title: Toward a mini-theory of the blamer softening event: tracking the moment-by-moment process.
abstract: In this article we present the results of a discovery-oriented task analysis research study identifying specific therapist behaviors that facilitate softening events in emotionally focused therapy (EFT) for couples. Therapy sessions conducted by an expert EFT therapist were examined. Six therapist content theme shifts were identified and specific interventions were delineated within each using an EFT coding scheme (EFT-CS) created for this study. This study extends the theoretical understanding of the softening process--a key change event in an empirically validated couples therapy approach--and provides a detailed clinical map for the training of therapists.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Counseling Department, Indiana Wesleyan University, 4201 South Washington Street, Marion, Indiana 46953, USA. brent.bradley@indwes.edu
authors.forename: Brent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Furrow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003376:Counseling; D019546:Couples Therapy / Q000379:methods; D019260:Expressed Emotion; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States