Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy

Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) is a research-based approach designed to help partners strengthen their emotional bond, improve communication, and create more secure, satisfying relationships. Developed by Dr. Sue Johnson, EFCT is grounded in attachment theory, which recognizes that humans have an innate need for connection, safety, and responsiveness in close relationships, and that we try to meet these needs using strategies rooted in life experience that can evolve and change.

Rather than focusing only on surface-level conflicts or problem-solving and communication strategies, EFCT helps couples understand the deeper emotional patterns driving their interactions. Many couples find themselves stuck in negative cycles, which are often conceptualized as “pursue/withdraw,” “criticize/defend,” or “shut-down/escalate,” that create distance and misunderstanding. EFCT helps couples identify, understand, and deconstruct these cycles, and develop new patterns of interaction that foster connection rather than conflict.

In EFCT sessions, I work to create a supportive, nonjudgmental environment where both partners can explore their emotional experiences safely. Couples learn to express vulnerable feelings, such as fear, sadness, or isolation, more clearly and to hear each other with greater empathy. Over time, partners develop new ways of reaching for one another and responding with care, which helps rebuild trust and emotional closeness.

EFCT is effective for couples facing a wide range of concerns, including communication difficulties, recurring arguments, emotional distance, life transitions, and recovery from relational injuries. The approach is structured, collaborative, and goal-oriented, typically progressing through stages that help couples de-escalate conflict, deepen emotional engagement, and strengthen lasting connection.

Research shows EFCT to be highly effective, with many couples experiencing lasting improvements in relationship satisfaction and emotional security. By focusing on emotions and attachment needs, EFCT helps couples build a resilient, supportive partnership that can adapt and grow over time, and also helps clients gain a better understanding of and more strategic approach to their relationships outside the relationship with other family, friends, coworkers, etc.