After spending a week being trained in EFT (that’s Emotion Focused Therapy!), I felt that I should share what this type of therapy is, how we can use it, and why I went to spend an entire week learning about it. EFT is a type of therapy that has a large amount of evidence and research behind it, so it is a type of therapy that we refer to as evidence-based. This means that we know it works.
Emotion Focused Therapy, as the name suggests, uses emotions and attachment theory to help create secure and vibrant connections with others. It lets us identify negative patterns that we get stuck in from issues in marriage and relationships to our own individual concerns. While some forms of therapy use our thoughts to create change, EFT focuses on our emotions and the idea that emotions have an extremely large impact on both our identity and our day-to-day mental health.
When would we want to use EFT? EFT can be used for a variety of concerns. It is very commonly used in couples therapy because many relationship conflicts are related to our emotions and EFT can identify some of the underlying emotional issues faced by couples. EFT also shines with anyone who is interested in exploring or learning more about their feelings and emotions. One of the key steps of EFT is working to feel and experience your emotions, which then allows you to address the issues that your emotions are stemming from.
What kind of person is EFT useful for? I think it’s helpful for everyone. If you feel like you can’t be vulnerable with your emotions or with your partner, EFT can help you become comfortable with sharing these feelings. If you feel like you fall into a negative cycle where you act based on emotions and don’t want to continue, then EFT can assist in breaking down that cycle. If it’s uncomfortable for you to experience your emotions in the moment, EFT focuses on the steps to slow down and remain in your emotional space.
As always, we try to use the types of therapy that works best for you, the client. But I think that EFT is a wonderful tool to add and am excited to work with people who want to take on the task of understanding and working with their emotions.
