In line with our ongoing pursuit of excellence in clinical service delivery, Kimberly Keiser and Associates has added Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to our suite of services for couples.

EFT was developed by Dr. Susan Johnson with its roots in the therapeutic modality of humanism. EFT is based on the science of adult attachment and how each an innate predisposition to developing attachment bonds with others is the basis for intimate partner and family bonding.

This empirically based model of couples therapy is aimed at utilizing an understanding of individual attachment disruption and attachment repair to aid in emotional regulation and healthy adult attachment.

What is EFT?

In addition to utilizing the science of attachment, EFT views conflictual relationship patterns as part of a functional dysfunction due to attachment disruption in childhood. Seen through this non-pathologizing lens, partners are able to focus on healing themselves as part of healing their relationship bond.

EFT focuses on a combination of psychoeducation, insight-oriented psychotherapy, and experiential exercises grounded in a family systems approach for couples.

The goal of EFT is to create a more secure attachment bond between couples and influence positive change in the experiential feeling of increased security within a relationship.

How Does it Work?

The therapist’s role in EFT is to move along with a couple through their experiential process of being with one another and bring to light a new awareness of what is happening for each person as they relate to one another.

EFT therapists strive to provide a safe environment in which each person in a relationship can understand themselves in the context of an attachment dynamic.

Any external threats to safety must be managed before EFT can successfully take place, such as, ongoing infidelity, domestic violence, or substance abuse that is untreated.

The EFT Process

The therapist will work between content —what the partners are discussing— and process —how they are discussing it and the underlying process). Illuminating the distinction between these two aspects of the here and now is highly therapeutic and helps couples get unstuck.

The therapist fosters an understanding in each partner of the underlying meaning within the core emotions in the process of the couple interactions.

The therapist then educates and supports each partner on how to communicate the underlying feelings in the process. The development of this new narrative creates deeper understanding for each partner than what typically gets recycled in communication between couples.

The therapist then mirrors back what has been observed to give the couple a higher-level insight of their “dance of intimacy” than they have ever had. It is extremely helpful to break and transform old patterns and build a new reference point build for how to move forward.