapy for couples. Family Process. September 2016;55(3):390-407.
Emotion Focused Family Therapy
The International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT)