“Be open to all those ways that people can live their lives”: LGBTQ+ client recommendations for adapting Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy

Caitlin Edwards; Andrea Wittenborn; Robert Allan

doi:10.1111/jmft.70037

“Be open to all those ways that people can live their lives”: LGBTQ+ client recommendations for adapting Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy

Caitlin Edwards, Andrea Wittenborn, Robert Allan

School of Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Emotionally focused couple therapy (EFCT) is an empirically supported treatment for relationship distress. Yet, despite EFCT's substantial evidence base, to date, there have been no studies that have integrated LGBTQ+ clients' experiences and therapeutic needs into the EFCT process. Thirty-five EFCT clients participated in theater testing focus groups to generate client recommendations for the use of EFCT for LGBTQ+ relationships. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants drew on their own lived experiences, their experiences receiving EFCT, and EFCT video observation to make recommendations about the use of EFCT for LGBTQ+ relationships.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1
Number of pages	14
Journal	Journal of Marital and Family Therapy
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.70037
Publication status	Published - 21 May 2025

Keywords

cultural adaptation, emotionally focused couple therapy, LGBTQ+, therapeutic needs

Access to Document

10.1111/jmft.70037

Cite this

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title = "“Be open to all those ways that people can live their lives”: LGBTQ+ client recommendations for adapting Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy",

abstract = "Emotionally focused couple therapy (EFCT) is an empirically supported treatment for relationship distress. Yet, despite EFCT's substantial evidence base, to date, there have been no studies that have integrated LGBTQ+ clients' experiences and therapeutic needs into the EFCT process. Thirty-five EFCT clients participated in theater testing focus groups to generate client recommendations for the use of EFCT for LGBTQ+ relationships. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants drew on their own lived experiences, their experiences receiving EFCT, and EFCT video observation to make recommendations about the use of EFCT for LGBTQ+ relationships.",

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