Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a short-term approach to counseling most often used for couples, but it also works with families and individuals. EFT emphasizes developing a stronger bond between two or more people. It examines interactions and how each individual contributes to undesirable behaviors that negatively affect their emotional bond.
EFT’s goal is to reduce distress and negative patterns in the relationship so people can grow closer and rebuild trust, love, and intimacy.
There are three distinct stages in Emotionally Focused Therapy:
De-Escalation – The therapist has people slow down their conversations and interactions to examine patterns in this stage. Is one person not expressing their emotions? Is one person avoidant? Is one person quick to anger? Your EFT therapist will hone in on these specific exchanges to help you understand what interaction and communication patterns lead to hurt feelings and disconnection.
Changing Interaction Patterns – This stage involves encouraging each person to communicate their feelings and needs. Your therapist will help you express empathy, even during tense interactions.
Consolidation – In this stage, you practice the skills you learned during counseling. This stage aims to integrate more desirable communication patterns in EFT sessions and real life.
Anyone interested in improving their interactions with loved ones could benefit from EFT.
Therapists Who Specialize in Using Emotionally Focused Therapy
“When you change your mind, you change your life.” This is a beautiful quote that I heard many years ago, and it stuck with me. My name is Casey Ann Johnston, and I recently graduated from Mount Mercy University with a master’s degree in Marriage & Family Therapy. I look forward to working with all populations and cultures. My passion is helping others reach their goals by utilizing congruent...
With 22 years of experience helping people through life changes, I am well equipped to identify the barriers holding people back and the steps needed to move forward. A first session can be very anxiety provoking for some, “opening the lid,” and letting things out that scare you (and maybe you wish weren’t true). I will help make it easier for you. I’m down to earth, professional and genuinely...
Alison has been the Chief Clinical Officer responsible for operations of community-based programs (Intensive In-home, Mental Health Skill-Building, and Crisis Stabilization) at our sister company, River City Comprehensive Counseling, since 2010. She has experience providing individual and group outpatient therapy in the mental health and substance use fields with older adolescents and adult...
*Accepting New Clients* Are you seeking purpose and wholeness? Feeling detached and lost? Do you want to work on your relationship with yourself? Your relationships with others? Are you preparing yourself mentally and emotionally for the relationship you want? Are you redefining who you want to be? During our time together, the focus will be to meet you where you are and create room for you to...
I am an integrative and holistic therapist, who invites shadow aspects of the individual and collective as tools for growth. I encourage genuine healing through mindfulness awareness, valuing emotional experience, cultural awareness, and curiosity. I utilize both verbal and non-verbal modalities, strong relational approaches, inquiry, body awareness, and when willing and serviceable to explore,...
Couples: Does it feel like you're living with a roommate instead of your lover? Are you arguing so much that you wonder if it's worth the effort anymore? Has cold silence replaced your once warm connection? I can help you understand your relationship cycles so you can reconnect. I use Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) developed by Dr. Sue Johnson (author of Hold Me Tight) to help couples truly...
I specialize in working with individuals and couples struggling with anxiety, depression or trauma that often accompanies major life transitions (launching to adulthood, birth of a baby, career shifts, loss of a loved one, loss of a relationship/divorce, health crisis). Life transitions impact our identity, our relationships and our sense of Self, often in ways we don’t expect. If a life event...
Do you feel stuck or lost in your life? Are you having difficulty with a major life transition such as moving to a new city, changing a career, or loss of a relationship? Are you struggling with how you feel in your current relationship? These experiences can be difficult to manage but therapy can provide new solutions that work for your life. Therapy with me is empathetic, non-judgmental, and...
Happy Apple is a psychotherapy center that treats individuals of all ages, couples, & families. We provide online therapy in the states of CA, NJ, DE, & NY and can see clients in-person in one of our NYC offices. Trained in a wide-variety of approaches (CBT, DBT, EFT, Hypnosis, Motivational Interviewing, etc.), we offer several specialties, including trauma, LGBTQ+ concerns, depression, anxiety...
I specialize in working with struggling teens, young adults, couples and families. With a background of serving youth in custody, I have successfully helped clients deal with addiction, aggression, decision making, relationship management, and self-esteem. I am experienced in Emotionally Focused Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Aggression Replacement...
Feeling distraught about your relationships or sexuality? My role in this relationship is to guide you as you take steps towards positive life changes, healing, and a healthy mind. I am here to help you meet your goals, create more self-awareness, feel empowered, and embody the best version of yourself. I seek to help clients strengthen their relationships with themselves as well as others. My...
Are you feeling stressed out, down or anxious? Are you experiencing grief from a significant loss in your life? Are you struggling with some kind of addiction? Are you having issues in your personal relationships? Or maybe you are doing okay and you would like to do even better? Negative life events can really be a challenge to all of us. My approach to therapy is very strength-based,...
Teen Therapy Group for Girls (Art Therapy). Do you need help with self-esteem, managing stress, depression, or anxiety? Are you looking for a fun, creative outlet for self-expression? This group provides a safe space and support where you can practice ways to cope with stress and learn resilience. Art Therapy can help teens explore emotions and increase self worth. This group is led by a traine...
Feeling trapped, unable to express yourself, powerless to control your own emotions? Are you alone or isolated? I can help you to break free from the constraints of anxiety and depression and take control of your own life’s course. Therapy will help you to learn about how your past impacts your experience of the present. Our work will focus on empowering you to re-author your past in order to m...
Therapy should be viewed as a safe space to explore, discover your truth, and develop a better understanding of your basic needs. Our greatest gift to ourselves is unlearning the negative patterns which we’ve been taught and reestablishing healthier patterns. We can’t change our past experiences nor should we forget them; however, we can learn to make peace through acceptance. As a culturally...
