Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT)
EFT therapy is a beautiful therapy that focuses on the power of our emotions
Emotions are at the heart of our experiences, relationships, and sense of self. Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) is a transformative, evidence-based approach that helps you understand, process, and change emotional experiences to improve wellbeing and relationships. At Hobart Therapy, we provide professional EFT therapy for individuals and couples, helping you develop emotional awareness and create healthier ways of relating to yourself and others.
With specialized training in Emotion Focused Therapy and over 20 years of experience, we can guide clients through this powerful approach that recognizes emotions as valuable sources of information about our needs. Based in Sandy Bay we work with individuals and couples through face-to-face sessions, online therapy, or phone consultations, helping you transform emotional patterns and build more satisfying relationships.
What is Emotion Focused Therapy?
Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) is an evidence-based approach grounded in attachment science and humanistic psychology. Developed by Dr. Leslie Greenberg and Dr. Sue Johnson, EFT views emotions as adaptive and informative rather than problems to be managed or eliminated. Emotions tell us about our needs, guide our decisions, and shape how we connect with others.
EFT helps you access, explore, and transform emotional experiences that may be causing distress or relationship difficulties. Rather than just talking about feelings, EFT helps you experience and work with emotions in session, leading to deeper and more lasting change than cognitive approaches alone.
Evidence-Based Effectiveness
EFT is recognized as an empirically supported treatment for depression, trauma, and relationship distress. Research shows 70-75% of couples move from distress to recovery with EFT, with results maintained long-term. For individuals, EFT effectively treats depression, anxiety, and complex trauma.
Core Principles of Emotion Focused Therapy
EFT is built on several foundational principles that guide the therapeutic process:
Emotions as Information
Emotions provide valuable information about what matters to us, what we need, and how we're experiencing situations. Learning to understand emotional signals is key to wellbeing.
Emotional Awareness
Many people struggle to identify or articulate emotions. EFT develops emotional awareness, helping you recognize and name what you're feeling.
Primary vs Secondary Emotions
We often experience secondary emotions (like anger) that cover deeper primary emotions (like hurt or fear). EFT helps access these underlying feelings.
Adaptive vs Maladaptive Emotions
Some emotional responses are healthy and helpful, while others are rooted in past experiences and no longer serve us. EFT helps transform maladaptive emotions.
Attachment and Connection
Our need for secure attachment is fundamental. EFT recognizes that many emotional struggles stem from attachment wounds or insecure relationship patterns.
Emotion Transformation
Rather than controlling or suppressing emotions, EFT helps transform unhelpful emotions by accessing and experiencing healthier emotional responses.
How EFT Therapy Works
The EFT Process
Emotional Awareness
Learning to notice, identify, and articulate emotions as they arise. Many people have learned to suppress or ignore emotions, and EFT rebuilds this awareness.
Emotional Expression
Creating safety to fully experience and express emotions in therapy. This includes emotions you may have avoided or found overwhelming.
Emotional Regulation
Developing capacity to tolerate difficult emotions without becoming overwhelmed or shutting down. Building skills to manage emotional intensity.
Emotional Reflection
Understanding what emotions are telling you about your needs, values, and experiences. Making sense of emotional responses and patterns.
Emotional Transformation
Accessing new, healthier emotional experiences that transform old patterns. For example, accessing self-compassion to transform shame, or anger to transform helplessness.
New Ways of Being
Integrating emotional insights into daily life, creating lasting changes in how you relate to yourself and others.
Issues Addressed with EFT
Emotion Focused Therapy effectively addresses numerous mental health and relationship concerns:
- Depression and low mood: Accessing emotions that energize and motivate rather than maintaining depressive withdrawal
- Anxiety and worry: Understanding emotional triggers and developing security through emotional processing
- Trauma and PTSD: Processing traumatic emotions and memories while building emotional safety
- Relationship difficulties: Improving emotional communication and connection with partners
- Emotional regulation problems: Building capacity to experience and manage intense emotions
- Low self-esteem and shame: Transforming self-criticism into self-compassion through emotional work
- Grief and loss: Processing complex emotions around loss and finding meaning
- Childhood emotional wounds: Healing from early experiences that shaped current emotional patterns
- Anger management: Understanding what anger communicates and expressing needs more effectively
Frequently Asked Questions About EFT
What's the difference between EFT and CBT?
CBT focuses on changing thoughts and behaviors, while EFT works directly with emotional experiences. Both are effective, and sometimes combining approaches provides the best results. EFT tends to create deeper, more lasting changes in how you feel about yourself and relate to others.
Will I have to cry or express strong emotions?
Not necessarily. While EFT involves emotional experiencing, you're always in control of how much you express. Some people naturally cry when processing emotions, others don't. What matters is accessing and working with emotions at a pace that feels safe for you.
How long does EFT therapy take?
This varies by individual and issue complexity. Some people experience significant shifts within 12-20 sessions, while deeper work may take longer. For couples, research suggests 15-20 sessions typically lead to substantial improvement. We'll regularly review progress together.
Is EFT suitable for trauma?
Yes. EFT is effective for trauma when combined with appropriate safety-building and stabilization. For some trauma, combining EFT with EMDR provides comprehensive treatment addressing both emotional and memory processing aspects.
What if I'm not good at expressing emotions?
Many people come to EFT precisely because they struggle with emotions. EFT gradually builds emotional awareness and expression skills in a safe, supportive environment. You don't need to be emotionally expressive to start—that's what we'll develop together.
Can EFT help with anger problems?
Absolutely. EFT helps you understand what drives anger (often underlying hurt, fear, or unmet needs) and express these primary emotions more effectively. This leads to better emotional regulation and more satisfying relationships without explosive anger.
Transform Your Emotional Experience
If you're ready to develop deeper emotional awareness, heal relationship wounds, or create lasting change in how you experience yourself and others, Emotion Focused Therapy can help. Contact Hobart Therapy today to begin your journey toward emotional wellbeing and healthier relationships.
Get In TouchHobart Therapy provides professional Emotion Focused Therapy throughout Tasmania.
Contact Hobart Therapy at 0449 734 441 or visit our contact page to book your EFT session.