In this video, Johnson works with a couple on the brink of divorce. Leslie says she can’t take Scott’s explosive temper anymore; Scott says he thinks Leslie sees him as “just a mean and nasty guy.” Johnson helps Leslie communicate that it is not Scott she can’t be close to, but his temper that keeps her away. As Johnson helps Scott explore “softer” emotions hidden underneath his anger, the couple discovers how difficult it is to traverse this foreign territory. Nonetheless, Johnson’s persistent and gentle coaching helps them to take risks and begin to connect in ways they’ve never experienced before, providing a spark of hope that they can reverse their downward spiral.
Sue Johnson, PhD
Dr. Sue Johnson (1947-2024) was one of the originators and the main proponent of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT), now one of the best validated couples interventions in North America. She was Director of the Ottawa (Canada) Couple and Family Institute and the International Center for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy as well as Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Ottawa and Research Professor at Alliant University in San Diego, California. She received numerous honors for her work,…
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