The Heart of How We Help Couples

At Integrative Couples Therapy, the foundation of our work is Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT). EFCT was developed in the 1980s by Dr. Sue Johnson and is now one of the most widely researched and effective approaches to couples therapy in the world. The model is grounded in attachment theory, which shows us that close, secure, and loving relationships are a basic human need. We all long to feel accepted and connected with others.

When couples come to therapy, it is often because they feel stuck in painful patterns of disconnection. Arguments may seem to be about money, parenting, division of household duties, or sex, but underneath the surface is a deeper longing to feel loved and secure. EFCT helps couples slow down reactive interactions so that the real emotions and needs can come forward. In this process, partners begin to experience each other differently: not as adversaries, but as people who love and support each other, to live full and vibrant lives, while connecting emotionally and physically.

The Three Stages and Nine Steps of EFCT

EFCT provides a clear roadmap for change, organized into three stages and nine steps. EFCT is an experiential model that focuses on what shows up in therapy in the present moment. Therefore, each couple’s journey is unique, but understanding these stages can help you know what to expect.

Stage One: De-escalation of the negative cycle
The first stage focuses on understanding the couples’ relationship history, where they get stuck, and what their goals are for therapy. This involves identifying the patterns that fuels conflict and distance. Couples begin to see how fear of losing connection drives criticism, anger, or withdrawal. This shift reduces blame and helps partners see the cycle itself as the problem, not each other. They begin to slow down reactivity and work together to create new patterns that cultivate better communication, intimacy and closeness.

Stage Two: Restructuring interactions
In the second stage, partners learn to share more vulnerable emotions and longings clearly and directly. For example, instead of showing only anger or shutting down when feeling dismissed or ignored, a partner might be able to express sadness and directly ask for what they want in a way their partner can hear and respond to. These emotional risk-taking moments become turning points that create new patterns of connection, safety, and trust.

Stage Three: Consolidation and integration
In the final stage, couples strengthen and expand these new ways of relating. They practice healthier communication, problem-solving, and repair, so that the relationship becomes a secure base to handle life’s challenges together. It is during this stage that your therapist can help you dive into finding new solutions to old problems and create a partnership that supports hopes, dreams, and actualization. Some couples end therapy after completing this stage. Other couples find that they prefer to attend therapy on an occasional basis for relationship and marriage support, when needed.

What the Research Shows

EFCT has been studied for more than thirty years and has some of the best outcomes of any couples therapy approach. Research shows that about 70 to 75 percent of couples move from distress to recovery, and about 90 percent experience significant improvement. Even more importantly, these gains are lasting. Couples continue to experience stronger bonds and better communication long after therapy ends.

EFCT has been successfully applied to many different kinds of couples, including those facing depression, trauma, chronic illness, and high conflict. The research is clear: when couples strengthen their emotional bond, they not only feel closer, they also become more resilient in facing whatever life brings. If you’d like to learn more about the science behind EFCT, you can visit the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT) research page here.

Our Commitment to You

Every therapist at Integrative Couples Therapy is trained in EFCT and continues to engage in advanced consultation and ongoing education. This means that you will be working with a therapist who is both skilled in this model and continually dedicated to refining their expertise.

Our goal is simple yet profound: to help you and your partner create a relationship that feels secure, loving, and connected. It is our purpose to help you create relationships that flourish.