What does Emotionally Focused Therapy offer?
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a powerful, research-based approach that helps people understand and reshape the patterns that keep them feeling stuck in disconnection or distress. For clients, EFT offers an empirically supported path to greater emotional clarity, healing from past wounds, and the ability to build stronger, more secure relationships—whether working individually, with a partner, or as a family. For therapists, EFT provides a clear, structured, and effective model for addressing emotional and relational concerns, equipping clinicians with tools to foster meaningful change and deepen their therapeutic impact.
For individuals – EFT provides a safe, supportive space to slow down and listen to what your emotions are really telling you. You’ll learn to understand your patterns, ease the grip of anxiety, depression, or past hurts, and begin to feel more connected and compassionate toward yourself and others. Recent research on EFIT (Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy) shows promising outcomes, with evidence that this approach can reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and trauma while improving emotional balance and wellbeing (Wiebe et al., 2022).
For couples – All couples have occasions when partners wound each other. The result is often a strain or even a rupture in the attachment bond. A key difference between those who thrive and those who merely survive – or don’t – is the ability to turn to each other, take risks to share vulnerabilities with their partner, and ask for specific needs to be met. Those who cannot reconnect in this way generally resort to coping strategies – such as angry escalation or stony withdrawal – that add conflict or distance to the relationship.
Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples, developed by Dr. Sue Johnson, is an integrated model utilizing humanistic, experiential, and systemic approaches rooted in adult attachment theory. The actual content of couples’ arguments is generally much less important than how their interactions erode attachment security. The therapist’s task is to first help couples de-escalate conflict patterns, then promote engagement by creating the powerful bonding events that lead to lasting change.
Since the mid-1980s, an ever-growing body of research—including randomized clinical trials and task analyses—has shown EFT to be highly effective with both general and specific populations. It is one of the few couple therapy models to meet APA criteria for empirically supported treatments. Therapists value EFT’s clear, structured process of change, while couples benefit from a therapy that not only explains their distress but also provides a proven path to relief (Johnson et al., 1999; Wiebe & Johnson, 2016).
For families – EFT offers families a way to move from tension and misunderstanding toward open, caring connection. By supporting each member in expressing their needs and emotions, the family can become a safe, strong base where everyone feels seen and supported.
Whether you’re seeking support for yourself or considering EFT training as a therapist, this approach opens the door to deeper healing and lasting connection. ChicagoEFT is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting this work in the Chicagoland area and beyond. Learn more about our mission and values below, and consider joining our community!
Selected Research References
Johnson, S. M., Hunsley, J., Greenberg, L., & Schindler, D. (1999). Emotionally focused couples therapy: Status and challenges. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 55(10), 1255–1268. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-4679(199910)55:10<1255::AID-JCLP6>3.0.CO;2-9
Wiebe, S. A., & Johnson, S. M. (2016). A review of the research in emotionally focused therapy for couples. Family Process, 55(3), 390–407. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12229
Wiebe, S. A., Elliott, C. A., Johnson, S. M., Lafontaine, M. F., Dalton, J. A., & Tasca, G. A. (2022). Emotionally focused individual therapy: Repairing attachment bonds. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 48(1), 36–54. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12563
Mission
ChicagoEFT supports therapists by striving to provide humble, culturally aware and sensitive training and supervision in EFT; building an inclusive, local community of skilled EFT practitioners; and helping connect clients to skilled EFT therapists. ChicagoEFT is affiliated with ICEEFT, the International Centre for Excellence in EFT. Trainings offered through ChicagoEFT are endorsed by ICEEFT.
Values
ChicagoEFT values community and connection. Guided by the pillars of attachment science, we offer a felt sense of safety, attunement, comfort, and dignity, along with the opportunity to grow personally and professionally. We provide excellent EFT trainings, welcome feedback, and encourage the application of the model of EFT to our community’s varied lived experiences.
Recognizing the past and present marginalization of many people on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, religion, age, socio-economic status and more, we welcome all. Believing that we all learn and grow from the richness of our varied experiences and perspectives, we value diversity, inclusivity, and equity on our Board, with our Trainers and Supervisors, and in our live demonstrations and case consultations. And when we make mistakes and fall short of these values, we commit to repairing the rupture and beginning anew.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Belonging
Our Guiding Principles
We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all individuals feel safe, valued, and supported in forming meaningful connections. Our work is grounded in justice, love, and community. At the heart of our approach is the belief that every person deserves the freedom to express their human need for attachment without fear of marginalization or persecution.
We uphold the dignity of all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, nationality, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, socioeconomic background, mental health, neurodiversity, physical ability, or any other identity or lived experience. These values are deeply rooted in the attachment science and humanistic principles that guide Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT).
EFT is collaborative, respectful, and trauma-aware. It creates a space where people are seen as individuals — not problems or labels. It honors our shared humanity, recognizing that emotional connection is not just therapeutic, but sacred.
Our Invitation to Belonging
If you are non-binary, two-spirited, female, or male…
If you are gay, lesbian, trans, pansexual, bisexual, queer, or heterosexual…
If you engage with the supernatural through formal religion, spirituality, or not at all…
If you are Indigenous, Black, Brown, Latino/a/e/x, Asian, White, or of any heritage…
If your body has moved through many years or just a few…
If your body carries strength, limitation, or both…
If you hold the status of immigrant, refugee, undocumented person, or citizen…
You are welcome here.
Whether you are new to EFT or a seasoned practitioner, we invite you to bring your full self — all of your humanity — without fear of judgment or exclusion. We want you to feel at home here, to know that your presence, your story, and your truth matter.
We recognize the richness and complexity of intersectional identities, and we are committed to continually growing, listening, and evolving in how we create safety and belonging for all.
Inspired by ICEEFT, Robin Williams Blake, Lorrie Brubacher, EFT Quebec and EFT Italia
ChicagoEFT Board Members
