EFT Therapy in Calgary
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) helps individuals, and couples build stronger emotional bonds, more secure emotional bonds. Learn how EFT at Refresh Counselling can support healing and connection.
Heal Through Connection with Emotionally Focused Therapy in Calgary
Do you ever feel disconnected from your partner, or stuck in deeper emotional patterns you can’t explain? Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) helps you understand and reshape the emotional responses that impact your closest relationships.
You may have heard things like:
- You’re too sensitive.
- You shouldn’t depend on anyone else to feel secure.
- Couples therapy doesn’t work unless things are really bad.
The truth? Our emotions are at the core of how we connect. EFT isn’t about assigning blame—it’s about helping you feel safe, seen, and supported in your relationships.
How EFT Therapy Helps You Reconnect
EFT is a research-based approach that focuses on deepening emotional bonds. Whether used in individual or couples therapy, EFT helps you build emotional safety, reduce conflict, and experience more authentic connection.
At Refresh Counselling, EFT helps you:
- Understand the emotional patterns that create disconnection
- Express needs and emotions more clearly and safely
- Heal wounds from past emotional injuries
- Break out of negative cycles of conflict or withdrawal
- Build stronger, more secure emotional bonds with self and others
Beside You On Your EFT Journey
We provide a safe, supportive, and confidential environment where you can explore your emotions, heal from past wounds, and overcome internal or external challenges. Our team of registered Calgary Psychologists and Counsellors are here to walk beside you—offering compassionate care, professional insight, and evidence-based strategies to help you move forward.
Common Reasons People Seek Counselling
Our clients come to us with a wide range of concerns, including:
- Anger Management
- Anxiety
- Body Image
- Boundaries
- Cancer
- Cultural Issues
- Decision-Making
- Depression
- Eating Issues
- Emotional Regulation
- Family of Origin Issues
- Fear
- Guilt
- Shame
- Grief & Loss
- Parenting Issues
- Perfectionism
- Phobias
- Relationships
- Self-Care
- Self-Development
- Self-Esteem
- Sleep Problems
- Spirituality
- Stress Management
- Suicidal Ideation
- Trauma
- Work & Career
Whether you’re dealing with one issue or a mix of interconnected challenges, our therapists help you unpack what’s really going on and create a path forward—rooted in self-awareness, healing, and personal growth.
What to Expect from Your EFT Therapy Journey
Every person’s path to healing is different. Our registered Calgary Psychologists and Counsellors use a customized approach to fit your unique situation and goals. Clients often experience:
- Processing past traumas and losses
- Exploring core emotions and unmet needs
- Developing healthier thinking patterns
- Improving emotional regulation and communication
- Building coping skills and resilience
- Gaining clarity around identity, values, and direction
Evidence-Based Therapy Approaches We Use
We draw on a range of proven therapeutic models to support your growth, including:
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT): Reshape negative thoughts and build better behaviours
- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT): Understand and express your emotions in healthier ways
- Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT): Identify strengths and set practical, future-focused goals
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Heal from trauma and reduce distress tied to painful memories
Why Choose Refresh Counselling for EFT Therapy?
At Refresh Counselling, we provide high-quality, personalized mental health care that respects your unique story. Our team takes the time to truly understand your challenges and tailor a treatment plan that fits your goals.
Mental Health Matters
We’re passionate about helping people heal—with genuine care, empathy, and respect for every journey.
Licensed & Certified
Our specialists stay current with EFT training Calgary, EFT training Canada, and the latest therapy practices.
Holistic & Collaborative
Our care is rooted in a holistic view of well-being, nurturing every part of you with the help of our dedicated team.
Specialized Care
With varied specialties, our team tailors care to each client—drawing from approaches like EMDR, CBT, Play Therapy, and more.
Meet our EFT Specialists
Below is a list of our psychologists, counselors, and online therapists who provide emotion focused therapy EFT to support individuals, couples, and families in building healthier relationships.
Ray Pan
MC, Registered Provisional Psychologist
Cynthia Baroud
MA, Registered Provisional Psychologist
Stefani Sulaver
MC, Registered Provisional Psychologist
Build the Emotional Connection You’ve Been Missing
You deserve to feel understood and supported. EFT gives you a path forward—whether in your relationships or within yourself.
Have Questions About EFT Therapy?
Find quick answers about what to expect, how it works, and how to get started with the right EFT therapist for you.
Research shows that EFT therapy is among the most evidence-based approaches for helping couples move out of distress and build stronger connections. For example, studies indicate that about 70-75% of couples using EFT therapy move from significant relationship distress to recovery, and up to 90% report observable, meaningful improvements in their relational functioning.
What this means for you: while no therapy guarantees perfection, choosing EFT at a practice like Refresh Counselling gives you a strong chance of transforming negative patterns, repairing emotional bonds, and experiencing healthier relational outcomes.
Both are strong therapies, but they emphasise different things. Research comparing EFT and CBT for couples finds both effective in reducing distress, though some specific studies suggest EFT may have greater impact in areas like intimacy and emotional connection.
For example:
EFT focuses more directly on emotional responses, attachment needs, and building secure emotional bonds.
CBT tends to emphasise identifying and changing thought-patterns and behaviours.
If your priority is healing deeper emotional disconnection and building secure relationship safety, EFT may be the better fit. If the challenge is more about managing negative thoughts or behaviour change, CBT might be more applicable.
At Refresh Counselling, our online therapists in Calgary and therapists Calgary are trained in both models and can help you decide which aligns with your goals.
Yes. At Refresh Counselling we believe the quality of the therapeutic relationship matters enormously. You’ll be able to select (or have help selecting) a therapist or online therapist whose training, style, and specialization align with you and your goals.
Why this is important: one research study found factors like therapeutic alliance and emotional self-disclosure (especially by one partner) strongly predicted successful outcomes in EFT.
In other words: feeling safe, seen, and connected with your therapist enhances the potential for healing, so yes, you can choose your therapist and we’ll support finding a good “fit”.
Yes, EFT is designed to go beyond quick fixes and address core emotional patterns, negative cycles, and relational disconnection that may have been present for years.
Follow-up studies show that improvements achieved via EFT are stable for 2 + years post-therapy, indicating long-term benefit. What that means for someone with long-standing issues:
- EFT helps you process emotions, repair attachment injuries, and build a more secure, resilient relational foundation.
- It is especially effective when you’re willing to engage in the process and commit to the work of change (with the help of therapists Calgary or online therapists).
- Long-term success is shaped not just by the therapy model but by your willingness to explore deeper emotional experiences, shift interaction patterns, and build healthier emotional connections.
So if your relationship has endured years of conflict, withdrawal, or emotional disconnection, EFT offers a robust framework for lasting change.
The duration of EFT varies depending on your situation, the number of sessions, and how entrenched the issues are. Many sources suggest you may start to see meaningful change within 8-20 sessions for couples therapy. Some key points:
- “Short-term” in the EFT context often means fewer sessions than many open-ended therapies, but the exact number depends on individual or couple goals.
- The process involves three stages (de-escalation, restructuring emotional responses, consolidation) which take time, and the pace depends on your readiness and engagement.
- Even after formal therapy ends, many clients continue to benefit from the skills and improved emotional connections, the change builds up and endures.