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
As a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) and a Registered Drama Therapist (RDT), I provide creative psychotherapy for children, adolescents and adults. I believe that everyone is deserving of a therapeutic environment that meets their unique treatment needs. My work as a therapist is integrative, which allows me to collaborate with you throughout the...
Are you having difficultly putting all the current chaos in the world into perspective? Is everyone around you giving you information and you just don’t know what to believe? Do you find yourself questioning your judgment? You want to keep you and your family safe, but worrying about it is causing difficulty sleeping and focusing. You want to be able to see things clearly to make informed...
Being a parent and/or caregivers comes with many joys and also many challenges. If you are faced with feeling disconnected from your child/teen and want to reestablish a healthy and positive relationship, help is within your reach. If your child/teen is experiencing behavioral issues, anxiety, and/or depression, I can help them with navigating and processing those challenges. If you are...
Lara Kim
Los Angeles
California
Lara Kim
Los Angeles
California
Marriage and Family Therapy is a second career for me and one that I was drawn to by a deeply held conviction that people are capable of change. My passion for therapy is founded on the belief that we do not have to be bound by our wounds or fears. While these are important parts of our journey, they do not have to define who we are nor who we can become. I have found that healing begins with t...
I believe that there is an alchemy to being human and that it is in our uniqueness and originality that we most flourish. As individuals we are separate and distinct from every other being we encounter. It is also my belief that because of our individual uniqueness we each require an individually tailored approach to psychotherapy. The philosophy of my practice lies in meeting each individual...
Coreen Haym
Las Vegas
Nevada
Coreen Haym
Las Vegas
Nevada
My therapeutic approach is holistic, human, and individually tailored to meet the needs of clients in their current situations. As a therapist, I am a down-to-earth person who sees myself as equal to my clients, sharing a non-judgmental space to promote and honor personal growth and healing. I work with a large variety of relational issues related to transitional life experiences, as well as...
I believe that human connection the most powerful force in our lives, and that it can be the source of much of our strength as well as much of our pain. The quality of the psychotherapeutic relationship forms the foundation for all growth and healing done within this context. The simple addition of a new, invested relationship to one's life can help provide room to move forward. Once this...
Have you noticed that recently you are socially isolating yourself, are you avoiding people and activities, or not enjoying life like you used to? As we get older, life throws unexpected changes our direction. Sometimes our emotional responses can leave us feeling confused and out of sorts. If so, you might benefit from talking to someone who understands how emotions, thoughts and behavioral...
Marco Murrieta
Minneapolis
Minnesota
Marco Murrieta
Minneapolis
Minnesota
I welcome you if you are new to therapy or have a history of benefiting from it. I make it a priority that you feel safe to proceed in therapy at a pace that works for you. Life brings us frequent changes and I hope to guide you through these expected and unexpected adjustments. Me encantaría conocerlo/a si nunca ha tenido terapia or si ya tiene experiencia. Para mi, es muy importante que usted...
I am committed to helping individuals, couples and families achieve greater quality of life, regardless of what season they may find themselves in. For those that may be struggling through mental or emotional difficulties, I offer individualized assessment and treatment. I specialize in treating depression, anxiety, trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), relationship problems, addicti...
Michelle Taylor
Long Beach
California
Michelle Taylor
Long Beach
California
*Accepting new clients/couples NOW- Online Video Therapy* With the stress of COV-ID 19 comes more financial struggle, anxieties about the future, family conflicts, and grief. This is all on top of the problems you may have been having before! Now, more than ever, you might be wondering how you are going to make it through. This is a normal fear, but taken to the extreme, can severely limit you...
Katherine Longley
Denver
Colorado
Katherine Longley
Denver
Colorado
Welcome! My name is Katherine Longley. I'm excited to work with you to build resources, develop skills, and assist you in taking any necessary steps toward achieving your goals. I work with teens and adults, and my style is relational, holistic, empathetic, and collaborative; I believe that you are the expert of your experience. I enjoy working to understand where you're coming from so that we ...
My approach to therapy is based on developing a deep emotional connection with the people in our lives, improving self-esteem, accessing inner resources to cope with difficulties and learning to have compassion for ourselves and others. Although therapy can be very helpful when we are going through a difficult time in our lives, it is also an important self-care practice. Just like we attend yo...
I have been counseling individuals, couples, and families for over 25 years. I help couples strengthen their emotional connection, communication patterns, and parenting skills. As a military spouse myself for nearly 30 years, I've helped many military families navigate the unique challenges of military culture. I am certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), which treats...