Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) in Surrey
What Is Emotion-Focused Therapy?
Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) is an evidence-based, experiential therapy that centers emotions as the foundation for healing. Developed by Dr. Les Greenberg and grounded in extensive research, EFT helps people move through emotional pain, not by avoiding it, but by learning to process it with presence and support.
Unlike therapies that rely solely on logic or cognition, EFT trusts that your emotions carry intelligence. They’re not problems to be solved. They’re signals. And when listened to gently, they can guide you back into connection with yourself and others.
At Tidal Trauma Centre, our EFT therapists offer a grounded, trauma-informed space for you to work with emotions that may feel overwhelming, blocked, or misunderstood at a pace that feels right for your system.
Why Emotions Matter in Therapy
Most of us weren’t taught how to feel safely. We were taught to push through, keep going, or keep quiet. Especially after trauma or chronic stress, emotions can feel like too much, or not accessible at all.
Emotion-Focused Therapy helps you:
Name what you’re feeling in real time
Understand why it’s there
Stay present with emotions that once felt intolerable
Discover what those feelings are trying to communicate
Rather than “fixing” your feelings, EFT supports you in relating to them differently. You begin to trust your inner world instead of fearing it.
What EFT Feels Like in Practice
In a typical EFT session, your therapist may help you slow down enough to notice where emotion lives in your body. You might begin to track:
The tightening in your jaw when you talk about disappointment
The clench in your belly when you express anger
The drop in your chest when sadness emerges
The impulse to disconnect when a vulnerable part of you feels seen
This is not analysis, it’s presence. Through experiential work, you’ll learn to stay with emotion long enough to understand it. To move through it. And eventually, to transform it.
Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples
Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples (also known as EFT) is a distinct model developed by Dr. Sue Johnson. While rooted in similar values, emotional attunement, attachment, and presence, EFT for couples is specifically designed to rebuild connection and secure emotional bonds between partners.
Whether you’re dealing with disconnection, communication breakdown, or the aftermath of betrayal, EFT for couples offers a structured, compassionate process to help partners reconnect and repair.
Together, you’ll:
Identify the recurring cycles that keep you stuck
Explore the vulnerable needs and fears underneath each partner’s reactions
Learn to express yourself in ways that foster closeness instead of conflict
Repair old emotional wounds and rebuild trust
Strengthen your bond through responsiveness, safety, and empathy
At Tidal, our couples counsellors are trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy and understand the complexity of long-term relationships, including the impact of trauma on attachment and communication.
EFT and Trauma: A Powerful Integration
Emotion-Focused Therapy is particularly helpful for people who have learned that emotions are unsafe, overwhelming, or “too much.” Trauma can interrupt our ability to feel, express, or even identify what’s happening inside. EFT gently rebuilds that connection.
At Tidal, we often integrate EFT with:
IFS (Internal Family Systems): to support the protective parts that avoid or shut down emotion
Somatic Therapy: to track how emotion moves through the body and where it gets stuck
EMDR Therapy: to release emotional memories that feel frozen in time
Attachment-Based Therapy: to explore how early emotional relationships shaped your current experience of connection
We don’t push you to go faster than your system is ready for. In EFT, we work from the inside out, one felt moment at a time.
What Can EFT Help With?
Emotion-Focused Therapy can support you in areas like:
Emotional overwhelm or shutdown
Chronic self-criticism or shame
Difficulty accessing needs or setting boundaries
Grief and loss
Interpersonal conflict or emotional disconnection
Anxiety, especially when linked to suppressed emotion
Trauma-related emotional numbness or hypervigilance
It’s also well-suited for those who describe themselves as “too sensitive,” “emotionally numb,” or “tired of overthinking everything.” EFT helps you drop beneath the loop and into something deeper, clarity.
You Don’t Have to Navigate Emotion Alone
Your emotions aren’t the problem. They’re part of the story your body is trying to tell. With the right support, you can learn to listen and respond, with presence and compassion.
Whether you’re navigating anxiety, shame, grief, or relational strain, Emotion-Focused Therapy offers a steady path inward. A way to come back to yourself, without fear or judgment. Fill out a New Client Form to get matched with one or more of our EFT therapists. Or if you're ready, book a free consult or appointment today.
-
While talk therapy may focus on insight or coping skills, EFT works on a felt level. It’s experiential and relational, helping you move through emotion in real time, not just talk about it conceptually.
-
That’s very common, especially after trauma. EFT doesn’t force you into feeling. Instead, it creates a safe environment for your emotions to surface gradually. You’re never pushed, just invited.
-
Yes. Many of our clients receive EFT therapy online and find that doing emotional work from the comfort of their own space actually helps their system feel safer. We offer both in-person and online sessions across British Columbia.
-
All of the above. EFT can be adapted to individual work (focused on trauma, anxiety, emotional regulation) or to couples therapy (focused on secure attachment and communication).
-
Not quite. EFT for individuals is based on the work of Les Greenberg and is focused on processing emotional experience. EFT for couples, developed by Sue Johnson, is focused on relational repair. Both approaches are offered at Tidal.
You Might Also Be Interested In:
Blogs
Why Avoidance Isn’t Laziness: IFS and Understanding Inner Protectors
Regulating the Nervous System: Tools for Stress, Burnout, and Overwhelm
Services
Disclaimer: The content on this website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, psychological, or mental health advice. It is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.