Services

Marriage, Couple & Relationship Therapy

Specializing in Emotionally Focused Therapy, the Gold Standard form of couple treatment, you can get the help you need for your relationship to be safe, secure and satisfying.
Couple Counseling

Featuring:

Emotionally Focused Therapy

The EFT Counseling and Education Center is comprised of a group of independently licensed, deeply passionate therapists who use Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to help couples develop happy, satisfying and thriving relationships.

The primary goal of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is to promote secure attachment and emotional connection between committed partners, young and old. EFT therapists work in session to validate each partners’ emotions and attachment needs. The therapist is careful to respond genuinely to the partners individually, and ultimately awaken their ability to heal themselves and their relationship. Using this model, the therapist recognizes that strong emotional bonds are essential for personal and couple well-being. EFT operates on the important premise that distress and conflict within the relationship often stem from unmet emotional needs and ineffective communication patterns.

What Services We ProVIDE
Gold Standard Treatment
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is an empirically supported, highly effective treatment for depression, interpersonal problems, trauma, avoidant personality disorder, and restructuring distressed couple relationships into safe and secure bonds with long-lasting results. EFT uncovers and treats deep core issues rather than focusing on surface behaviors.

Our highly qualified clinical team are trained in systemic or relational treatment. EFT requires rigorous training and supervision with Certified EFT Supervisors which preserves the integrity and application of the model.
More about EFT
EFT is an approach to couples therapy that draws upon the principles and techniques of developed by Dr. Sue Johnson. EFT focuses on creating secure emotional bonds within the couple system and helping each partner understand and express their emotions effectively.

The model of EFT follows a path of safe exploration and discovery. The therapist will explore the attachment history of the couple, individually and in the first stages of their relationship. They will identify negative patterns, learn about their raw spots, and access unacknowledged emotions underlying the interactional pattern.

The skilled EFT therapist will assist the couple in creating safety in their relationship so they can reach for each other when in crisis rather than withdraw or avoid. Also unique to this process is helping the couple identify the positive aspects of their present relationship so they can build on a foundation of the present and the future. As treatment progresses, the therapist will encourage the couple to increase time spent in enjoyable contact with each other and discuss the level of closeness/distance desired in their relationship and how this may relate to fears of intimacy.

The EFT therapist will facilitate the expression of needs and wants to promote emotional engagement and facilitate the emergence of new solutions to old relationship patterns. Couples begin to intentionally build time within the relationship for companionship and intimacy. With increased awareness of their own role in the relationship conflicts, each partner begins to step outside of their own experience to convey compassion and empathy toward their partner. As the couple moves toward healthier interactional patterns and confidence in the relationship, they develop the necessary skills for effective, open communication, mutually satisfying sexual intimacy, and enjoyable time for companionship within the relationship.
Evidence-Based Treatment
EFT has a substantial body of research supporting its efficacy in improving relationship satisfaction and promoting lasting change. It is essential to consider the evidence base and effectiveness of EFT when choosing it as a therapeutic approach.

Studies focused on EFT have revealed remarkable results for couples completing a course of treatment. Many couples achieve the ability to re-establish trust and safety in their relationship. The process promotes identification with disowned needs and aspects of self and can actually improve self-confidence and feelings of worth. In the course of treatment, the therapist assists in each partner finding acceptance of their partner's experience and they begin structuring and formulating new interaction patterns.
Uniquely Prepared - Specifically Trained
Our therapists are uniquely prepared to help couples strengthen their relationships. In addition to the rigorous academic practice accomplished and clinical training completed, each of our therapists is trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy, an approach to couples therapy that explores bonding and attachment between two partners in a relationship. On top of state licensure requirements, therapists at the EFT Counseling and Education Center have either completed or are in the process of completing advanced trainings and scrupulous supervision hours in order to achieve international recognition as Certified Emotionally Focused Therapists.

Factors To Consider
Impact on Each Partner
Dysfunctional couple systems refer to dynamics that are characterized by unhealthy patterns of interaction, communication, and behavior. These patterns often hinder the couple’s ability to function effectively and can have a negative impact on each partner’s well-being. Some common characteristics of dysfunctional couple systems include: lack of communication, poor boundaries, role confusion, enmeshment or disengagement, substance abuse or addiction, emotional and/or physical abuse, and lack of support and nurturing.
Impact on Children
Children growing up in dysfunctional homes may face a range of negative consequences that can affect their development and future success. They may have difficulty forming healthy relationships, experience academic and educational challenges, and have an increased risk of engaging in delinquency or criminal behavior. These outcomes not only impact the individual but also have broader societal implications.

Couple dysfunction within a family can have a significant impact on children's well-being and development. Witnessing ongoing conflict, hostility, or a lack of emotional connection between parents can cause emotional distress in children. They may experience anxiety, fear, sadness, or confusion, not knowing how to navigate their parents' discord.

