Review of Emotion-focused therapy: Coaching clients to work through their feelings.

LESLIE S. GREENBERG Emotion-Focused Therapy: Coaching Clients to Work Through Their Feelings Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2001, 337 pages (ISBN 1-55798-881-1, US$39.95) Reviewed by DARCY A. SANTOR Emotion-Focused Therapy: Coaching Clients to Work Through Their Feelings by Leslie S. Greenberg (2002) was written for both novice therapists who have had little experience working with emotions in treatment, as well as for experienced therapists looking to systematize their understanding of how emotional change works. Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) is well written and enjoyable to read. Greenberg draws on scholarly research to establish the foundation for emotion-focused treatment and illustrates the key principals of EFT by drawing judiciously on both professional and personal experience. This book can be read in two ways - either by focusing on the implications of EFr for the manner in which psychotherapy is delivered and believed to work, or by focusing on the numerous techniques and exercises provided throughout the book. From a theoretical perspective, Emotion-Focused Therapy provides a framework in which cognitions, interpersonal relationships, and emotions can be integrated and understood. Both Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) address emotions and emotionality in treatment, albeit in different ways and from different theoretical models. EFT provides an important framework in which CBT and IPT can be distinguished. IPT is often characterized as a loss-based model, which for Greenberg emphasizes a primary emotion. In contrast, CBT can be viewed as emphasizing secondary emotions, such as the worry associated with the pursuit of unrealistic, high expectations of success. Given that both types of emotional states can be debilitating, they each need to be considered in treatment. EFT offers a framework in which these emotions can be distinguished and a set of techniques with which primary and secondary emotions can be addressed explicitly. In this regard, EFT also provides a model of psychotherapeutic change that can enhance our understanding of how IPT and CBT work. From a practical perspective, the book offers clinicians and individuals dozens of exercises and interventions that address both the basic and advanced key elements of EFT (e.g., Getting to know your emotions, Experiencing adaptive emotions, Anger that obscures another feeling). The book is divided into four parts. Part I examines the nature and function of emotions. Chapters in this section address questions concerning the foundation for claiming that there are optimal ways for dealing with human emotionality, differentiate three types of emotion - primary, secondary, and instrumental - articulate the rationale for emotion coaching, and outline the practical steps in emotionally coaching clients through difficult emotions. Throughout this and other chapters, Greenberg draws on data from the most recent psychotherapy change research to justify key principles of EFT. …