Attachment-focused, emotionally-focused and research-based couples therapy
With flexible opening times including evenings and weekends. In English, German and French.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
How does couples therapy work?
In EFCT, I explore your relationship patterns, make them obvious to you, deescalate, reconnect, deepen the emotional bond, heal emotional wounds, re-choreograph your emotional interactions (more to come in this section).
How can we book sessions?
STEP 1: LET'S GET IN CONTACT Email me at eft.couple.therapist@gmail.com with a few preferred session times (for example: “Wednesday evening, Saturday at 10 AM, or Monday at 9 AM”). STEP 2: YOUR FIRST SESSION + ORGANISATIONAL MEETING We’ll start with a 90-minute emotionally focused couple therapy session so you can experience the work and take something meaningful back into your relationship right away. I move at a safe pace in this first meeting, taking time to hear each of you deeply. Afterwards, we’ll have a free 30–45 minute organisational meeting (either right after or on another day) to explore what your therapy journey might look like, discuss my recommendations for you Answer your questions and explain EFT in more detail if you wish STEP 3: THE CORE EFT WORK EFT is often short-term, but flexible depending on your needs: Standard model: 8–20 sessions, weekly or biweekly, 60–90 minutes each Research average: about 12 sessions Longer-term cases: 25+ sessions for deeper patterns, trauma, or attachment injuries Typically, sessions take place on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, but EFCT is also suitable for intensive couple therapy with a tighter session schedule (more information on intensive couples therapy here). We work in three phases: De-escalation – understanding your patterns and building emotional safety Restructuring – deepening connection and expressing needs in new ways Consolidation – reinforcing changes and preparing for the future Some couples also choose EFT as a short-term relationship boost before milestones (marriage, child planning, anniversaries, dating exploration), as a preventive measure, or as a measure to deepen and maintain their already strong emotional connection with a professional. STEP 4: AFTERCARE Once we wrap up our core work together, my door stays open. You’re welcome to book a refresher session to nurture your already strong bond anytime or preventive session whenever life brings a challenge—such as illness, life transitions, or simply wanting a yearly check-in.
How can we prepare for our couples therapy sessions?
HOW TO APPROACH YOUR FIRST SESSION In your first session, bring whatever feels most relevant to you—your questions, desires, needs, hopes, or worries. I usually don’t give strict preparation instructions because I want to create space for what matters most to you. Each couple comes with unique reasons for seeking therapy, and I want to be responsive to your needs. What’s most important is that you feel comfortable with your therapist, that you feel heard and understood in a safe, supportive environment. EMOTIONALLY FOCUSED COUPLE THERAPY AND YOU Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) provides a flexible roadmap to guide our work together. This roadmap helps us move toward new experiences with one another and deeper emotional connection. I’m always happy to share insight into how EFT informs me currently for your specific process. I will always have a loose plan and guidance in mind for each of our sessions so that we do not just ‘’talk’’ but grow towards more safety, more depth, and new experiences. I will also always be very attuned towards what you come with currently and be open towards where you currently are. Couples therapy is a collaborative process. I bring my knowledge and experience, and you bring your lived experience and needs. EFT provides the overarching roadmap, but every session is attuned to where you are in the moment. If you arrive without a specific topic, I’ll guide you into a meaningful emotional experience with one another. If you have a pressing issue, we’ll create space for it and explore it together in an open, responsive way, guided by EFT. I will take what you come with and gently infuse it with the tools and roadmap I have from emotionally focused couple therapy. OPTIONAL REFLECTION BEFORE THE FIRST OPTIONAL REFLECTION BEFORE THE FIRST SESSION If you’d like to prepare, take a few minutes to check in with yourself. You might ask: How do I feel right now in this relationship? Do I feel connected or disconnected to my partner currently? What is that experience like for me? What do I do when I feel connected/disconnected? Does my partner feel connected or disconnected currently? What must that experience be like for them? What do they do when they feel connected/disconnected? Is there a typical pattern or dynamic we seem to fall into? What are my hopes for couples therapy? Do I want a short, intensive phase to work on recurring dynamics? Or ongoing support as a preventive measure to keep our bond strong and safe? OPTIONAL RESOURCE: A BOOK RECOMMENDATION If you enjoy reading or listening to audiobooks, I recommend Hold Me Tight by Dr. Sue Johnson. In my experience, couples benefit from engaging with this book alongside therapy. It offers valuable insights into the emotional dance that shapes relationships and the roadmap we’ll use in EFT. Most importantly, let me know what resonates with you while reading. Often, those moments are deeply connected to your emotional patterns as a couple, and they can become powerful starting points for creating a stronger, more secure bond.
How long is an emotionally focused couple therapy (EFCT)?
The core of an Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT) is typically short-term, but in practice it’s a bit more nuanced. Here’s the general range: Standard model: around 8–20 sessions, lasting 90 minutes each. This is typically done on a weekly basis or biweekly basis, but I have had excellent experience with doing some core work on a daily basis for a while (if the couple is on holiday and wants to achieve results faster, this is excellent). Average duration in research studies: about 12 sessions. In real-world practice: can be shorter or longer depending on factors like relationship distress level, trauma history, pace of emotional openness, and whether the couple attends consistently. For couples with long-standing patterns, trauma, or major attachment injuries, EFT can extend to 25+ sessions, and sometimes becomes a more open-ended process with longer gaps between sessions for maintenance. EFCT is also used for couples who have a solid foundation and good connection as a maintenance and preventive measure. So couples can also regularly do one or several sessions of EFCT in order to strengthen and maintain their bond. This can happen before a marriage, before a child is planned, as an anniversary present, or anytime in the relationship journey.
How frequently are the sessions in emotionally focused couple therapy (EFCT)?
I respond to the need of the couple, but in general sessions happen on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Some couples do intensive EFCT and do sessions on a daily basis for a while in order to get ahead faster. Some couples only come for one or a few sessions and it is all that they need.
What are the best science-based relationship books you recommend?
I am a clinical psychologist. Research-evidence is important to me. All of these books are based on excellent scientific research and the competent implementation strategies of trained psychologists. - Hold Me Tight by Dr. Sue Johnson - An Emotionally Focused Workbook for Couples: The Two of Us by Kallos-Lilly and Fitzgerald -Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel S.F. Heller -The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work by Dr. John Gottman
What are the best science-based books for improving sexual intimacy?
I am a clinical psychologist. Research-evidence is important to me. All of these books are based on excellent scientific research. - Magnificent Sex: Lessons from Extraordinary Lovers by Peggy Kleinplatz - Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski -Better Sex Through Mindfulness by Lori A. Brotto, Ph.D.
