From Conflict to Connection: How EFCT Helps Couples Heal

"At some point, most couples find themselves up against an issue they are struggling to navigate and engaging in more arguments (or suppressing emotions and avoiding conflict), which starts to take a toll on the relationship. When this happens, emotionally focused couples therapy (EFCT), a scientifically backed approach developed by Dr. Sue Johnson in the 1980s, offers hope for couples, helping them overcome trust issues, improve communication, and rebuild their emotional connection."

"The core issue underlying most couples' disagreements and the reasons they feel stuck are deeper emotions and unmet attachment needs that they rarely express to each other in their arguments. These emotions can be feelings of loneliness, hurt, sadness, fear of abandonment, a sense of inadequacy, shame, or guilt. They might struggle to express these emotions and attachment needs of feeling seen, loved, and cared for due to fear of rejection, fear of vulnerability,"

Emotionally focused couples therapy (EFCT) is a scientifically backed approach grounded in the belief that secure emotional bonds are essential for a resilient relationship. EFCT views most conflicts as predictable negative cycles in which each partner plays a role in co-creating reactive patterns. Many recurring arguments are driven by unspoken deeper emotions and unmet attachment needs such as loneliness, hurt, fear of abandonment, shame, or inadequacy. Partners often struggle to express needs for feeling seen, loved, and cared for because of fear of rejection, vulnerability, or past attachment injuries. EFCT helps couples identify these dynamics, access deeper emotions, and build emotional safety to reconnect.

Read at Psychology Today