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
I enjoy working with clients who are motivated for treatment and ready to experience real change in their lives. I have experience in working with a wide range of clients with many different presenting issues. Being a licensed educator in the state of Florida, with 20 years of elementary classroom experience, gives me a special edge in working with younger populations. However, as a mother, wif...
My passion lies in supporting, advocating, lifting, and encouraging people when they are in their darkest moments. I enjoy helping people who are struggling with depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, and family and relational conflict. My biggest strength as a therapist and clinician is that I am my patients advocate and help to empower, creating strong rapport, being honest, genuine, and...
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I enjoy working with clients of all ages, from all cultural backgrounds and from all walks of life. I offer outreach therapy for individuals, couples, families, and groups. After graduate school, I moved to Massachusetts, where I worked in both the traditional office setting, and in outreach, where I counseled clients in their homes. My lifelong love and appreciation for the outdoors called me ...
I am dedicated to partnering with individuals in order to assist with navigating through life's challenges. I believe that you deserve a supportive and nonjudgmental space to explore issues that prevent you from being at your best. I am committed to ending stigma surrounding mental health treatment and increase awareness within marginalized communities. I look forward to the opportunity to work...
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As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, my goal is to assist you in uncovering your true potential and lead a life that is worth celebrating. While we can't change difficult situations of the past, we can work together to better understand and resolve challenges in your life. By applying complementary therapy approaches and techniques, we will unearth long-standing behavior patterns or...
I want to reflect your wholeness right now, even with patterns and feelings of stuckness and pain- the resolutions and answers are held within you. I am passionate about being a helper to guide you to connect with this wisdom within. Through supporting the wisdom of your body-mind-spirit, it is possible to move beyond "managing" painful symptoms and stuck patterns that often emerge from past...
Do you feel anxious and depressed? Are you feeling sad and unable to enjoy life? Do you feel self conscious and overly sensitive a lot of the time? Together, we will uncover what’s really going on with you. There is a reason for your sadness. You do not need to feel ashamed of your feelings anymore. I will create a safe space, with no judgment, for you to talk about those feelings, I can handle...
If you are miserable in your relationship(s), whether with loved ones or yourself, I can help. Folks who benefit most from my help are at a life transition point or at the brink of a new growth stage: in themselves, in their primary relationship, in their family, or in their career – sometimes all at once. Often times these folks feel held back by one key factor, and that key factor is either a...
As a Licensed Professional Counselor, I have worked with adolescent clients (age 12 and up) with their parents, adult clients and entire families. I am a certified Alcohol and Substance use counselor. My therapeutic approach will help you develop a new perspective on life while we stay solution focused. Growing up with a twin sister helped me become a compassionate and empathetic listener. What...
Dale helps adults and youth to manage their moods, anxiety and anger, heal from trauma and loss, repair relationships, and reach important decisions. Dale is understanding, easy to talk to and creative at drawing out new alternatives. He will help you to weigh options, reach decisions and make new choices that will take you in a better direction. You may see in yourself the potential of buildin...
Each individual coming into therapy is valuable and capable of healing and growth. I work from a strengths-based approach, looking to help encourage each person's uniqueness and purpose in life. I listen carefully to my clients' inner wisdom, as I believe that each individual is the expert on their world. I am passionate about empowering women, helping them find a sense of self and accessing th...
"What we achieve inwardly will change outward reality"- Plutarch. I am Chava (Hava) Harris and I am a licensed clinical social worker with 10 years of experience working with clients of all ages, backgrounds, and life issues. I work with clients to find their own strengths to manage and improve symptoms of depression, anxiety, and utilize coping strategies that will help to improve overall...
