aPPROACHES
Emotionally Focused Therapy in Tampa and St. Petersburg
Heal, Reconnect, and Strengthen Your Bond with EFT Couples Therapy in Tampa & St. Petersburg. Our experienced therapists specialize in Emotionally Focused Therapy, one of the most effective, research-backed methods for restoring trust, intimacy, and communication.
What is EFT Couples Therapy?
Emotionally Focused Therapy is one of the most effective, research-backed approaches for helping couples repair and strengthen their relationship. Rooted in attachment theory, EFT recognizes that humans are wired for emotional connection, and when those bonds are threatened (or even broken), it leads to distress and anxiety in the relationship. Through a structured process, EFT helps couples in Tampa and St. Petersburg identify destructive patterns, heal emotional wounds, and rebuild secure attachments. At It Begins Within, our EFT-trained couples counselors provide expert guidance to help you deepen trust, improve communication, and create a more connected & intimate relationship.
How Emotionally Focused Therapy Works
Every relationship has patterns and ways of interacting that can either pull partners closer or push them apart. In EFT, we help couples recognize and shift these emotional patterns, allowing for understanding, emotional safety, and deeper connections. Through this proven method, you and your partner can transform the way you experience and respond to each other.
Benefits of EFT for Couples
While there can be countless benefits to couples therapy, EFT offers a specific focus which it one of the reasons it has been so effective in helping couples regain connection and intimacy in their relationship.
Recognize Destructive Patterns - Identify the recurring emotional cycles that lead to conflict.
Understand Emotional Needs - Uncover the deeper fears, longings, and vulnerabilities beneath surface arguments (both for yourself and your partner).
Improve Emotional Safety - Create a secure environment where both partners feel seen, heard, and valued.
Ignite Intimacy Through Connection - Strengthen intimacy and trust through new, healthier ways of communicating and responding to each others needs.
Why Choose EFT for Couples Therapy in Tampa or St. Petersburg?
As a highly effective and evidence-based approach, EFT has been proven to work in more than 70% of distressed couples who have engaged in treatment. EFT focuses on creating lasting change which can help couples heal from infidelity, communication struggles, and major life stressors (parenting or career transitions). At It Begins Within, our specialized EFT therapists in Tampa and St. Petersburg offer both in-person and virtual sessions, providing expert support to guide you through meaningful, lasting transformation.
Who Can Benefit from EFT ?
EFT is a powerful approach for couples who feel disconnected, overwhelmed by conflict, or burdened by unresolved emotional wounds. Whether you are facing everyday communication struggles or navigating the aftermath of a major life event, EFT can help you and your partner rebuild a stronger, more resilient connection.
EFT for couples
Couples experiencing communication breakdowns
Partners recovering from betrayal, infidelity, or emotional wounds
Relationships strained by major life transitions (career changes, relocation, family changes)
eft for individuals
Healing from past relationship trauma or attachment injuries
Managing anxiety, depression, or self-esteem issues linked to relationship experiences
Seeking to understand and change recurring emotional patterns in their lives
What to Expect from Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT)
If this is your first time exploring relationship counseling, we suggest you read (or at least skim) our article outlining what to expect in couples therapy. For those who have been through couples counseling and didn’t achieve the result they were looking for, an EFT couples therapist might be what your relationship needs.
what to expect in eft sessions
Throughout therapy, you can expect to identify emotional triggers (for both of you) and become aware of the negative interaction cycles you have been going through.
You’ll learn new ways to express your needs and understand (and respond) to your partners needs.
Both partners will focus on healing emotional injuries through open conversation and guidance from your therapist
You will learn how to strengthen or rebuild a secure, loving bond based on trust and responsiveness.
Both in-person and virtual EFT couples therapy sessions are available to meet your needs and schedule.
Core principles of EFT
Attachment is Essential - We all need safe emotional bonds to thrive.
Emotions Guide Relationships - Healing emotions leads to stronger connections.
Negative Cycles Cause Conflict - Recognizing these patterns is key to change.
Emotional Safety Heals - Security in the relationship creates space for growth.
New Emotional Experiences Transform - Real change happens when couples feel safe, understood, and connected.
Why Tampa Couples Choose It Begins Within
Highly trained & specialized couples therapists (only the top 1% of therapists practice at IBW).
Private and conveniently located offices in Tampa & St. Petersburg, FL.
A deep commitment to helping couples create lasting change (as rapidly as possible).
Privacy. We support numerous community leaders, professional athletes and executives and understand the significance of discretion.
Don’t Just Take Our Word For It
EFT is one of the most trusted and well-studied types of couples therapy available today. Research, including studies in the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy and by *Dr. Sue Johnson, shows that 70-75% of couples who complete EFT move from feeling stuck to rebuilding their relationship, and about 90% show big improvements. At It Begins Within, we proudly use these proven methods to help couples in Tampa and St. Petersburg create stronger, more connected relationships.
*(Johnson, S. M. (2008). Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love. New York: Little, Brown and Company.)
Commonly Asked Questions About EFT
How is EFT different from other couples therapy methods?
EFT focuses deeply on emotional needs and attachment, not just communication skills. This focus helps couples transform their relationship at its core.
Can EFT help if we've experienced infidelity?
Yes. EFT is especially effective for couples healing from betrayal, helping rebuild trust through emotional repair and reconnection.
Do you offer virtual EFT sessions?
Absolutely. We provide secure online EFT couples counseling for clients throughout Florida.
How does EFT therapy work?
EFT therapy works by helping couples identify negative emotional patterns, express unmet needs, and rebuild a secure emotional bond through structured, compassionate sessions.
What are the three stages of treatment in EFT therapy?
The three stages of EFT are: 1) De-escalating negative cycles, 2) Restructuring emotional bonds, and 3) Consolidating new patterns of connection and trust.
How is EFT different from CBT?
While CBT focuses on changing thoughts and behaviors, EFT focuses on healing emotional attachment wounds and strengthening emotional bonds between partners.
What are the criticisms of EFT?
Some criticisms of EFT include its strong focus on emotional experiences, which may not suit couples seeking purely cognitive or behavior-based approaches.
What are the 9 steps of EFT?
The nine steps of EFT involve identifying patterns, accessing underlying emotions, reframing interactions, promoting acceptance, restructuring bonds, and creating new cycles of positive connection.
Schedule Free Consultation
If you are looking for Tampa cheating therapy or infidelity affair therapy near me, Systematic Affair Recovery Therapy (SART) can guide you through healing after infidelity. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward rebuilding trust, understanding, and connection.