Emotion-Focused Therapy

Working with your emotions for real change

Sometimes you know rationally where your problems come from and what has made or continues to make the situation worse. Yet despite that knowledge, you can’t find your way out. You stay stuck in the same fear or anger, or in the same feelings of guilt or shame, in the same thoughts and the same reactions. Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) goes beyond talking about your problems. It focuses on what is really going on: your emotions and the deeper meaning that lies beneath them.

What is Emotion-Focused Therapy?

Emotion-Focused Therapy is an evidence-based form of psychotherapy that assumes emotions play a central role in who we are and how we behave. Emotions are not something to be suppressed or controlled. They are a source of information, because:

• Emotions tell us what is important to us
• Emotions tell us what we need or want, and that helps us figure out what to do
• Emotions give us a sense of inner consistency and wholeness

Yet emotions can also get stuck. Due to past experiences, due to thoughts or behaviours you once learned to protect yourself, or due to loss and trauma that was never properly processed. EFT helps you to recognise, explore and transform those stuck emotions. Not by reasoning them away, but by fully feeling and understanding them.

When is EFT suitable?

EFT can be helpful when you are stuck in patterns you would like to break. This may be the case with a wide range of issues, such as:

• Persistent low mood or depressive feelings
• Anxiety and insecurity
• Difficulty regulating emotions
• Low self-worth or a negative self-image
• Difficulties processing loss or trauma
• Relationship problems or difficulty connecting with others

If you feel like you keep getting in your own way, or that your emotions overwhelm you or seem entirely absent, EFT can be a valuable approach.

What does an EFT session look like?

In the sessions, we work together to increase your awareness of what is going on emotionally within you. Sometimes this happens through conversation, sometimes through targeted exercises in which you learn to stay with your feelings rather than running away from them. The therapeutic relationship between us plays an important role in this: a safe, empathetic environment in which you can show yourself without judgement.

EFT is not a quick fix, but a process of real and lasting change. Many people find that they not only understand their issues better, but also feel more connected to themselves.