Emotion Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT)

Getting to the Heart of It

Emotion Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) helps partners get past the arguments and into what’s really happening underneath them. The goal isn’t to fix surface problems like who forgot what, but to understand the emotional patterns that keep you feeling disconnected.

This approach is rooted in attachment theory, meaning it looks at how people reach for each other or pull away when they feel hurt or uncertain. Once both partners start seeing the emotions behind those reactions, things begin to make a lot more sense and connection becomes possible again.

Why Couples Try EFCT

Most couples start EFCT because something feels off. Maybe it’s constant arguments that never go anywhere, or maybe it’s silence that feels heavier than any fight. EFCT helps with things like:

Communication breakdowns
Emotional distance
Rebuilding trust after betrayal
Feeling more like roommates than partners
Repeated conflicts that never resolve
Loss of closeness or intimacy

It’s for any couple who wants to stop fighting the same battles and start actually understanding each other.

Inside a Session

EFCT sessions feel different from traditional couples counselling. You’re not just learning communication tricks or compromise strategies. You’re digging into the emotions that fuel your reactions so you can respond differently next time.

Your therapist will help you slow things down, map out the cycle that keeps showing up, and guide you through conversations that feel real instead of rehearsed. Over time, those raw moments start to shift from defensiveness to connection.

Sessions are 60 minutes long, and the work moves at your pace.

What Working Together Looks Like

At Healing Journey, EFCT is about helping both partners feel safe enough to be honest and emotionally open again. There’s no pressure to say the perfect thing or get it right every time. The focus is on slowing down, noticing what happens between you, and learning how to respond to each other in ways that build closeness instead of tension. Your therapist will guide you through that process and make sure both voices are heard.

The goal isn’t to erase conflict but to move through it differently. Over time, you start to see the patterns that cause distance and find ways to reconnect, even in tough moments. Many couples say it feels like being on the same team again. If that sounds like what you need, reach out and we’ll take it from there.