As adult children and their parents grow older, many hope their relationships will naturally become easier. But for many families, unresolved tension, emotional distance, or long-standing patterns of miscommunication continue into adulthood. Even when love is present, closeness can feel out of reach.
As a Registered Clinical Counsellor in Vancouver, I work with adult families who want to reconnect, but feel stuck in cycles of misunderstanding, frustration, or silence. Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) offers a powerful and compassionate way to change those patterns.
What Is Emotionally Focused Family Therapy?
EFFT is a structured, evidence-informed approach grounded in attachment theory. It’s designed to help families rebuild emotional bonds by creating safety, expressing core emotions, and transforming rigid patterns of interaction.
Rather than focusing on blame or surface-level issues, EFFT guides families to explore the deeper emotional needs and longings that often go unspoken—needs for closeness, understanding, and repair.
Why Adult Families in Vancouver Seek EFFT
In my practice, I often support families facing:
- Ongoing emotional distance or unresolved hurt
- Tension around independence, caregiving, or family roles
- Cultural or generational differences
- The impact of past emotional injuries or trauma
Many adult children and parents want to reconnect—but don’t know how to have the conversations that matter most. EFFT helps families move beyond defensiveness and into genuine understanding.
What to Expect in EFFT
Therapy begins by identifying the emotional cycles keeping your family stuck. Together, we slow things down, uncover core feelings and unmet needs, and create space for new ways of relating.
Families learn how to:
- Express vulnerable emotions in a safe and supported way
- Hear one another with empathy
- Repair emotional ruptures from the past
- Build secure, respectful relationships moving forward
These conversations can be deeply healing—even after years of distance.
It’s Not Too Late to Reconnect
Whether you’re navigating old wounds, shifting roles, or simply want to feel closer, EFFT can help you build a more connected relationship—at any stage of life.
If you’re an adult child, parent, or caregiver in British Columbia, I invite you to reach out. As a Registered Clinical Counsellor trained in Emotionally Focused Family Therapy, I offer a supportive space to do this important work—together. Feel free to reach out for a free 20-minute consultation to see if Emotionally Focussed Family Therapy would be a good fit for you and your family members.
