W RELACJI – Couple Therapy in English

Couple Therapy – when to consider it

Couple therapy can be beneficial for your relationship when:

• you feel your relationship is in danger
• you love each other and care for each other but at the same time often hurt each other
• you keep having the same conversations and conflicts, and they do not bring relief or satisfaction
• your conflicts escalate, there is often anger, criticism and blaming
• the emotional distance between you is growing, you withdraw, put up a wall, feel emotionally or physically inaccessible
• you often seek comfort and support outside of the relationship
• you wish to repair present or past attachment injuries (e.g. an affair, loss of trust, feeling abandoned by the partner at a time of need)
• you are experiencing a crisis related to moving in together, getting married, having a child, an illness or death of a family member.

Couple therapy – how do we help?

We offer short- and long-term couple therapy which lasts from 6 months to 2 years (or longer). Individual meetings, one with each partner, usually take place at the beginning of the therapy process. Each session lasts 50 minutes. We use Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT) with our English-speaking clients.

EFT – 9 STEPS TO CHANGE

EFT is a scientifically validated couple therapy based on attachment theory and the theory of adult love. The EFT therapy process consists of 3 stages: stabilization (de-escalation), restructuring and consolidation. Each stage is divided into steps – 9 in total. With couples where there has been an experience of trauma or serious attachment injury, we implement also AIRM, i.e. attachment injury repair model, which helps re-establish trust and safety.

As a result of effective EFT therapy, the partners:

• feel emotionally safe with each other
• are emotionally and physically accessible to each other
• are responsive to each other and engaged in the relationship
• understand how they influence each other
• are aware of each other’s vulnerabilities and attachment needs
• are able to be constructively dependent on each other.