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
My name is Shameka Wyche and I am a resident licensed professional counselor with extensive training and experience working with children, adolescents, adults and families. My goals are to create an environment and counselor- client relationship, that provides the safety needed for self-exploration and personal growth for all persons involved. One of my theoretical approaches to counseling...
Diane Hansen, MA LPC provides counseling for teens, adults, couples, and families. Her specialties include Adoption, ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, Child/Teen Behavioral, Depression, Faith-Based Counseling, Family Counseling, Group Counseling, Grief and Loss, Independent Living Skills Training, PTSD, Sexual Abuse, Social Skills Training, and Trauma. She believes that most people are operating the best...
Having worked with pregnant and parenting women in residential treatment for addiction recovery for the past ten years, I have specialized in substance use disorder, relapse prevention, and co-occurring mental health issues. Non-judgmentally and compassionately, I focused on helping these women to understand their family of origin issues and how they had impacted their lives so profoundly in...
Hello, I'm a licensed behavioral psychotherapist that mainly serves individual adults involving a variety of presenting concerns. Some of these include depression, anxiety, irrational/negative thoughts, trauma, healing, self-care, relaxation, stress, coping skills, low self-esteem, life transitions, grief/loss, relationship and communication problems. I utilize interventions, such as, eclectic,...
I believe that healing often occurs best in the context of a safe and trusting relationship between a client and therapist. As a psychotherapist, I strive to create a secure, caring, and collaborative relationship with each of my clients so that therapy is a place they feel fully seen, heard, understood, and respected. I work from an integrative and holistic perspective, meeting each client whe...
I work with families, children, and teenagers to help equip them with skills needed to thrive in life, and resolve conflict. As a parent and youth volunteer within the community, my heart is for this young generation and the issues they face. Depression, anxiety, stress, and peer struggles threaten the emotional well-being of our kids. Sadly, suicide is now one of the leading causes of death fo...
Hi, so glad you’re here! My name is Kelsey & I’m a licensed professional counselor in Lenexa, KS. I graduated from MNU and am the owner of Awaken Counseling LLC. If this is the first time you have looked for a counselor, for yourself or for your child, it would be normal to feel nervous. I love meeting with individuals who are “first-timers”, particularly those who have not seen a counselor...
Accepting new clients! I have over 16 years of clinical experience working with depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship problems, and divorce struggles. I'm relaxed and easy to talk to and ask thought-provoking questions that helps you think through issues without being judgmental. Helping people is my passion and I enjoy seeing clients feel better. It's hard to know where to set boundaries, ...
My hope is to guide those in need towards a functional way of living that increases enrichment, a sense of accomplishment, and identity. I feel that everyone deserves the chance to function as their own advocate and my role is to help facilitate that opportunity with an individualized approach. My ultimate goal is to help people reconnect with themselves in a meaningful and sustainable way. I c...
I work with adults and couples to help relieve depression, anxiety, stress, relationship problems, grief, and common challenges associated with life transitions, loss and adjustment . My consistent, caring and collaborative approach will help you gain insight and develop a plan and create fulfilling and lasting changes. My work is informed by several approaches to therapy, including Interperson...
In therapy, we may explore the past or make plans for the future, but the most important moments are those in which we discover the potential that lies within us. What matters most in therapy is the confidential, non-judgmental, compassionate relationship between my clients and I that gives way to insights, realizations, and transformations. I utilize a combination of therapeutic,...
*Most appointments offered within one business day* The search for change begins when there is some form of motivation. Whether it is discomfort, pain, a crisis, or the desire for self-improvement, motivation is the mechanism that prompts the search for something different. If you are struggling in certain areas of your life, creating positive change can be challenging. My goal is to help clien...
If you have landed on this page, odds are you (or a loved one) are suffering. Reading this? Good for you. You've already made an effort towards healing, change, the life you desire... and you are worth it. Humans suffer. Yeah, we're resilient beings. Yeah, we're tough... and also, yeah, we still need help sometimes. Finding a good fit with a counselor can be difficult. Yet, for counseling to be...
Our lives are filled with moments, experiences, and connections that influence where we are now and where we hope to be eventually. I have experience working with young adults, college students, couples and people impacted by addiction. I specialize in working with individuals, couples and families who have experienced trauma. I am trained in evidence-based methods and my work is informed by...
