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Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

Lasting Intimacy Begins With Emotional Clarity

Introduction to

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) was first developed in the early 1980s by psychologists Sue Johnson and Leslie Greenberg, setting the world on a path to enjoy more empowered, secure attachments. The work is supported by groundbreaking research and remains highly relevant in therapeutic settings worldwide. 

Alex Szablya uses EFT to improve relationship bonds for couples, fostering deeper emotional connections that stand the test of time. She provides a safe, supportive practice environment where clients can explore hidden emotions, better understand the relational patterns that drive them, and awaken to healthier ways of interacting with their partner and others.

Meet Alex Szablya in New Orleans

Philosophy & Approach

Alex distinguishes herself from many other therapists in that she focuses on the positive when it comes to relationships: What is already working in the partnership, the gifts each partner brings to the table, the positive intentions of each client, and the ever-present potential for the partnership to deepen. This approach is invaluable, as many couples come into counseling already filled with stress, anxiety, and mistrust. Alex believes that love is a decision, and armed with the right tools, partners can achieve the positive outcome they most desire. ​

Alex works with all kinds of clients: Same-gendered, non-binary, polyamorous, and heteronormative. Couples hail from all over the globe and have a wide array of backgrounds. Whether they are struggling with physical and emotional intimacy, are in crises due to ongoing disputes and roadblocks, or are simply seeking to take their partnership to the next level, Alex provides a supportive, solution-focused environment where couples can reimagine and renew their bond.

Accreditations

  • Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
  • Master’s in Psychology, Seattle University
  • B.A. in Psychology, University of Washington
  • Trained in The Gottman Method
  • Trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
  • Certified in Theme Centered Interaction: a holistic group paradigm based upon structure, process, & trust
  • Trained as a hospice volunteer
  • Humanistic therapist, educated within existential-phenomenological psychology

Alex can discuss the following with you during your session:

  • What brings you to therapy
  • Any emotional roadblocks or challenges you are currently facing
  • Alex’s credentials, expertise, and track record
  • Success stories of previous clients
  • An overview of what to expect during your marathon intensives or weekly visits
  • The underlying framework of EFT, including its three phases of de-escalation, bonding, and consolidation
  • Pricing and scheduling

Get Started With a Complimentary 30-Minute Consultation

This comprehensive 30-minute introductory session is distinguished by the following factors:

  • It is three times longer and more in-depth than is customary with couples counseling, allowing clients the space and time to express their goals, ask questions, and embark on next steps.
  • Clients meet with Alex via live videoconferencing, allowing for deeper insights and connections to emerge.
  • This first meeting is entirely complimentary, requiring no upfront fees, obligations, or commitments.

Alex can discuss the following with you during your session:

  • What brings you to therapy
  • Any emotional roadblocks or challenges you are currently facing
  • Alex’s credentials, expertise, and track record
  • Success stories of previous clients
  • An overview of what to expect during your marathon intensives or weekly visits
  • The underlying framework of EFT, including its three phases of de-escalation, bonding, and consolidation
  • Pricing and scheduling
emotionally-focused-intro

Building Pathways to Empathy and Understanding

What Is Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)?

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is not only a therapeutic approach but also a model of hope for individuals, couples, and families seeking to explore the complexities of modern relationships and learn tenderness, compassion, and perseverance. 

With love and connection as the powerful forces driving the work, EFT embodies profound healing at every level, leading to more secure and nourishing attachments. Its framework is gentle yet fosters accountability and commitment. 

Alex Szablya helps clients forge a deeper understanding of their loved ones and navigate and dismantle the frustrating patterns that prevent growth and intimacy. Over and over again, research has shown that Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) can help couples transition from chaos to harmony, with a majority of bonds showing significant improvement over time.

What Are the Benefits of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)?

  • Enhanced Communication: Clients learn to communicate with vulnerability rather than anger, resentment, or defensiveness.
  • Deeper Emotional Bonds: EFT supports lasting attachment bonds, prioritizing intimacy, closeness, and security.
  • Healing from Trauma: By uncovering deep-seated fears and negative past experiences, EFT offers a safe framework for working through pain.
  • Improved Conflict Resolution Skills: Couples can learn to reverse negative, self-defeating patterns and replace them with a supportive, caring approach rooted in honesty, empathy, and love.
  • Benefits That Extend for Years: Research has shown that EFT offers lasting improvements for couples, even years after they complete therapy.

