Photo of Fredric Matteson, Counselor in 98104, WA
Fredric Matteson
Counselor, CMHC
Verified Verified
Seattle, WA 98104
For 25 years I worked with over 16,000 suicidal patients on the mental health unit of St. Francis Hospital with my office partner, Psychiatrist Dr. Sunida Bintasan, From observing their common patterns, I created an educational program (for persons with issues of deep despair, hopelessness, depression, feeling "LOST" & "TRAPPED" & "STUCK", and often with recurrent suicidal thinking) called Contextual-Conceptual Therapy (CCT). Combining expressive arts techniques, education, and therapy using "maps, models, & metaphors", it helps clients discover the roots of their deep despair, feeling trapped & lost, and/or suicidal thinking.
For 25 years I worked with over 16,000 suicidal patients on the mental health unit of St. Francis Hospital with my office partner, Psychiatrist Dr. Sunida Bintasan, From observing their common patterns, I created an educational program (for persons with issues of deep despair, hopelessness, depression, feeling "LOST" & "TRAPPED" & "STUCK", and often with recurrent suicidal thinking) called Contextual-Conceptual Therapy (CCT). Combining expressive arts techniques, education, and therapy using "maps, models, & metaphors", it helps clients discover the roots of their deep despair, feeling trapped & lost, and/or suicidal thinking.
(206) 966-6954 View (206) 966-6954
Photo of Sulfiati's Threshold Counseling, Counselor in 98104, WA
Sulfiati's Threshold Counseling
Counselor, MA, LMHC
Verified Verified
Seattle, WA 98104  (Online Only)
Are you at a crossroads? Throughout life, we experience "little deaths" that change our life’s course. Loss of a dream, health, family, the earth we stand on, job, marriage, relationship, country or beliefs can suddenly take us over a threshold, chosen or not into a new world where life no longer makes any sense. Our old tools and ways of coping or understanding our self or our world are no longer enough to pilot us to the other side of what can feel like a vast, deep and turbulent river. While often terrifying, these are the golden opportunities in which our true nature, our soul or purpose in life can be revealed.
Are you at a crossroads? Throughout life, we experience "little deaths" that change our life’s course. Loss of a dream, health, family, the earth we stand on, job, marriage, relationship, country or beliefs can suddenly take us over a threshold, chosen or not into a new world where life no longer makes any sense. Our old tools and ways of coping or understanding our self or our world are no longer enough to pilot us to the other side of what can feel like a vast, deep and turbulent river. While often terrifying, these are the golden opportunities in which our true nature, our soul or purpose in life can be revealed.
(626) 727-8053 View (626) 727-8053

Emotionally Focused Therapists

Who is emotionally focused therapy for?

Emotionally focused therapy (EFT) is for couples who are emotionally distressed, stuck in an unsatisfying relationship pattern or feeling deeply alienated. They may even believe the relationship is beyond repair. Very often, the partners display intense anger, fear, grief, loss of trust, or a sense of betrayal in the relationship. In addition, EFT is helpful to couples and individuals who have difficulty expressing emotions and those who have trouble regulating emotions.

Why do people need emotionally focused therapy?

People need emotionally focused therapy because the need for others is built into the brain, but the pressures of daily life can erode feelings of love, and couples often do not have the skills to find their way back to the comfort of each other. Instead, they may be stuck in repetitive patterns of anger, fear, grief, loss of trust, or a sense of betrayal. Emotionally focused therapy regards such strong negative feelings as expressions of protest over the loss of connection and turns them into pathways of reconnection.

What happens in emotionally focused therapy?

Over the course of eight to 20 weekly sessions, couples de-escalate their negative emotional reactivity to one another so that they can listen to each other and be responsive to each other’s needs. Then the deep emotional and physical bond is restored, giving partners a sense of comfort and security, which they can use to solve whatever problems come their way. The therapist plays an active role, helping partners understand how anger and withdrawal are actually misguided cries for connection.

What problems does emotionally focused therapy treat?

EFT is designed to help couples stuck in dysfunctional relationship patterns regain closeness and rebuild their relationship. Typically, such couples experience considerable distress, with partners feeling alienated and distrustful of one another, not certain their relationship can survive. EFT is also helpful to individuals experiencing attachment-related fears of loss; it helps them learn to use their fears as a way of eliciting the closeness they desire.