The Great Significance of EFT for Couples Therapy

Are you and your partner stuck in a pattern of negative interactions? For some couples, when they begin to contemplate divorce or separation, they turn to professional help first. However, the type of therapy you seek could largely influence the outcome of your relationship. Could Emotionally Focused Therapy or EFT be right for you?

There are many factors that can negatively impact a relationship. For example, mental health issues, childhood and life experiences, addiction, betrayal, and so forth. As such, there are a variety of modalities that aim to target specific needs. EFT is a highly-effective, evidence-based form of treatment. Likewise, it can help couples who face a variety of issues such as:
– anxiety/depression
– poor interpersonal/communication skills
– PTSD
– Those facing issues such as chronic illness, grief, and loss
infidelity/betrayal

Let’s talk more about EFT as you decide whether it may be something worth checking into.

Tell Me More about EFT

EFT is a type of therapy that aims to help people gain insight into their emotions and perceptions. In addition, the goal is to gain greater self-awareness and develop new patterns of interaction. To do so, you explore your emotions, the driving force behind your emotions, and your interpersonal skills. Learning how one’s perception and reaction influence another can provide insight and understanding. As you better understand the role of your emotions, you enhance your ability to identify, own, and transform your reactions. At the same time, you’re learning more about your partner and the role their emotions play. Ultimately, the goal is to bond and replace defensiveness and anger with empathy.

Coping skills are an essential part of managing our emotions. In EFT, couples work to identify underlying issues. For example, often deeply rooted in conflict are core beliefs and negative emotions. Examples include:

– fear
– anger
– unprocessed trauma
– feeling as though you’re not – enough
– mistrust or betrayal
– fear of being unloveable

EFT focuses less on what is wrong with someone and more on how to identify, manage, process, and transform emotions. In doing so, there is less focus on specific behaviors and more so on the emotions driving the behaviors. As a result, learning how to process and manage your emotions helps change behavior. Hence, you become more instrumental in providing comfort and safety in your relationships.

This transformation takes place through three stages.

1. De-escalation

2. Restructuring

3. Consolidation

Why is EFT a Successful Form of Counseling?

Our feelings, emotions, and the stories we tell ourselves play a role in our relationships. Through EFT, couples begin to discover the emotions that are at the root of their patterns of interaction. Then, as couples move through the various stages, they practice creating new emotional experiences. Learning how to show, accept, and respond to one another’s emotions can strengthen and transform a relationship. At the same time, sessions provide a place to practice a new way of communicating that provides emotional safety and builds trust.

According to Psychology Today, 70-75% of couples who commit to EFT are successful in healing their relationship. Furthermore, nearly 90% of participants report a significant improvement. Research and results show this to be one of the most verifiable forms of couples therapy. (psychologytoday.com)

At Fort Worth Counseling and Intervention, we want to help you and your partner build a secure attachment. EFT is a proven approach that focuses on the negative patterns you’re stuck in and the emotions driving the interactions.

The path to healing is often challenging and requires vulnerability. While the results are fantastic, the road to getting there is by no means easy. Likewise, the path forward is often met with unpleasant or intense emotions along the way. Yet, if the two of you are committed to finding a solution to making things work, EFT is one of the best strategies to get you there.

Visit our website to learn more or call us today.