Emotionally Focused Therapy in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Emotionally Focused Therapy is a well-known humanistic approach to psychotherapy formulated in the 1980’s and developed in tandem with the science of adult attachment. This science has expanded our understanding of individual dysfunction and health as well as the nature of love relationships and family bonds. Attachment views human beings as innately relational, social and wired for intimate bonding with others. Thus, the priority within the Emotionally Focused Therapy model is emotion and emotional regulation as the central organizing agent in a person’s experience and key relationship interactions.
Emotionally Focused Therapy is best known as a cutting edge, tested and proven couple intervention, but it is also used to repair family bonds and address individual depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress.
Emotionally Focused Therapy helps individuals to:
- Become more aware of their emotions
- Welcome, allow and regulate emotions
- Describe emotions clearly and in detail
- Evaluate whether the emotions are helpful or hurtful
- Identify the source of unhelpful emotions
- Develop alternative, healthy ways of coping with situations that often elicit hurtful emotions
Unlike other therapeutic approaches, Emotionally Focused Therapy assumes that emotion can be a source of healing and works with specific emotions to increase adaptation. If you are seeking help identifying, utilizing and processing your emotions, we encourage you to contact us today. Together, we’ll work on increasing awareness of emotions, separating useful from hurtful emotions and using healthy emotions to guide action.
Contact me today. We look forward to speaking with you about how we can help.
Emotionally Focused Therapy Frequently Asked Questions
What is emotionally focused therapy ?
Emotionally focused therapy is an intervention that can help individuals, couples and families. It was developed to address issues that
- are present in intimate relationships of adults,
- improve emotional bonding, and
- develop trust in relationships to help them progress positively.
How is Emotionally Focused Therapy different from other therapies?
Most psychotherapies are best regarded as forms of “emotion suppression therapy”. In contrast, “emotionally focused therapy” seeks to resolve unpleasant emotions by working with them. Emotion Focused Therapy regards many unpleasant emotions as sources of useful information. Emotionally Focused Therapy adds to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy a focus on “how” problems are produced (rather than just “why”). Emotionally Focused Therapy adds to interpersonal psychotherapy a focus on the self and the importance of past interpersonal relations.
What is the research behind emotionally focused therapy?
Emotionally focused therapy has been proven effective for individuals suffering from moderate depression, the effects of childhood deprivation or abuse, and a variety of general “problems of living”, including interpersonal problems (Greenberg & Watson, 1998; Paivio & Greenberg,1995; Greenberg, Elliott & Lietaer, 1995). EFT also has demonstrated effectiveness for distressed couples (Johnson & Greenberg, 1985; Goldman & Greenberg, 1992; Johnson, Hunsley, Schindler & Greenberg 1999).
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Calls, questions and appointments are welcomed. We’re in Corrales, 8 minutes North of Albuquerque toward Rio Rancho