Facilitating withdrawer re-engagement in emotionally focused couple therapy: A modified task analysis.

Facilitating withdrawer re-engagement in emotionally focused couple therapy: A modified task analysis.

Lee, N. A., Spengler, P. M., Mitchell, A. M., Spengler, E. S., & Spiker, D. A.

A modified, discovery-oriented task analysis was conducted to delineate what therapist interventions and client emotional processes are involved in successful withdrawer re-engagement in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT). EFT is an empirically validated approach to treating couples. Withdrawer re-engagement is seen as a key element of the change process in EFT, yet limited research is available as to how the process is facilitated in session. Seven videotaped samples of successful withdrawer re-engagement were critically examined using task analytic methods. Therapist interventions and client emotional processes were assessed using the Emotion-Focused Therapy Coding Scheme and the Experiencing Scale. Implications for future research, clinical practice, and training are discussed.

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from: Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 2017, Vol. 6, No. 3, 205–225