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One of our approaches
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
EFT stands for Emotionally Focused Therapy. It’s built on attachment theory, the idea that we’re wired to need close, secure bonds with people, and it focuses on the emotions underneath your reactions.
Most reactions make sense once you know what’s underneath them. That’s where we look.
How it works
The idea behind it
For individuals, EFT holds that many difficult reactions, like anger, shutting down, or anxiety, are often protecting a more vulnerable feeling underneath. A fear of not being enough. A fear of being alone. The surface reaction gets all the attention, but it’s rarely the whole story. Understanding and expressing what’s actually underneath tends to create more lasting change.
For couples, EFT looks at the specific negative cycle that takes over when things go wrong. One partner might pursue and criticize, while the other withdraws and shuts down, which triggers more pursuing, and so on. EFT helps both partners see the vulnerable feelings driving that cycle, like fear of losing connection or feeling alone even in the relationship, so they can respond to each other differently.
In session
What a session looks like
For individuals, sessions focus on slowing down in the moment a difficult reaction shows up, noticing it as it happens, and gently exploring what’s underneath it.
For couples, your clinician first helps map out your specific cycle, so you can both name it when it starts. From there, sessions guide conversations that help each partner say the softer feelings underneath their usual response, often for the first time, while the other partner is coached to really hear it.
Frequently asked questions
Is this covered by insurance?
The approach doesn’t change the coverage. Most extended health plans cover sessions with a Registered Counselling Therapist or Registered Social Worker. Call the number on your benefits card and ask. We bill most major insurers directly, so you only pay what your plan doesn’t cover; otherwise you get a receipt after every session.
How many sessions will it take?
It depends on you and what you’re working on. By session two you’ll have a written plan, and every few sessions we check in with the same short questions so you can see what’s changing. You can stop at any time.
Does it work online?
Yes. We offer every approach in person in Dartmouth and by secure video anywhere in Nova Scotia. If one of them works better in person, we’ll tell you.
Does it cost more?
No. Whichever approach we use, it’s included in your standard session fee. See fees and insurance.
Ready when you are.
You don’t need to choose an approach before you book. That’s our job, together with you, in the first two sessions.