Platonic Relationship Therapy

At Catalyzing Courage, we value all relationships and recognize that platonic relationships need help from time to time. This could be a childhood best friend, someone from your chosen family, or a platonic life partner. We do not believe the absence of a romantic or family designation means they have any less value in your life. Much like our family and romantic relationship process, we use an Emotionally Focused Therapy method with platonic relationships. For simplicity's sake, we will use the term friendship, while recognizing your platonic relationship may have another designation and this term does not any way mean to lessen the value of your relationship.

Emotionally Focused Therapy for Friendships

Emotionally focused therapy (EFT) is a type of therapy that helps people improve their emotional connection and communication. It is based on the idea that our emotions are a powerful force in our lives, and that they can either help or hinder our relationships.

EFT can be used to help friendships in a number of ways. It can help friends to:

• Identify and understand their emotions: EFT can help friends to become more aware of their own emotions, and to understand how their emotions affect their behavior.

• Communicate their emotions effectively: EFT can help friends to learn how to communicate their emotions in a way that is clear, honest, and respectful.

• Resolve conflict constructively: EFT can help friends to learn how to resolve conflict in a way that is respectful and productive.

• Build trust and intimacy: EFT can help friends to build trust and intimacy by helping them to connect with each other on an emotional level.

If you are looking for a way to improve your friendship, EFT may be a good option for you. It can help you to connect with your friend on a deeper level, and to build a more fulfilling and satisfying friendship.

Here are some of the key concepts of EFT applied to friendships:

• Attachment: Attachment is the emotional bond that we form with our friends. This bond is based on trust, security, and intimacy.

• Secure attachment: Secure attachment is characterized by a sense of safety, trust, and comfort in our friendships. People with secure attachment are able to express their emotions openly and honestly, and they feel confident that their friends will be there for them.

• Insecure attachment: Insecure attachment is characterized by a sense of anxiety, fear, or distrust in our friendships. People with insecure attachment may have difficulty expressing their emotions, or they may be overly clingy or avoidant in their friendships.

• Reactivation: Reactivation is the process of bringing up old attachment wounds in the present moment. This can happen when we are triggered by something that reminds us of a past experience of insecure attachment.

• Change process: The change process in EFT for friendships involves helping friends to identify and understand their attachment patterns, and then to learn new ways of communicating and relating to each other.

If you are interested in learning more about EFT for friendships, there are a number of resources available online and in libraries. You can also talk to your therapist about whether EFT is a good fit for your friendship.

Here are some tips for using EFT in your friendships:

• Be honest with your friend about your emotions. EFT is all about being open and honest with your emotions. If you are feeling hurt, angry, or sad, tell your friend how you are feeling.

• Listen to your friend's emotions. Just as it is important to be honest with your friend about your emotions, it is also important to listen to your friend's emotions. Let your friend know that you understand how they are feeling.

• Communicate in a way that is respectful and constructive. When you are communicating with your friend, be sure to do so in a way that is respectful and constructive. Avoid using hurtful language or making personal attacks.

• Be patient. EFT is a process, and it takes time to see results. Be patient with yourself and with your friend as you are working through your issues.

If you are willing to put in the work, EFT can be a powerful tool for improving your friendships. It can help you to connect with your friends on a deeper level, and to build a more fulfilling and satisfying friendship.