Emotion-focused therapy

Emotionally focused therapy and emotion-focused therapy (EFT) are related humanistic approaches to psychotherapy that aim to resolve emotional and relationship issues with individuals, couples, and families. These therapies combine experiential therapy techniques, including person-centered and Gestalt therapies, with systemic therapy and attachment theory. The central premise is that emotions influence cognition, motivate behavior, and are strongly linked to needs. The goals of treatment include transforming maladaptive behaviors, such as emotional avoidance, and developing awareness, acceptance, expression, and regulation of emotion and understanding of relationships. EFT is usually a short-term treatment (eight to 20 sessions). Emotion-focused therapy for individuals was originally known as process-experiential therapy, and continues to be referred to by this name in some contexts. EFT should not be confused with emotion-focused coping, a separate concept involving coping strategies for managing emotions. EFT has been used to improve clients' emotion-focused coping abilities.