Children thrive when they have secure attachment relationships with their parents. Couple dysfunction can disrupt the parent-child bond and create an environment of instability and insecurity, affecting the child's ability to form healthy attachments later in life.

Children exposed to couple dysfunction may display a range of behavioral issues. They may become more aggressive, have difficulty regulating their emotions, exhibit defiance or oppositional behaviors, or internalize their distress and become withdrawn or depressed.

The quality of the parental relationship serves as a model for children's own future relationships. Witnessing dysfunctional interactions can impact a child's social skills, including their ability to communicate effectively, resolve conflicts, and develop empathy.

Couple dysfunction can also affect children's academic performance. The emotional stress and disruptions at home may interfere with their ability to concentrate, focus on schoolwork, and engage effectively in the learning process.

Children who grow up in an environment characterized by couple dysfunction may struggle with their self-esteem and self-worth. They may internalize blame for their parents' conflicts, feel responsible for fixing the relationship, or develop negative beliefs about themselves and their abilities to form healthy relationships.

Children exposed to couple dysfunction may be more likely to repeat similar relationship patterns in their own adult relationships. They may have difficulty establishing and maintaining healthy partnerships or find themselves drawn to dysfunctional dynamics.
Sensitive Treatment
Addressing couple distress through interventions such as therapy, education, and support services can help mitigate the negative impact on individuals and society as a whole. Providing accurate information, education, and counseling about healthy couple dynamics can be beneficial for not only the couple, but all individuals within the family system.
Specific Training
Our therapists have specialized training to develop the knowledge and skills necessary for effective intervention when working with couples seeking to repair their relationship. The therapist assists the couple to develop greater strength and collaboration. Our therapists are specifically trained in working with couples caught in negative patterns. Your therapist will conduct a thorough evaluation which may include interviews focused on attachment history, questionnaires, and other research-based instruments to assist in creating the best treatment plan to guide you toward greater stability and marital satisfaction.
Getting Started
As with any therapy, treatment approaches can vary depending on the couple’s history, the nature of the symptoms, and the underlying causes. It is important not to delay consulting with one of our therapists specializing in couples therapy who will tailor your treatment plan to assist you in restructuring your couple relationship leading to stability, well-being, and healthier living.

Frequently Asked Questions

Couples therapy can be beneficial for any couple experiencing difficulties or seeking to improve their relationship. If you are facing ongoing conflicts, communication breakdowns, trust issues, or a general sense of dissatisfaction in your relationship, couples therapy can help address these concerns and enhance your connection.

The duration of couples therapy varies depending on the specific needs and goals of the couple and the between session effort couples can reasonably invest. Some couples may require only a few sessions to address a specific issue, while others may engage in therapy for several months or longer. The therapist will assess your situation and work collaboratively with you to determine the optimal duration.

A skilled couples therapist is trained systemically to work in a balanced and unbiased manner. The couples therapist is trained to remain neutral and impartial. Their role is to create a safe environment for both partners, to facilitate healthy communication, promote understanding, and help both partners work through their issues together. The therapist will not take sides or assign blame but rather create an environment where each partner feels heard and validated.

Couples therapy can be beneficial for relationships experiencing difficulties, but it cannot guarantee the outcome of the relationship. The evidence based model of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) uniquely provides tools, insights, and support, but it is up to the couple to actively engage in the process and implement changes in their relationship.

It is not uncommon for one partner to be initially hesitant about couples therapy. It can be helpful to have an open and honest conversation with your partner about the benefits of therapy and why you believe it could be helpful for your relationship. In some cases, individual therapy for one or both partners can serve as a steppingstone towards couples therapy.

Yes, like any other form of therapy, couples therapy is typically confidential. The therapist is bound by professional ethics and legal obligations to keep the content of the sessions private. However, it is important to clarify the therapist’s specific confidentiality policies at the beginning of therapy. Most couples therapists have a very important “no secrets” policy in which they assist in uncovering sensitive information, and then explore with the partner how to disclose difficult information to unlock and unblock the impasses that couples face when secrets have been a part of the negative patterns.

Absolutely. It is a myth that once an affair or some other type of betrayal has occurred, it is a “death sentence” to the marriage. New research has revealed powerful steps in assisting the couple in the healing process. Couples who enter therapy to heal attachment injuries and betrayal, often develop an even stronger and more unified relationship than they ever had before. Couples therapy can help couples navigate the challenging aftermath of infidelity. The therapist can facilitate open discussions about trust, betrayal, and forgiveness, and guide the couple through the process of rebuilding trust and working towards healing.

Our couples therapists are trained by internationally renowned supervisors and experts in the field of couples therapy. We are pleased to be able to offer a high standard of treatment and services for the community and those seeking help for their relationship distress.

The EFT Counseling and Education Center is unique in that we have a focus not only on
mental health issues, but a strong emphasis on excellent training for therapists seeking
to refine their skills in treating couples.

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