Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) in Calgary

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therapy for couples and relationships in calgary

What is Emotionally Focused Therapy?

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a therapy that helps couples, families, and individuals build stronger emotional connections. It’s based on attachment theory, which means that people feel safest and most supported when they can rely on their loved ones for closeness and comfort. This approach is relevant because when relationships feel tense or distant, people often fall into negative cycles (like repeated arguments, shutting down, or pulling away). Instead of focusing only on surface-level issues, emotionally focused therapy helps people understand and share the deeper emotions and needs behind those patterns, making it easier to reconnect and feel secure together.

In practice, an EFT therapist helps identify the negative cycle that keeps partners or family members stuck. Rather than seeing each other as “the problem,” the cycle itself becomes the problem. From there, therapy supports people in expressing their emotions more openly and responding to one another in caring, supportive ways. Over time, this creates more trust, safety, and closeness in the relationship.

If you’ve been feeling stuck in the same arguments, disconnected from someone important, or struggling to rebuild trust, EFT can be a helpful step toward creating a stronger bond.

What Issues Can EFT Help With?

  • Relationship distress and ongoing conflict

  • Feeling emotionally disconnected from your partner or family

  • Rebuilding trust after infidelity or betrayal

  • Anxiety or depression connected to relationship struggles

  • Family conflict or distance

  • Childhood or past experiences that impact current relationships

  • Strengthening emotional bonds and attachment

Too Long, Didn’t Read:

EFT helps people break out of negative cycles in their relationships by focusing on emotions and attachment needs. It builds safety, trust, and closeness, helping couples and families feel more connected.

Frequently Asked Questions:

  • Every relationship is different, but EFT is usually considered a short-term therapy. Many couples and families notice improvement within 8–20 sessions.

  • No. While it’s often used in couples therapy, EFT can also help families and individuals who want to better understand their emotions and strengthen close relationships.

  • Instead of focusing only on communication skills or problem-solving, EFT looks at the emotional needs underneath conflict. This helps create lasting changes in how people connect.

  • Yes. Research shows EFT is effective even for couples and families in high distress. As long as both people are willing to try, therapy can help create new patterns of safety and closeness.

  • No, they are different types of therapy. Emotionally Focused Therapy is mainly used with couples to improve relationship patterns and build stronger emotional bonds. Emotion-Focused Therapy is usually used in individual therapy to help people better understand, express, and work through their emotions. The main difference is that one focuses on relationships, while the other focuses on personal emotional growth. Both are based on the idea that emotions are key to healing and change.

Our EFT Therapists in Calgary