People typically focus on the individual side of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Or, they see it as a resource to help couples who are struggling.
However, Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) is an effective way to improve familial relationships using the techniques found in traditional EFT.
It’s safe to say that almost every family has its up and downs in terms of relationships. Conflicts are normal because family members are all different. However, there’s a difference between healthy conflicts and dysfunction. EFFT can help your family heal from past hurts and build trust within the familial unit.
Let’s dive a little deeper into what you can expect from Emotionally Focused Family Therapy so you can determine whether it’s the right solution for your family.
What Does EFFT Do?
Emotionally Focused Family Therapy is designed to help each individual family member, as well as the collective family unit.
Each member of the family should end up feeling like they’re in a safe, comfortable environment, so they can open up and share their thoughts, feelings, and concerns.
The ultimate goal of EFFT is to boost communication while fostering trust and respect between each family member.
When every member of the family knows they are in a safe environment, they’re more likely to feel heard, seen, and understood. That’s often the first step toward healing, and can open up the conversation to reveal underlying issues that may have been causing problems for years.
How Does it Work?
Some families just don’t have the skills necessary to communicate effectively with each other. EFFT can help by creating feelings of safety and respect. Introducing a third party who knows how to foster those skills within your family will make a big difference in each session.
You can expect open communication throughout your sessions, as well as individual concerns from your family. Some things you may have been aware of. Other issues might be new to you but have been lingering with other family members for a long time.
Your therapist will help all of you identify negative communication and thought patterns that could be damaging your family relationships. Once you have a better understanding of those patterns, you can work on breaking them and developing healthier ways of communicating. Your therapist can help to teach you those skills, as well. It’s okay for everyone in the family to have different communication styles, as long as you’re all willing to adapt and make sure those styles are respected.
As your therapist guides you to break negative patterns and form new, healthier ways of communicating, you’ll see relationships throughout your family improving or rebuilding. You’ll process issues together. You’ll go through past hurts. Most importantly, you’ll work things out that may have been negatively impacting you for years.
Is it an easy or “quick” process? No. However, it’s often a necessary process when it comes to getting to the root of the issue and truly finding a way to move forward.
Is EFFT Right for Your Family?
Families attend Emotionally Focused Family Therapy for a variety of reasons. The easiest way to determine if it’s right for your family is to look at the relationships and connections you have.
Are certain family members hostile toward one another? Do you have trouble effectively communicating? Do some people avoid family gatherings because of underlying issues?
If you can get your whole family involved in EFFT, it’s a great way to break the vicious cycle of negative communication habits and patterns. Feel free to contact me for more information on EFFT or to set up an appointment with your family soon. You might be surprised by how close your bond can be when everyone is willing to make positive communication changes.