Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. 

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Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a short term therapy that focuses on the attachment / bonding in adult relationships.  Patterns in the relationship are looked at and steps taken to create a more secure bond and develop more trust, to move the relationship in a healthier more positive direction. 

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Research studies find that 70-75% of couples move from distress to recovery in 10-12 sessions and 90% show significant improvement. It is a present-focused, non-blaming, humanistic, and client-centered model. It is currently the most empirically validated couples therapy of the past 25 years.

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How it works. 

EFT focuses on the present time to make changes in the here and now. There are three stages in EFT. The first is to de-escalate the couples' negative cycle of interactions and help them to see and understand what is happening in the relationship. Clients come to see the problems in terms of reactivity, insecurity and distance.   The next stage is restructuring interactions, wherein the therapist helps clients to discuss their fears in relationship using language that doesn't push the other away.  Consolidation is the third stage of EFT, wherein the therapist helps clients see how they got into negative patterns and helps them develop positive cycles that promote bonding and attachment into the future. 

The first few sessions:

The first session is with both of you, getting to know each other, how we will work, and starting to explore what is happening in your relationship.

Second and third are individual sessions, one with each of you, looking at relationships throughout your life, including your current one.

The fourth session is together again. We will begin to explore your relationship more deeply.

On rare occasions we won’t continue working together after the fourth session. This may be for ethical reasons or because couples’ therapy might not be the right kind of support for you at this time.

Usually after the fourth session I will continue to meet with both of you together for the duration of the therapy.​​

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Sessions last for 50 minutes and cost £100

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Learn more from the EFT founder, Sue Johnson​​​​