Emotion Focused Therapy

Question 1

Who developed Emotion Focused Therapy?

Answer 1

Canadian psychologists Sue Johnson and Les Greenberg

Question 2

What is the underlying philosophy of Emotion Focused Therapy?

Answer 2

Emotions are foundational to the construction of complex frameworks that orient us to our environment and motivate us to achieve goals; the reinforcement of negative behaviours, patterns, and interactions between individuals is the source of problems

Question 3

What is the goal of Emotion Focused Therapy?

Answer 3

To reduce the brain’s response to perceived threats using strategies that encourage awareness, acceptance, expression, utilization, regulation, and transformation of emotional experiences

Question 4

What are the 3 phases of Emotion Focused Therapy?

Answer 4

Phase 1: key issues, negative patterns, and unacknowledged fears are identified and reframed

Phase 2: the individual identifies wants, needs, and deep emotions, then learns how to express them without creating conflict

Phase 3: the therapist coaches the individual is using new communication styles to discuss problems and create solutions

Question 5

What are the 5 techniques and tasks used in Emotion Focused Therapy?

Answer 5

1. Empathy-based techniques (moving harmful emotions into self-determination)
2. Relational techniques (building therapeutic alliance)
3. Experiencing techniques (having space to express and feel emotions)
4. Reprocessing tasks (retelling of emotions/traumas, working through problems)
5. Action tasks (ex. chair work)

Question 6

What are the 5 components of Emotion Focused Therapy process?

Answer 6

1. Become aware of emotions
2. Express emotions
3. Regulate emotions
4. Make sense of emotions
5. Transform problematic emotions

Question 7

What are some expected outcomes of Emotion Focused Therapy? (5)

Answer 7

-Better awareness of emotions and ability to welcome/allow them
-Ability to describe emotions
-Using helpful emotions to guide behaviour
-Distinguishing between helpful and unhelpful emotion
-Identifying healthy ways of coping that correspond to one’s emotions

Question 8

What are some strengths of Emotion Focused Therapy? (4)

Answer 8

-Helpful for individuals and couples
-Can be applied alongside other therapies
-Supported by research
-Promotes emotional regulation, expression, and empathy

Question 9

What are some disadvantages to Emotion Focused Therapy? (4)

Answer 9

-Intensive training
-Requires calm state of mind and openness to change
-Resource-intensive
-Limited attention to cognitive processes