Expanding the emotion-focused therapy task of focusing to process emotional injury

ABSTRACT

This research investigated the processing and integration of past painful/traumatic events using an expanded model of the Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) task of Focusing. In previous research Harte proposed that processing emotional injuries by bringing previously incomplete memories back into awareness through activating felt sense, followed a particular sequence. The discovery phase of task analysis, a theory building research methodology, was used to develop a detailed model that revealed the steps of client change. Two sets of client participants were recruited. (1) Clients who reported they had experienced an emotional injury that resulted in emotional pain and had been engaged in therapy for some time and (2) trainee therapists in the role of client (bringing their own experiences) working with another trainee. A total of nine EFT trained therapists (26–57 years, mean = 44.25 years, five females and four males) worked with 11 clients (26–53 years, mean = 38.50 years, eight females and three males). Twelve single sessions were visually recorded, transcribed, and rigorously analyzed. A sequential three stage empirical model emerged from the discovery phase of the task analysis. The resultant empirical model describes a newly identified EFT task for processing emotional injuries in response to a felt sense of emotional pain (the marker).

Traiter la douleur émotionnelle au moyen tâche de thérapie centrée sur l’émotion de Focusing : une étude de cas unique

Dans la thérapie centrée sur l’émotion (TCE), la tâche du Focusing s’intéresse habituellement au sens non clairement ressenti. L’auteur (2012) a proposé une version élargie de la tâche du Focusing redessinée pour reconditionner la douleur émotionnelle en lien avec des événements douloureux/traumatiques non résolus. Plus récemment, l’auteur (2017) a utilisé la phase de découverte de l’analyse de tâche pour redéfinir le modèle proposé et développer une méthode permettant de relier la mémoire précédemment inhibée ou incomplète d’événements douloureux/traumatiques avec la conscience de manière telle qu’ils puissent être transformés et intégrés avec succès. Dans cette étude, douze sessions d’une thérapie unique ont fait l’objet d’un enregistrement vidéo, ont été retranscrites, observées et analysées par deux juges en utilisant la méthode d’analyse de tâche. Une session dont le résultat était positif a été identifiée comme étant exemplaire de la tâche qui conduit à une résolution et qui a un score élevé à différentes échelles (Experiencing Scale, Emotional Arousal Scale-III et Client Emotional Productivity Scale-Dimensional – version modifiée). Dans les sessions dont le résultat était positif, les clients faisaient part d’un changement ressenti. Un modèle empirique séquencé en trois phases a émergé de cette analyse. Cet article présente, au travers d’une session unique avec une femme âgée de 53 ans ayant une histoire traumatique (small-t trauma), une description approfondie de l’utilisation du modèle élargi de Focusing.

Emotionalen Schmerz verarbeiten, indem man die erweiterte Emotionsfokussierte Therapie-Aufgabe des Focusing verwendet: eine Einzelfallstudie

In der Emotionsfokussierten Therapie (EFT) bedeutet die Focusing- Aufgabe normalerweise, einen unklaren Felt Sense zu bearbeiten. Die Autorin (2012) schlug eine erweiterte Version der Focusing-Aufgabe vor, die für das Reprozessieren von emotionalem Schmerz entwickelt worden war, der in Verbindung mit nicht verarbeiteten schmerzhaften /traumatischen Ereignissen steht. In jüngerer Zeit verwendete die Autorin (2017) die Entdeckungsphase der Aufgabenanalyse dazu, das vorgeschlagene Modell zu verfeinern. Sie entwickelte eine Methode, die alte unterdrückte oder unvollständige Erinnerungen von schmerzhaften /traumatischen Ereignissen zurück ins Bewusstsein bringt, damit sie erfolgreich verarbeitet und integriert werden können. In dieser Studie wurden zwölf Einzeltherapiesitzungen per Video aufgezeichnet, transkribiert und von zwei Untersuchenden beobachtet und anhand der Aufgabenanalyse-Methode ausgewertet. Eine erfolgreiche Outcome-Sitzung wurde als gute Demonstration der Aufgabe identifiziert, die zu einer Lösung führte und auf folgenden Skalen hoch scorte: auf der Experiencing Skala, dann der Emotional Arousal Scale-III, sowie einer angepassten Skala der Client Emotional Productivity Scale-Dimensional. In den erfolgreichen Outcome-Sitzungen beschrieben Klient-Personen einen Felt Shift. Ein sequenzielles empirisches 3-Phasen-Modell entstand aus der Analyse. Dieser Artikel präsentiert eine qualitative Tiefenuntersuchung des erfolgreichen Gebrauchs des erweiterten Focusing-Modells in einer Einzelsitzung mit einer 53-jährigen Frau mit einem ‘klein t’-Trauma.

