Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) emerges as an empirically based, transdiagnostic approach, particularly effective for individuals grappling with issues like childhood abuse, trauma, depression, personality disorders, and eating disorders (Ellison et al., 2009). According to Greenberg (2010), these conditions stem from common underlying processes. Contrary to traditional categorizations, EFT delves deeper into emotions, distinguishing between subtle nuances; for example, separating grief from sadness or gratitude from happiness.
In a recent article by Enez, Ö. (2021), emotions are portrayed as an adaptive system guiding individuals' responses to their environment, devoid of labels such as "good" or "bad." However, many find it challenging to attune to emotions, having been conditioned to prioritize thoughts. In numerous cultures, emotions, particularly anger, carry a stigma (Rachael, 2021).
In Malaysia, EFT represents a novel therapeutic approach, emphasizing the importance of conscious awareness and acceptance of previously suppressed emotions. The therapy process involves acknowledging, symbolizing, accepting, taking responsibility for, and ultimately regulating and differentiating emotions. By cultivating these skills, clients gain insight and tools to navigate similar triggers in the future.
With EFT, empathy serves as a cornerstone, fostering a strong therapeutic alliance essential for navigating the journey of awareness, exploration, and emotional transformation. Identifying primary needs is pivotal, as it facilitates resolution in reenactment tasks and supports the development of positive attitudes, self-soothing skills, and emotional regulation.
EFT diverges from approaches like CBT, ACT, DBT, and existentialism by focusing on marker-based tasks. For instance, identifying a problematic reaction signals the onset of a marker, prompting systematic evocative unfolding to uncover the implicit meaning of a situation and understand the client's responses. Common markers include self-interruption and self-critical splits, prevalent among clients with depression, anxiety, and grief. Techniques like the two-chair dialogue help resolve conflicts between different aspects of the self, while the empty-chair technique aids in processing unresolved emotions like mourning and anger.
In conclusion, this article provides an insightful overview of EFT, highlighting the profound impact of emotions on daily life and well-being. Through EFT-based sessions, individuals gain tools to identify and address core emotional pain, fostering growth and healing (Goldman et al., 2006). While there's no one-size-fits-all approach, exploring EFT with a therapist can be a valuable step towards emotional well-being.
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