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
At Sanctuary Counseling Group, we believe in creating therapeutic relationships with our clients that promote the healing of heart, mind, and soul. I enjoy working with individuals, couples, and families. Particular areas of interest for me include Christian counseling, marriage counseling, adoptive parenting support, special needs parenting support, individuals who want to heal from childhood...
As a Marriage and Family therapist, I have extensive experience in working with individuals, couples, and families. I approach therapy from a strength-based, holistic, and highly collaborative model, welcoming diversity of race, culture, spirituality, gender, and orientation. Areas of specialty include mood disorders, anxiety disorders, relational distress and family conflict, life-transition,...
Hello! My name is Rebecca Klinger (Becky), and I am a licensed psychologist in Colorado. I am very excited to offer therapy services to you. If I could sum up my therapeutic approach in one word it would be authenticity. I strive to create a safe, accepting atmosphere where you can feel supported to understand and express your true, authentic self along with feeling challenged to grow. I believ...
Are things seeming a bit off at home with you and your family? Feeling like your patience as a parent and partner is dwindling? Or maybe a school is trying to diagnose your child arbitrarily because they are struggling to focus in class? Well you have come to the right place! I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) that specializes in work with children, families, and individuals. I aim t...
I love to see clients empowered to be able to live authentically and thrive in life and relationships. My work is most influenced by a core belief that despite difficulties, challenges and trauma, we have the capacity for healing and change. My clients are typically individuals and couples, seeking treatment for trauma work, depression, anxiety, women's issues, life transitions, perfectionism a...
Through both verbal discussion and creative expression I will support you to gain insight and build upon your strengths. I offer an accepting and compassionate space within a casual studio environment. As an Art Therapist I believe in the power of making and creating as a healing medium. My therapeutic approach is relationship based and client centered. My feminist orientation seeks to minimize...
I specialize in providing psychotherapy to adults who are struggling with depression and anxiety related to life transitions, cultural identity issues, relationship problems, and unresolved difficulties from the past. With a spirit of collaboration, transparency, and trust, I help my clients process the difficult feelings associated with these issues in order to help them arrive at a different...
I am a licensed clinical psychologist providing individual therapy to children, teenagers and adults. My office is in the Arden area of Sacramento. I help people in their desire to close the gap between where they are right now and where they want to be in the future. I am passionate about helping people create a life that brings them peace and joy. I use a strength based, collaborative approac...
If you're experiencing overwhelm managing high levels of stress, anxiety and/or low mood, I can offer you solutions! We'll work together so you can instead experience high levels of productivity, clarity and presence. In addition to offering tools and solutions for mood management, I also have specific training in treating sex and relationship concerns. I work with dating/relationship matters...
Research and experience tells us that effective therapy is predicated on a truly meaningful relationship between client and therapist. I am confident that I can provide a time and space where you and/or your child will feel understood, accepted, cared for, and appropriately challenged to change. I work primarily with adolescents and young adults who are struggling with issues such as depression...
Have a child struggling with behavioral problems or a teen not acting like their normal self? Trained in EMDR, my heart and speciality as a therapist is in working with children, pre-teens and teenagers aged 10-17 struggling with Divorce, Blended Families, School, Bullying, and Anxiety/Depression. I enjoy providing the child and parents with tools and resources to better improve the health of t...
I specialize in helping creative individuals. The creative individual is any person who, rather than submitting to the pull of conformity, strives to discover and engage with their originality and their authenticity. For the creative individual, psychological development calls upon the strength of will and active choice to overcome external limitations and internal inhibitions and doubts that...
Have you experienced a loss that is keeping you stuck and unable to enjoy a fulfilling life? Are you desiring more peace? Taking the first step towards counseling can feel difficult and takes courage. I'll be here with you. I will provide a safe space to grieve your loss or life transitions. Together we will explore the areas that are keeping you stuck and begin to move past those hard places....
Have you ever found yourself thinking, "It would be nice if we could go back in time to those unspoiled moments in our relationship before hurt, doubt, and betrayal ever touched us." You think about the times where you both held one another and never missed an opportunity to say "I love you." It was a beautiful point in time where you realized that nothing else in life meant as much to you as y...
Are you feeling hopeless in your relationship? Always angry or lonely? Feel like you can't communicate? Maybe you lie awake at night staring at the ceiling. Who this stranger asleep beside you? And the sex? You either do it to keep the peace, or it hardly happens at all. Or there's been an affair. You feel like the earth has literally disappeared beneath your feet. Your trust is shattered. I ca...