Expandiendo la tarea de Terapia centrada en la emoción de Enfocarse para procesar lesiones emocionales

Esta investigación investigó el procesamiento y la integración de eventos dolorosos / traumáticos pasados ​​mediante el uso de un modelo expandido de la tarea de Enfoque basado en la Emoción Enfocada (EFT). El autor (2012) propuso que el procesamiento de las lesiones emocionales traiga a la memoria recuerdos previamente incompletos a través de la activación de la sensación percibida, siguiendo una secuencia particular. La fase de descubrimiento del análisis de tareas, una teoría de la metodología de investigación de construcción, se utilizó para

SLdevelop y un modelo detallado que reveló los pasos del cambio de cliente. Se reclutaron dos grupos de participantes clientes. (1) Clientes que informaron que habían sufrido una lesión emocional que resultó en dolor emocional y que habían estado involucrados en terapia durante algún tiempo y (2) terapeutas en prácticas en el rol del cliente (que aportan sus propias experiencias) que trabajan con otro participante. Un total de nueve terapeutas capacitados en EFT (26-57 años, media = 44.25 años, cinco mujeres y cuatro hombres) trabajaron con once clientes (26-53 años, media = 38.50 años, ocho mujeres y tres hombres). Doce sesiones individuales fueron grabadas visualmente, transcritas y analizadas rigurosamente. Un modelo empírico secuencial de tres etapas emergió de la fase de descubrimiento del análisis de tareas. El modelo empírico resultante describe una tarea de EFT recién identificada para procesar lesiones emocionales en respuesta a una sensación sentida de dolor emocional (el marcador).

O processamento da dor emocional com recurso à tarefa expandida da Terapia Focada na Emoção – Focusing: um estudo de caso com uma sessão única

Na Terapia Focada na Emoção (TFE), a tarefa de Focusing envolve geralmente o processamento de um sentimento sentido pouco claro. Em 2012, a autora propôs uma versão expandida da tarefa do Focusing concebida para reprocessar a do emocional relacionada com eventos dolorosos/traumáticos não resolvidos. Mais recentemente, a autora (2017) usou a fase descoberta de análise de tarefa para refinar o modelo proposto e desenvolver um método de trazer de volta à consciência memórias incompletas de acontecimentos dolorosos/traumáticos, de modo a que possam ser processadas e integradas com sucesso. Nesse estudo, foram gravadas em vídeo doze terapias de uma única sessão, que foram depois transcritas, observadas e analisadas por dois investigadores, recorrendo ao método de análise de tarefa. Uma sessão com resultados de sucesso foi identificada como uma boa demonstração de uma tarefa que conduziu a uma resolução e obteve resultados elevados na Escala de Experiencing, na Escala de Alerta Emocional – III e na Escala Dimensional de Produtividade Emocional do Cliente. Nas sessões com resultados de sucesso os clientes descreveram ter sentido uma mudança. Da análise emergiu um modelo empírico em três fases. Este artigo apresenta um relato qualitativo aprofundado do uso bem-sucedido do modelo de Focusing expandido numa sessão única com uma mulher de 53 anos com um historial de trauma de menor ordem de stresse pós-traumático.

KEYWORDS:

• Emotion Focused Therapy
• focusing
• emotions
• emotional pain
• trauma

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplemental Material

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Additional information

Notes on contributors

Melissa Harte

Dr Melissa Harte [B. App. Sci. (Med. Lab. Sci.), Grad. Dip. (Psych), B. Sci. (Hons) Psych, DPsych (Couns)] is a Counselling Psychologist who supports and assists people to improve their lives. Her diverse range of services includes; face-to-face counselling, training, supervision and professional development within an Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) framework. She is an Internationally Accredited Trainer in EFT with the isEFT and the Training and Program Director of the newly formed Australian Institute for Emotion Focused Therapy (AIEFT). Melissa’s uniquely structured workshops are personally transformational for therapists and are designed to assist those therapists to deliver more comprehensive services for their clients.

In her clinical work and documented in her Doctoral research she extended Gendlin’s Focusing therapeutic intervention to assist individuals to work with painful and traumatic experiences. This proven method of reprocessing emotionally painful past events liberates her clients by breaking old patterns of behaviour and, in doing so, aids the process of true healing. Her current research using Task Analysis has explored the expansion of the Focusing Task to include assisting people to process unresolved painful past events.

Barry Strmelj

Barry Strmelj is a counselling psychologist working in private practice since 2012. Barry trained in Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) in 2011 with the principle author and has built a private practice based predominantly on this approach. He is certified by the International Society of EFT as an EFT supervisor and along with the provision of supervision he supports the provision of EFT training. Barry is the Executive Director of the Australian Institute of EFT and he is committed to building a community around the practice of EFT in Melbourne, Australia.

Stephen Theiler

Stephen Theiler has been teaching at Swinburne since 1996. At present he is the Deputy Director of the Swinburne Psychology Clinic. He teaches counselling in the Postgraduate area and supervises a full load of Masters and PhD students in their research and clinical work. His teaching achievements include National Carrick Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning and Vice-Chancellor Excellent Teaching Awards. He is a member of the Australian Psychological Society and is a counselling and clinical psychologist. He has over 30 publications in areas such as Education; Mindfulness; Hypnosis; Gestalt; Cyber-Bullying; Early Childhood Memories and Schema Therapy