Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a humanistic, evidenced based approach to psychotherapy, drawing primarily from attachment theory to facilitate the creation of secure, vibrant connection with self and others. Rooted in the science of emotion and attachment, EFT helps clients identify and transform the negative processing and interaction patterns that create distress.

Our emotions play a vital role in the way we experience ourselves, our relationships, and the world around us. They provide important information about our needs, our longings, and what feels safe or threatening to us.

Yet during times of stress, conflict, loss, or pain, it can become difficult to understand our emotions or express them in ways that bring us closer to the people we care about.

Emotionally Focused Therapy recognizes that lasting change happens when we learn to engage our emotional experiences in new ways.

Why EFT?

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Rather than focusing solely on symptoms or behaviors, EFT helps uncover the deeper emotions and attachment needs that shape our relationships and responses.

Through this process, individuals and couples can develop greater emotional security, stronger connections, and a more confident sense of themselves and others.

Meaningful healing rarely comes from quick solutions. By slowing down and addressing the deeper sources of distress, EFT creates opportunities for lasting transformation and more fulfilling relationships.

The Origins of EFT

EFT was created by renowned psychologist Sue Johnson after watching thousands of hours of video footage of her own therapy sessions. Her goal was to figure out: why did the distressed partners in her sessions seethe with such strong emotions? Why did people struggle so to get a loved one to respond?

Ultimately, what Sue Johnson found was a simple message: recognize and admit that you are emotionally attached to and dependent on your partner in much the same way that a child is on a parent for nurturing, soothing, and protection.

EFT's Effectiveness

Today EFT is revolutionizing couple therapy. Rigorous studies during the past fifteen years have shown that 70 to 75 percent of couples who go through EFT recover from distress and are happy in their relationships. The results appear lasting, even with couples who are at high risk for divorce. EFT has been recognized by the American Psychological Association as an empirically proven form of couple therapy.

In a 2022, Meta-analysis of EFT, researchers found that of 330 couples studied, 70 percent were symptom free at the end of EFT treatment.