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 value the counseling relationship and have a desire to practice with a client-centered approach. I have a great deal of experience working with families, and specifically with children and adolescent clients. Life experience also drive my clinical passions, including working with those struggling with difficult emotions and complicated grief. I take a person-centered, Cognitive-Behavioral...
Like many people, you may be feeling sad, anxious or alone. These feelings can be overwhelming. You may be struggling with self-esteem, relationship challenges, or a general lack of fulfillment. You want to feel better, but where do you start? I use an approach called Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples and individuals. Based on attachment science, EFT is a structured therapy designed...
I am passionate and optimistic in my therapeutic approach with couples, families, and individuals (adolescents/adults) who struggle with issues that affect their daily functioning. My goal is to empower clients to understand themselves, to highlight strengths, positive traits, hopeful patterns, and encourage the potential that emerges during the therapeutic process. Life today is stressful unde...
Carrie received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Southern Maine and is a Licensed Master Social Worker with a conditional clinical license (LMSW-CC). She has been working with individuals and groups in a therapeutic setting for over six years, most recently at The Island Institute for Trauma Recovery in downtown Biddeford. In addition to her clinical experience she is...
What happens to intelligence, talent, passion and potential without direction or guidance? Typically not much.... What happens when these same qualities are cultivated and partnered with caring guidance and development? People can achieve their potential! They can have richer, more satisfying lives. I actively work to encourage, motivate, and challenge individuals and families to explore...
Are you feeling not good enough, guilty, confused, sensitive, anxious, or depressed? If you are going through a major life transition and can use a therapist who empowers you, gets you energized about life, helps you find your emotional balance and helps you see your transition from a different point of view then let’s get started! In therapy, I can help you to focus on your goals, teach you ho...
I believe we all need and deserve to feel understood and appreciated in our complexity throughout our lives. Many of us have experiences that have a lasting impact on our relationships with ourselves and our sense of belonging with others. We have emotions, beliefs, and behaviors that seem to get in the way of reaching our potential in work and relationships. If you are struggling with parentin...
Are you "Troubled in Paradise?" Do you think, "If life came with a manual, I've lost mine..." You are not alone! Life brings many changes, choices and challenges -- sometimes we respond well, and sometimes we find ourselves confused, depressed, angry, anxious or overwhelmed. Perhaps you've found that your usual coping methods aren't working as well as they did in the past, but you don't know wh...
I welcome adolescents, teens, and adults to my counseling practice. I aim to help people with mood and anxiety diagnoses (i.e. MDD, GAD) improve daily life and reduce any stressful and/or disruptive symptoms (i.e. irritability, fatigue, insomnia, procrastination, or thought spiraling). I provide diagnostic clarification as requested. However, no formal diagnosis is required for therapy. Only a...
***OFFERING TELEHEALTH SERVICES! Please note that our waitlist for children (12 and under) is currently closed due to long wait times.*** Family Counseling Associates is proud to provide the highest level of outpatient counseling services. Whether you would benefit from individual therapy, couples or family therapy or therapy for your child, we are here to help. Family Counseling Associates is ...
With over 11 years experience in counseling, I am an expert in creative solutions for an array of client needs. Specific issues include marital conflict, spiritual oppression, divorce adjustment, family dynamics, depression, anxiety, trauma, boundaries, codependency, etc. As a marriage and family counselor my approach is whole-person centered looking not just at the problem, but how the problem...
With the increased stress and anxiety coming from the current pandemic, I am able to offer very effective techniques (EFT) via Telehealth to manage stress, anxiety, and worry that have been proven to lower our cortisol levels (stress hormone), and are believed to help keep our immune systems strong. I believe that we all have the ability to heal, and that this ability lies within. At times we n...
Someone once told me that everyone is walking around with an 'under construction' sign above their head, meaning that behind the scenes everyone is working on something. My goal is to help you fix your perception of you and to assist you in finding your way to living a life you deem fulfilling. Occasionally in life, we are found at a crossroads and are in need of some type of support, or change...
I am a licensed marriage and family therapist. I believe that our challenges and strengths emerge from a combination of our personality, biology, family upbringing, environment, stage of life, and current relationships. My goal as a therapist is to help individuals, couples, and families make sense of these influences and understand the context that affects them. My second goal is to support my...
