"I Saw the Angel in the Stone and Carved Until I Set Him Free"

The central aim of EFIT is to help individuals understand and change maladaptive emotional responses and interpersonal patterns that cause distress in their lives.

EFIT is grounded in attachment theory, which posits that humans are innately relational beings and that a sense of secure attachment to others is integral to mental and emotional well-being. EFIT works by focusing on the emotions and attachment needs of the individual, helping them to identify, experience, accept, and transform unhelpful emotions.

During EFIT sessions, clients can expect:

1. Safe Therapeutic Environment: The therapist creates a supportive and empathetic space where clients can explore their emotional experiences without judgment.
2. Exploration of Patterns: Clients will work with the therapist to identify patterns in their emotions and relationships that may be contributing to their issues.
3. Emotion Regulation: Clients learn to better understand and regulate their emotions, distinguishing between useful and unhelpful emotional responses.
4. Attachment Framework: The therapy will often frame issues in the context of attachment needs, helping clients understand how their relational history influences their current emotional state.
5. Experiential Work: EFIT involves actively engaging with emotions during the sessions, which can include accessing and processing previously unacknowledged or avoided feelings.
6. Change Strategies: The therapist helps the client to use new emotional experiences to transform problematic patterns into healthier ones, fostering a more secure sense of self.
7. Collaborative Goals: Therapists and clients work together to set and achieve goals that are meaningful for the client's personal growth and relationship improvement.
8. Practical Strategies: Clients are often provided with strategies and tasks to practice outside of sessions to reinforce the work done in therapy.