EFT Case Study

Case Formulation Process The main goal of EFT is for couples to create a secure bond between partners by choreographing new emotional experiences. The three stages of EFT guide the therapist to ensure the couple identifies and processes negative interaction patterns and the underlying emotions caused by these patterns. A secure therapeutic alliance is crucial between the EFT therapist and couple in order to safely complete all stages of therapy. Trust is an important factor that the couple needs in order to take risks and share primary emotions and attachment needs (Dalgleish et al., 2015). Cycle de-escalation, changing interaction patterns, and consolidation and integration are the three stages of EFT used to direct the couple towards a more

Step three involves identifying and accessing the underlying emotions that have not been acknowledged by the couple in response to their interaction positions (Furrow & Johnson, 2011). The goal of the therapist is to assist the couple to tune into the music of their dance by listening to their primary emotions (Johnson et al., 2005). Couples often experience secondary emotions, such as anger, anxiety, or frustration that mask underlying primary emotions related to the blame/pursuit and withdraw/distance interaction patterns (McRae et al., 2014). Primary emotional experiences such as sadness, loneliness, fear, or rejection (Greenman & Johnson, 2012), are usually identified during this step, as these emotions manifest from the desire for human

Step seven asks the therapist to facilitate the expression of needs and wants and create emotional engagement and bonding events that redefine the attachment between partners. This step is when the change process of blamer-softening usually occurs (Johnson, 2004). The previously withdrawn partner has shared attachment needs in steps five and six and the more blaming partner is able to reach for the previously withdrawn partner. Statements for the withdrawn partner shift from “I feel numb and run away” to “I want to feel special to you” (Johnson et al., 2005). Hearing the withdrawn partner engaging from a vulnerable place elicits the blamer softening event to occur. Depending on the level of distress between the couple, multiple softening events may need to occur to start the bonding process (Johnson et al., 2005). As the couple has established a more secure bond, the therapist is now ready to move onto the final stage of EFT, consolidation (Furrow & Johnson,