What is Emotion Focused Family Therapy?

EFFT is an evidence-based treatment that was initially developed by Canadian Psychologists to assist in the treatment of eating disorders, a population wherein recovery rates have historically been low. After demonstrating promise within the eating disorder population, the model was expanded to assist loved ones in recovering from generalized mental health struggles, as well as to assist families in moving through painful life events, including loss and divorce. It is a progressive form of intergenerational healing that places focus on learning advanced caretaking skills and healing old wounds.

EFFT is typically delivered to caregivers, i.e. parents, grandparents, or any other adult in a caretaking role for someone struggling with mental health symptoms / emotional difficulties / difficult life events, and is typically short-term.

Caregivers are taught the advanced caregiving skills required to both emotionally support their loved one, as well as build momentum towards recovery - despite their loved one’s age, level of motivation, or involvement in treatment themselves.

Skills Learned:

• Emotion Coaching (for emotional regulation, healing, and building trust),

• Managing and interrupting symptoms, and replacing those symptoms with healthy behaviours and coping skills,

• Discovering and moving through caregiver blocks - i.e. beliefs, emotions, or unconscious material that has the potential for caregivers to have difficulty employing EFFT skills, and

• Relationship Repair - it’s never too late to heal old wounds!

Visit the official EFFT website by clicking here.