Who Are the Best Candidates for Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)?

Alex Szablya will meet with you for an in-depth assessment and consultation to determine the best approach to resolving your issues and set your partnership on the road to harmony and happiness. EFT can help couples frustrated by recurring patterns they don’t fully understand. Couples may be dealing with a variety of issues, such as:

  • Anger
  • Resentment
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Addiction
  • Chronic illness
  • Trauma
  • Confidence
  • Infidelity
Alex Szablya MA, LMHC in beige outfit sitting on leather chair in modern illuminated interior space - In Los Angeles, CA

Roots in Attachment Theory

What to Expect From Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

John Bowlby first introduced attachment theory to explain how individuals bond to their caregivers in childhood and how these patterns mold their future adult relationships. With EFT, Sue Johnson applied these concepts to the therapeutic process, focusing on how partners need secure attachments for their coupleships to thrive.

With EFT, Alex Szablya helps her clients notice how unmet needs and insecurities can lead to patterns that undermine intimacy and closeness. These patterns can include withdrawal, criticism, or defensiveness, and they often mask underlying fear, loneliness, or anticipation of rejection.

Emotions at the Forefront

While some therapeutic models focus on thoughts and behaviors, EFT emphasizes emotions. It helps clients better recognize what they are feeling and reacting to, learn to express their feelings more effectively, and repair deep wounds in a supportive, nurturing setting. With greater emotional awareness, couples can communicate their needs with more clarity and confidence while listening to their partner’s feelings with greater empathy and understanding.

A Three-Stage Process

EFT is carried out in stages, with each step designed to take clients to a new level of awareness, transitioning from disconnection to reconnection.

Phase 1:
De-Escalation

Alex Szablya helps clients name the patterns fueling their ongoing conflicts. As an example, one partner may emotionally withdraw while the other places increasing demands on their significant other. Both partners can take a step back and let go of the blame game, opening the door for collaboration and connection.

Phase 2:
Restructuring Interactions

Alex Szablya guides each partner in revealing more vulnerable emotions underlying their faulty responses to conflict. These can include fear of abandonment, fear of enmeshment, or shame. Genuine emotional expression rebuilds fractured bonds and supports new, healthy ways of coping with relationship stressors.

Phase 3:
Consolidation

During this final step, couples practice what they have learned so far. They work through difficult moments together, strengthening their teamwork and creating lasting, thriving bonds that offer a sense of belonging, trust, and resilience.

How Much Does Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Cost?

Alex Szablya usually charges around $300 per couple’s session in New Orleans. However, costs can vary depending on your needs, the frequency of your appointments, and the specific strategies employed to solve your issues. During your initial consultation with Alex Szablya in New Orleans, you will learn more about her unique approach to therapy and pricing.

Why Choose Alex Szablya?

Alex Szablya helps couples seeking to take their relationship to a new level of trust, communication, bonding, and togetherness. She relies on data-driven therapeutic methods in Marathon Intensives and weekly sessions, helping partners enjoy increased fondness, goodwill, and connection. She works with established methods, such as Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and draws on insights from the Gottman Method.

Alex’s Marathon Intensives are highly concentrated two-day formats, during which couples rebuild the foundation of their relationships, rekindling their sacred union. Through the work, partners are restored, reunited, and realigned more rapidly than is possible in weekly meetings.

Clients from all over the globe seek out Alex Szablya, including those from Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America. She works with people in technology, academia, finance and other sectors, providing invaluable insights that help partnerships get back on track. Marathon Intensives are offered in New Orleans, Seattle, New York, Boston, and Los Angeles.

EFT, Gottman, and RLT FAQs

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Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Book a Consultation

To get started with Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) in New Orleans and beyond, reach out to Alex Szablya’s friendly team today for an informative introductory conversation. Alex Szablya is an experienced couples coach who can help both partners deepen their loving bond. Call today to embark on a path to renewed intimacy, connection, and closeness with the love of your life.

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