Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT)
Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) Rooted in humanistic and gestalt traditions, EFT is an evidence-based approach that champions the transformative potential of emotions and their primary role in human experience, asserting that they’re not just byproducts of interactions but central guides to our identity and choices. EFT operates on the conviction that emotions are key to self-understanding, decision-making, and interpersonal interactions. By accessing and processing emotions, people can create lasting change and foster stronger, healthier relationships.
Who could benefit from EFT?
EFT can help people develop a more adaptive, positive emotional relationship with themselves and others. EFT may be beneficial for those who are dealing with:
- Relationship difficulties
- Depression, anxiety, or trauma
- Self-esteem issues
What is the Treatment Process Like?
In individual sessions, therapists work one-on-one with clients to address personal challenges and employ skills learned to real-life situations. Clients are guided to better recognize, label, and understand their emotions and are introduced to techniques to help them manage and respond to them more effectively. By exploring and reprocessing emotional experiences, clients can transform maladaptive emotional states into adaptive ones. EFT might involve reliving certain moments or revisiting memories to generate more adaptive emotional responses and solutions. In group sessions, therapy is focused on teaching skills in four main areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.
How does EFT work?
EFT operates on the conviction that emotions are key to self-understanding, decision-making, and interpersonal interactions. By accessing and processing emotions, people can create lasting change and foster stronger, healthier relationships.
How effective is EFT?
Emotion-Focused Therapy is a vibrant and enriching approach that places emotions front and center of the therapeutic journey. It acknowledges the depth, richness, and transformative power of our emotional experiences. Choosing EFT means embarking on a journey of deep emotional exploration, promoting greater self-awareness, enriched relationships, and a more harmonious connection with one’s emotional world.
