Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) in Alberta

What is Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)?

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is an evidence-based, attachment-based therapy developed in Canada by Dr. Sue Johnson and Dr. Les Greenberg. It is among the most researched approaches available for couples therapy and is also used in individual and family counselling. The therapy is grounded in attachment theory, which examines how people seek closeness and safety in significant relationships and what happens when that connection feels threatened or unstable.

When attachment security is disrupted, predictable cycles tend to emerge. One person pursues or criticises; the other withdraws or shuts down. These patterns feel reactive in the moment but are driven by underlying emotional needs that often go unspoken. EFT focuses on making those needs visible and creating conditions where they can be expressed and responded to differently.

How Emotionally Focused Therapy Works in Online Counselling

EFT is structured and collaborative. Rather than focusing primarily on communication techniques or conflict resolution strategies, the work addresses the emotional processes that sit beneath recurring patterns of disconnection.

Clients typically learn to identify the negative interaction cycle maintaining distance in the relationship, recognise the underlying emotions and attachment needs driving reactive behaviour, and express vulnerability in ways that invite responsiveness rather than defensiveness. Sessions move gradually from mapping and understanding patterns to creating new emotional experiences within the relationship itself.

The goal is not to assign responsibility for conflict but to help each person feel heard, emotionally accessible, and able to reach toward the other. EFT may be delivered in couples, individual, or family formats depending on the concerns presented, and may be integrated with other evidence-based approaches when clinically appropriate.

Who EFT Therapy Can Help

EFT may be appropriate for individuals, couples, or families where emotional disconnection, recurring conflict, or relational insecurity is affecting the quality of important relationships.

It is commonly used to address:

• Repeated conflict cycles or persistent emotional distance between partners

• Loss of trust or connection following betrayal

• Attachment insecurity affecting intimate or family relationships

• Emotional withdrawal or shutdown during conflict

• Relationship stress following trauma or significant life disruption

• Communication breakdown in family systems

A formal diagnosis is not required to begin EFT. Many people seek this approach when patterns of conflict or disconnection are affecting their relationship stability, without those patterns fitting a specific clinical category.

Benefits of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

The primary benefit of EFT is increased emotional security within close relationships, supported by a shift in how partners or family members respond to one another during moments of distress.

Clients who engage in EFT often experience:

• Reduced intensity and frequency of recurring arguments

• Greater emotional responsiveness between partners

• Improved capacity to express needs and vulnerabilities clearly

• Stronger trust following conflict or relational rupture

• A more stable sense of connection within the relationship

• Changes that extend beyond the presenting concern to the relationship more broadly

Because EFT targets the emotional bond rather than surface-level disagreements, the shifts that occur in therapy tend to be durable.

What to Expect from Online EFT Counselling in Alberta

EFT sessions at The Mental Health Clinic are delivered by secure video or telephone. Sessions are booked through a secure online system and conducted in accordance with Alberta regulatory and professional standards for confidentiality and clinical documentation.

All therapists are regulated professionals who adhere to the ethical and regulatory requirements of their governing bodies, including obligations around privacy, record keeping, and scope of practice. Client information is stored in encrypted practice management software that meets professional privacy requirements.

For couples attending online, each session requires both partners to be present in a private setting. Therapists structure sessions carefully to ensure both individuals have equitable space to engage with the process.

EFT vs Gottman Method: What Is the Difference?

Both Emotionally Focused Therapy and the Gottman Method are evidence-based approaches to couples therapy with substantial research support. Both address conflict, communication, and relational stability.

The distinction lies in their underlying framework. The Gottman Method focuses on building friendship, managing conflict constructively, and creating shared meaning within the relationship. It draws on behavioural and psychoeducational strategies, including specific communication skills and tools for de-escalation. EFT focuses on the attachment bond itself, working to restructure the emotional patterns that maintain disconnection rather than teaching discrete communication techniques.

To summarise:

• Gottman Method: strengthen the relational foundation through behavioural skills and shared meaning.

• EFT: restructure the emotional bond by addressing the attachment needs beneath recurring patterns.

The most appropriate approach depends on individual and relational goals, history, and clinical presentation. At The Mental Health Clinic, therapists may draw on elements of both where clinically appropriate.