Updates a classic emotion-focused therapy reference with over 20 years of research and theory.

The first edition of this book became the standard reference and training work for a generation of emotion-focused therapy (EFT) practitioners. This second edition aims to inspire a new generation of emotion-focused therapists by offering fully updated coverage of EFT theory and practice, alongside the most exciting theoretical, practical, and organizational developments of the past 20 years.
 
Updates to this new edition include:

• New models for emotional deepening and EFT case formulation.
• New questions and activities for self‑reflection.
• Clearer formulations of the nature and functions of specific emotions (e.g., anger, shame).
• Twice as many references as in the first edition.
• A supplemental website with course materials to enhance teaching of EFT.

In EFT, therapists cultivate a deeply empathic, caring presence. They follow their client’s lead while delivering gentle, flexible guidance. The goal is to facilitate a process of emotional deepening in clients as they progress from global distress to an acceptance of core pain, enabling them to emerge with a new perspective through useful, adaptive emotions.

Updates a classic text on emotion-focused therapy with over 20 years of research and theory.Preface: EFT and the Present Moment
Part I.Introducing Emotion-Focused Therapy
Chapter 1. Getting Started With Learning Emotion-Focused Therapy
Chapter 2. Research on EFT and Implications for Practice
Part II.Fundamentals of EFT: Emotion and Process
Chapter 3. EFT Theory Made Simple
Chapter 4. Following Client Process in EFT: What to Listen for
Chapter 5. Empathy and Presence: Key Therapist Experiential Processes in EFT
Part III.Specific EFT Processes and Tasks
Chapter 6. Overview of Therapeutic Work in EFT: Tasks and Response Modes
Chapter 7. Case Formulation Work in EFT
Chapter 8. Making and Keeping Contact: The Work of Building and Repairing Therapeutic Relationships in EFT
Chapter 9. Navigating the Ocean of Empathy in EFT: Micro-Processes and Tasks
Chapter 10. Focusing and Facilitating Emotional Experiencing
Chapter 11. Narrative and Emotion: Reprocessing Work in EFT
Chapter 12. Working With Negative Treatment of Self
Chapter 13. Working With Unresolved Interpersonal Issues
Chapter 14. Self-Soothing and Self-Compassion Work in EFT: Coping and Transformation
Part IV.Practical Issues in Applying EFT
Chapter 15. Adapting EFT to Particular Client Presentations
Chapter 16. Working With Emotional Injuries Stemming From Marginalization Experiences
Chapter 17. Frequently Asked Questions about EFT
Chapter 18. Recommendations for Teaching and Learning EFT
References

Robert Elliott, PhD (preferred pronouns: they/them), is emeritus professor of counselling at the University of Strathclyde (Scotland). Their main interests are training and research on emotion-focused therapy. Recent books include Emotion-Focused Counselling in Action and Essentials of Descriptive-Interpretive Qualitative Research. They have published nearly 200 journal articles or book chapters. They are a past recipient of the Distinguished Research Career Award of the Society for Psychotherapy Research and the Carl Rogers Award from the Division of Humanistic Psychology of the American Psychological Association. 

Jeanne C. Watson, PhD, is a professor in the counselling and clinical psychology program at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, the University of Toronto, Canada. A major exponent of humanistic-experiential psychotherapy, she has helped develop emotion-focused psychotherapy, the process experiential approach. She conducts research on the process and outcome of psychotherapy. In 2002, Dr. Watson received the Outstanding Early Career Award from the International Society for Psychotherapy Research and was awarded the Distinguished Career Award in 2020. In 2013, she was appointed a fellow of the American Psychological Association, Division 29, in recognition of her contributions to the discipline.  

Rhonda N. Goldman, PhD, is a codeveloper of emotion-focused therapy (EFT) for individuals and couples. She is a professor of clinical psychology, based at the Chicago School, and founder of the Emotion-Focused Therapy Institute in Chicago. She is a founding board member of the International Society of EFT. Dr. Goldman travels internationally, conducting workshops for mental health professionals on EFT for couples and individuals. She has published many books and articles on related topics such as case formulation, emotional processes, empathy, and vulnerability. She has made several professional videos demonstrating the approach. Visit emotionfocusedtherapyinstitute.com or iseft.org. 

Leslie S. Greenberg, PhD, is distinguished research professor emeritus of psychology at York University in Toronto. He has authored the major texts on emotion-focused approaches to treatment. His latest books are Changing Emotion With Emotion: A Practitioner’s Guide (2021) and Working With Shame and Anger (2023). He received the American Psychological Association’s (APA’s) Award for Distinguished Professional Contribution to Applied Research, the Society for Psychotherapy Research’s Distinguished Research Career Award, and the Carl Rogers Award of the APA Society for Humanistic Psychology. 
 

