Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) was originally founded as a method for couples therapy. The approach is one of the most evidence based models for positive therapy outcomes.
EFT is also applied to individual counseling through the EFIT (Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy EFIT) model. The method helps individuals process emotions, understand their experiences, and create positive connections with themselves.
Learning about therapy methods before counseling can help to understand what to expect. And, there are many different types of relationship therapy to consider. So today, I’m going to talk about EFIT and how individual clients can take advantage of its benefits.
What Is EFIT Therapy?
EFIT is an approach to therapy developed by Dr. Sue Johnson. It offers clients an opportunity to process their emotions and develop insight about their inner experiences. While EFT gives couples a chance to discover their relationship dynamic, EFIT gives individuals the chance to discover their own internal patterns in dealing with difficult emotions.
Like emotionally focused couples therapy EFT, EFIT is based on a blend of therapy models:
- Attachment theory– helps us to understand patterns of bonding and threat mitigation developed in early childhood and reinforced through adult relationships
- Rogerian theory- a non-judgmental approach that assumes that people are well-meaning
- Systems theory- looks not only at symptoms but patterns of behavior within their context
Because emotions are the link between our experiences, thoughts, and interactions, they are paid close attention to in EFIT therapy. Emotions are not just symptoms to be managed. They contain valuable information. This information helps the individual understand their own values and process their experience.
If you live in Florida and are interested in EFIT services, inquire with our practice using the button below.
How Does Emotionally Focused Therapy Work For Individuals?
EFIT therapists administered therapy in three stages. Throughout those stages, the therapist focuses on helping the client process their experiences and shift patterns where helpful.
Attachment Theory Based
Attachment science helps us to understand the ways we learned to deal with difficult emotions or stress as children. For example, some people learn to hyper activate in the face of threat, moving toward the problem before they self-regulate (I.e., anxious attachment). Others learn to deactivate and prevent further damage (I.e., avoidant attachment).
EFIT helps clients to understand the origin of their patterns in dealing with emotions and in relationships. It also helps clients identify their thoughts about their own self worth as it relates to these early experiences.
Processing Core Emotions
Core emotions are the ones that exist deep within our psyches. Often, we protect ourselves from feeling these deep emotions, like fear or grief, by instead feeling less vulnerable emotions like anger and irritation.
An EFIT therapist helps clients to explore the deeper level emotions. While this experience is healing, it also helps to break ineffective cycles, as these unconscious, un-accessed deeper emotions tend to lead to patterns of distress.
Restructure Emotional Responses
As core emotions are accessed and tolerated, greater emotional regulation skills are built within the client. Instead of avoiding their emotions or becoming overwhelmed by them, they learn to engage with their Self in a more effective way.
While different emotional responses improve individual levels of stress and mental health, they also reduce conflict in relationship dynamics.
Create New Emotional Experiences
In EFT, therapists guide clients into new experiences by coaching them through speaking about their emotions. Similarly, in EFIT, therapists offer clients new experiences in processing and sharing their emotions by guiding them in sharing those emotions with:
- The therapist
- An imagined other
- A part of Self or a younger version of Self
These encounters, even though imagined, harness the power of emotions to help to rewire attachment wounds that lead to insecure attachment patterns.
Building Strong View Of Self
Through these experiences, clients learn to relate to their own emotions more deeply. Where they may have been holding onto shame and grief that keeps them from knowing or liking their Self, they can now access themselves more fully.
Who Is EFIT Therapy For?
EFT is versatile in its applicability. Because of its focus on patterns of dealing with emotion, EFIT can be helpful for clients dealing with:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Aftermath of traumatic events
- Relationship stress
- Challenging life transitions
What To Expect From An Emotion Focused Individual Therapy
EFIT leverages the power of emotions to heal patterns keeping clients stuck in discomfort. Therefore, therapists who have training in emotionally focused therapy encourage clients to move toward the deeper and vulnerable parts of themselves.
Building Trust And Rapport
The early stages of therapy sessions focus on creating a secure and nonjudgemental space (I.e. a safe haven) where the client feels safe to share and feel supported.
The therapeutic relationship is the foundation for healing in most therapeutic modalities. However, that is even more true in EFIT where focus is placed on the relationship between client and therapist.
Identifying Patterns
The sessions usually begin with reflecting on the current emotional state and identifying places the client became upset or triggered throughout the week.
Subsequently, the therapist will help the client reflect on their experience and assemble their typical patterns in dealing with these moments of discomfort.
Deepening Emotions
Once clients begin to build awareness about the ways they deal with threat or difficult emotions, the therapist guides them to break those patterns by moving toward those emotions. Then, clients’ emotional experiences are integrated as the focus of the therapy process.
While deepening emotions, you can expect the therapist to slow down the pace of the session. They will encourage you to feel more than think, and get in touch with the way you experience emotions in your body.
New Imagined Experiences
Next, the therapist will look for opportunities to process these emotions by sharing them with:
- The therapist
- An imagined other
- Part of Self or past version of Self
This exercise helps clients break patterns of avoidance. Plus, helps their nervous system learn a new, effective way to feel and process emotions.
Building this new pattern of dealing with emotions makes it safer for clients to continue to regulate emotionally outside of sessions and achieve greater emotional balance.
Integration
Finally, EFIT therapists help clients to make sense of their story, align with their values and their full self, and touch on the overall meaning of their lives. Clients obtain personality growth by modifying the way the view and treat themselves. The therapist may even offer suggestions of practicing these new skills out of the session.
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