Emotionally focused therapy / EFT-A16-1
Individual Emotional Cycle — Concept brief
Understand the idea behind individual emotional cycle and consider whether it fits your context.
8 minutes · Handout · Adults; supported use as appropriate
Fictional example: Alex interprets a delayed reply as rejection and withdraws before checking.
Use an ordinary or fictional example, with a clinician when appropriate. An individual can explore a recurring emotional sequence without involving another person.
The idea
An individual can explore a recurring emotional sequence without involving another person.
An ordinary example
Alex interprets a delayed reply as rejection and withdraws before checking.
What this can look like
Map trigger, meaning, emotion, protection, and current support in a private fictional or ordinary example.
Check the fit
Where might curiosity or support enter this sequence? You may disagree with the framing, use fiction, or decide that this approach is not useful today.
A useful distinction
An interaction cycle is a relational map, not a way to split responsibility equally for abuse or excuse harmful behavior.
Prompts for this resource
- What part of this idea makes sense to me?
- Where might curiosity or support enter this sequence?
Conceptual background
What is EFT? — International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy
Background on the approach only. Original exercises and wording are by More Than Therapy with AI assistance; the source does not validate or endorse these materials.