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 specialize in family counseling and parenting. I will work to identify underlying causes of problematic behaviors and address those from an approach that combines practical tools with meeting the emotional needs of all family members. My goal is to reduce conflict and restore joy, trust and hope within the family. I realize that family life can be messy and hard, but I also believe that there...
My ideal client knows what they want and is ready and determined to get it. The client works hard and wants to better their self mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. The client wants to make a change, and is tired of doing life dealing with the same struggles. They want better for their family and self by willingly doing the work to become whole and healthy. I love working collaboratively wi...
As my practice name implies, I believe we are all mind, body, and spirit and we need to address healing in all areas to become whole. I bring to my practice my own experiences and growth over my 63 years of living. I believe in a collaborative approach to therapy work; we all hold our own answers within ourselves and only need a compassionate and nurturing relationship and some new skills and...
VIDEO THERAPY-- Are you struggling with deep feelings of uncertainty, anxiety, and/or family conflict related to the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic? You are not alone. I am here to help you navigate the stress related to parenting/home-schooling full-time, conflict with teens over their social isolation, navigating the balance between access to information and creating peace within yourself. I...
Challenges in life are inevitable. The goal is to not allow yourself to become defeated by those challenges. When faced with opposition, do you find it difficult to overcome? Do you experience moments where you can’t describe your feelings? Are you often stressed about things that are out of your control? Do you feel like you are having difficulty finding balance in your life? If you answered...
If you're tired of traditional approaches that aren't getting you anywhere, you're in the right place. I'll be the first to admit, I've had more than my fair share of "issues" that I continue to work on each and every day. Every one of my clients knows that I'm my #1 guinea pig and I only teach from experience. I spent the better part of the last 15 years discovering what was keeping me stuck, ...
Blake is a Licensed Marital and Family Therapist (LMFT #1472) in Tennessee, where he practices at Southeast Psych Nashville. He received a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Counseling from The University of Mobile, a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) from Vanderbilt University, and a Bachelor of Arts concentrating in Human Services from The University of South Alabama. Additionally, Blake...
Are you struggling to manage your anxiety? Do you sometimes feel sad for no reason or hopeless about your future? Are you going through a stressful time in your life and need extra support? You’ve already taken a step in the right direction by looking for counselors. We all face times where we need someone to listen and provide us with genuine feedback. I would love to meet you and help you wor...
**Immediate Openings** Each of us is on a journey and there will be times where we feel lost, alone, overwhelmed or inadequate. We believe the key to moving past difficulties in your life involves developing greater awareness, understanding, and self-compassion in a safe and affirming space. We will explore what is holding you back, develop skills so you can change unhealthy patterns while gent...
Feeling the collective anxiety around coronavirus and needing to talk to someone--NOW OFFERING TELEHEALTH/VIDEO SESSIONS!! Evening and weekend availability open as well. If you are feeling disconnected during this time of social distancing or quarantining, please know you are not alone. Whether you are struggling with life changes related to the pandemic or otherwise, I'd be honored to offer yo...
Through counseling, I seek to help individuals develop the skills, abilities, and beliefs to help manage, cope and work through painful feelings and emotions related to depression, anxiety, trauma, and family conflict. I utilize empirically supported and evidenced based treatment practices including; CBT, Trauma Focused CBT, and Functional Family Therapy, to help individuals reach their goals. ...
There are times in our lives when we may have difficulty adjusting to work, family, and life stressors. Some may have experienced a traumatic event and have difficulty coping. Others may find it challenging to manage anxiety and depression, building healthy relationships, connecting to love ones or coping with other mental health conditions. Whatever the issues maybe, there is hope for healing ...
I have seen that often times due to adverse experiences in childhood and/or adulthood we sometimes struggle in knowing how to tolerate and accept difficult feelings without shame and judgment. I am passionate about helping clients find their creative abilities and potential and incorporating it into the healing process. I utilize a relational (and eclectic) approach to understanding the self in...
Life is both wonderful and messy. Situations in life sometimes become too much for us. I partner with clients ready to work their way through bouts of not feeling right, significant changes in life circumstances, aging at any age, and/or relational conflict. I engage in brief, solution-focused counseling with individuals and Gottman Couples Counseling Method with couples. I believe YOU are the...
We are a team of professionals with clinical expertise who love working together to provide the appropriate treatment in a compassionate, therapeutic environment. We provide services to the international community. Our goal is to provide high-quality psychotherapy and counseling treatment to individuals, couples, and families. We focus on helping our clients find their inner resources to be abl...
