Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), developed by Dr. Sue Johnson, is a powerful approach to helping distressed couples, families and individuals. Based on Attachment Science, a robust developmental theory of personality and intimate relationships, EFT is a humanistic, systemic and experiential psychotherapy that hones in on key emotions that shape individual experience and intimate bonds. This approach has been met with unprecedented success in helping distressed couples improve their relationship and deepen their bond, and has been acknowledged by the APA (American Psychological Association) as meeting the gold standard for research demonstrating it’s effectiveness.

EFT starts by acknowledging that we are biologically hardwired to create and maintain strong emotional ties with our partner and loved ones. This means acknowledging that you have basic human needs for connection with others, and when you feel secure in your most important relationship(s), you are more able to fully thrive as well as mitigate the stress of life’s challenges. In its essence, everyone wants a positive answer to the questions “Are you there for me?”, “Can I count on you?”, “Do I matter to you?” You want to know that your loved one is accessible, responsive, and engaged.

EFT for Couples sees distress in relationships as centered in the loss of secure emotional connection, and that a negative cycle or “dance” is established when that loss of connection is experienced. These cycles are often characterized by anger, criticism, leaving, or appearing indifferent, to name a few. Once established, these cycles can crop up over the slightest issue, and over time be corrosive to the bonds of trust and security in the relationship. These negative cycles can also impact a couples sexual relationship, leaving couples feeling anxious, shutdown, or rejected. EFT aims to help couples recognize and stop these negative cycles by first identifying and mapping out this cycle, then helping couples identify and articulate their needs and clarify their emotional signals in a way that helps their partner to have greater understanding, compassion and responsiveness. In turn, a more secure, strong resilient bond is cultivated. This process leaves room for couples to experience one another in new ways, and can be powerfully transformative in relationships.

EFT for Individuals offers both symptom relief and deeper personal transformation. EFT with individuals explores patterns of engagement that may inadvertently perpetuate feelings of pain, alienation, anxiety or other forms of distress. EFT focuses on key emotions and emotion regulation strategies, and offers a path to shaping new ways of engaging that can lead to powerful transformative experiences towards living more wholeheartedly, and feeling more balanced and resilient.