Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples (EFT) is a short-term, scientifically supported therapy that helps people get to the heart of their problems quickly and create lasting positive changes in their relationships. Developed by Sue Johnson,it is one of the most effective approaches to marriage and couples therapy. Research studies find that after 10-12 sessions, 70-75% of couples move from distress to recovery, and 90% of couples show significant improvement. EFT is an effective treatment for couples with a variety of issues, including depression, past infidelity, grief and loss, and past trauma.
Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples Research
An EFT therapist observes the dynamics between clients in the therapy setting. It focuses on the here and now and begins with the first stage of de-escalation by helping the couple or family to see their negative cycle of interaction. The second stage focuses on restructuring the interactions into something more positive. The therapist helps clients identify and discuss their fears and helps them learn to turn towards each other to share their needs. The third stage is consolidation which helps the clients see the changes they have made and helps them continue to these positive changes in the future.
EFT is the only model of couple intervention that uses a systematic empirically validated theory of adult bonding as the basis for understanding and alleviating relationship problems.
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