Understanding the emotional landscape in the withdrawer re‐engagement and blamer softening EFCT change events

The heart of change in emotionally focused couple therapy (EFCT) involves accessing key emotions and using them to redefine the self and create new relational responses. Two EFCT change events, withdrawer re-engagement and blamer softening, represent the emotion and relationship restructuring process with couples who are stuck in blame-withdraw interactions. These change events involve facilitating greater accessibility, responsiveness, and emotional engagement between more avoidant and anxious partners. This study tracked in-session emotional states and sequences in each of these change events. Findings highlight the importance of primary and softer emotional expressions. Specific emotional states characterize the two EFCT change events with adaptive grief/hurt being unique to withdrawer re-engagement and rejecting anger distinguishing blamer softening. Sequential patterns of emotional states were identified particularly for withdrawer re-engagement where grief/hurt was followed by acceptance and agency. Clinical implications consider the role of emotional transformation and emotional expansion in the EFCT change process.