Here is an invitation for curious therapists to step inside emotion-focused therapy (EFT) from authors who know it deeply. Their book is rich in specifics that practitioners wonder about: What should I listen for? How do I relate to clients? What could I say or do? What if …? Yet it also conveys the heart of EFT, connecting to therapists’ own meaning and emotion. With this second edition, the authors have created the most extensive and remarkable presentation of emotion-based psychotherapy ever written. It capitalizes on 20 years of research, practice, and training by four individuals who are the leaders of this therapeutic approach. Readers will be surprised to discover how much there is to learn about facilitating emotional growth.I have been waiting for this edition! In this volume, the founders of emotion-focused therapy share their clinical wisdom to support therapists who are just learning this approach. Chapters bring to life not only the theory of this therapy but provide guidance on what to do from moment to moment as a session progresses. What is so unique about their approach to training is that the recommendations are not framed in a prescriptive and rigid manner. Instead, cues and markers are described via many transcripts and case examples, so therapists learn from the start to adjust interventions to meet their clients’ needs. Because of this sensitivity to process and context throughout, becoming a responsive therapist is at the very heart of Learning Emotion-Focused Therapy.This is an outstanding book—one of the best books I’ve read on therapy. For those interested in learning about emotion-focused therapy, it is a treasure. It presents theory in an empathic way, which makes it easy to relate to and use in practice. It maps out detailed, step-by-step instructions for how to empathically respond to client problems and how to use emotion-focused techniques. But more: it integrates in both cultural sensitivity and a sensitivity to social justice issues. Finally, therapists of all persuasions will benefit from its insights into empathic relating, establishing a therapeutic relationship, and sensitive responsiveness to clients.This book is a precious gift: to practitioners who want to expand and sharpen their clinical skills, to supervisors who want their trainees to become better therapists, and to the entire field of psychotherapy—whose primary mission is to foster the acquisition, implementation, and dissemination of effective strategies to decrease psychological suffering and increase self-actualization. This conceptually sophisticated, empirically based, and clinically oriented book belongs in every private practice, training program, and organization delivering mental health care services.This book stands out as the most comprehensive and detailed resource on experiential psychotherapy interventions available today. Authored by the leading experts in the field, it is both authoritative and readable, and brimming with clinical wisdom. The authors effectively break down the complexities of psychotherapy with clear, actionable guidelines, while still honoring the richness and depth of the human encounter. This book will be an invaluable resource for all clinicians, whether they seek to use it as a complete framework or as a source for integrating emotion-focused techniques to deepen their clinical practice.As leading voices in emotion-focused therapy (EFT), Elliott, Watson, Goldman, and Greenberg offer a masterful update to a foundational text—an exceptional synthesis of clinical wisdom and empirical rigor. This second edition not only refines core EFT principles but also deepens our understanding of emotional processing, making it essential reading for therapists and researchers at all levels.Effective therapy, regardless of orientation, embraces the profound power of emotion to heal and transform. Learning Emotion-Focused Therapy, Second Edition is a brilliant synthesis of decades of research and clinical expertise, offering a clear and compelling guide to the principles and techniques that drive emotional change. With precision and depth, this book illuminates the nuances of process-guiding techniques that optimize therapeutic impact. Whether you’re new to emotion-focused therapy or a seasoned practitioner, this essential resource will elevate your practice, enrich the lives of your clients, and inspire your growth into a more skilled, attuned, and flourishing psychotherapist.This book is the definitive resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of emotion-focused therapy. Elliott, Watson, Goldman, and Greenberg have crafted a richly layered guide that rewards close reading and reflection. Offering practical wisdom for therapists at every level, this is a game-changing addition to any clinician’s library.Clinical. Masters and doctoral level graduate students in clinical and counseling psychology, social work, and psychiatric nursing; as well as practicing therapists trained primarily in cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic-interpersonal, and family-systemic-narrative orientations.Whether you are an experienced emotion-focused therapy (EFT) therapist, are just starting to learn EFT, or are generally interested in psychotherapy, this book is essential. It offers an updated and profound understanding of and appreciation for the humanistic values in psychotherapy, explains the complex nature of emotions and how to facilitate them in psychotherapy, and provides vivid descriptions of how to develop your tools and yourself as a therapist. All in a reader friendly and academically thorough and humble manner.