Keeping the Horse Before the Cart: The Importance of Stabilization in Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT)

Our goal in this paper is to highlight the significance of Stage 1 stabilization processes in Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT). Stabilization is a prerequisite to the modification of working models of self and other that typifies Stage 2 of EFIT, and we propose that it also has significant stand-alone value as a change event. We begin by defining the process of stabilization and delineating how it is a foundational part of the overall Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) model of change. Then we illustrate the autonomous value of the stabilization change event and show how stabilization is related to outcome in theory and in practice. Third, we demonstrate the use of specific interventions, the macro-moves and micro-skills of EFT, for achieving stabilization in an extended therapist-client dialogue of client change through the four steps of stabilization. Finally, we discuss the potential for therapists to overlook stabilization and the disadvantages of doing so.