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
Together, we will work to alleviate your emotional difficulties, trauma, anxiety, depression, family/relationship issues, & self-sabotaging behaviors. I will help you figure out what goals you would like for yourself and then how to take small, measurable, accomplishable steps toward those goals. Our subconscious minds often develop behaviors that once helped us survive, but these behaviors may...
Julia Fragias
New York
New York
Many people find themselves stuck in repetitive patterns of behavior and thinking that do not serve their well-being. Therapy helps to identify and examine these patterns in order to understand how and why they affect our sense of self, our moods, and our relationships in negative ways. Together we will uncover new ways of thinking and relating, and learn how to apply them in your life. The...
The Balanced Path LLC
Albuquerque
New Mexico
**11/9/2020 UPDATE** We have immediate openings for telemedicine sessions. Thank you for taking the next step to a better life. Finding a therapist can be hard. Sometimes the first call is the hardest. We understand and assure you that we will return your call or email quickly. We believe once you can find the courage to visualize your dreams, and the willingness to start your journey, you will...
You may be are reading this because you are struggling, perhaps you have tried everything you can think of to feel better, to solve your problems, or to make things right and nothing seems to turn out in the way you expect. Life can be very challenging and sometimes very painful. Relationships can also be difficult and it’s easy to become stuck–unsure of exactly how you got to where you are and...
Lindsey Suter
Baltimore
Maryland
Welcome! I specialize in working with children, adolescents and young adults coping with anxiety, depression and/or other behavioral difficulties related to life transitions including but not limited to divorce, out of home placement, grief and loss. I work closely with families and focus on the importance of relationships, building self worth and creating/maintaining peace at home. Caregiver...
Hi! I'm a licensed marriage and family therapist. I'm familiar with and practice a variety of techniques that help individuals, couples, and families uncover underlying issues and work collaboratively to implement a plan to change maladaptive behaviors. I can provide guidance to help rebuild and repair relationships. I understand it is difficult to handle concerns such as loss, relationship...
Offering client centered, solution focused, compassionate, guidance and support. As we begin our work you will discover, and we will tap into, your strengths; even if you don't think you have any, you do. You will learn to communicate in a healthy productive manner, which will improve your relationships in all aspects of your life, to include with yourself. You will gain perspective about self,...
Gideon Litherland
Chicago
Illinois
Gideon is a clinical counselor, supervisor, and consultant at Veduta Consulting, LLC. He works with individuals, couples, and groups from a relational-cultural approach. Gideon received his MA in Counseling Psychology from the Family Institute at Northwestern University in 2014. He then completed advanced postgraduate training in humanistic, client-centered counseling through the Barbara Temane...
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Jessica Perkins
Tucson
Arizona
I provide a therapeutic client-centered approach to assisting my clients work towards their goals. I utilize CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), TF-CBT (Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), MI (Motivational Interviewing), Solution Focused, Family Systems, Structural Family Therapy, Art therapy techniques, Play therapy. I am trained in Trauma Informed Care and utilize approach in my...
I believe that no two paths are the same. Everyone has a unique path that makes them who they are. This path may lead to a planned destination, make an unexpected turn, or hit a few bumps along the way. Change can be hard and heightened feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression can make that change feel much more difficult and lonely. Instead of allowing these changes in our path to hold us...
As a Licensed Mental Heath Counselor, I join with each individual to offer person-centered, trauma-informed interventions to enable each person an opportunity to come closer to creating a life filled with well-being, balance and positive growth. Utilizing a variety of evidence-based treatment modalities enables me to support the individuals' strengths as they take positive steps toward solution...
I believe all people possess the courage and strength to overcome life's obstacles. I believe with the right mindset and mental health foundation, change is attainable. Is therapy something you have thought about or tried in the past? There are many factors that bring people into therapy; however, one consistent theme seems to persist throughout; the want to learn about or change one's self. I...
Courtney Kershaw
Denver
Colorado
My passion is working with couples to positively impact their relationship and find new ways of communicating with each other, and I have found that using Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy is an exceptional tool to address attachment in family systems. I have also been fortunate enough to expand my experience into addressing substance use and the impact that it can have on not only the...