NANCY L. BECKERMAN and MICHELE SARRACCO
Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Yeshiva University, New York, New York, USA
Though at first glance, mindfulness may not seem to be in concert
with emotionally focused couple therapy, there are ways to intervene
with each approach that enhances the treatment. Recent
empirical evidence suggests that mindfulness practice can in fact
complement emotionally focused therapy (EFT) in several areas
of marital distress. This article reviews the empirical research on
mindfulness and EFT and provides a case analysis that illustrates
the use of mindfulness practice within the context of emotionally
focused couple therapy.
KEYWORDS mindfulness, EFT, couple therapy
INTRODUCTION
This article examines the use of mindfulness practice within the framework
of emotionally focused couple therapy (EFT) to treat the central challenge of
a marriage: a wife’s depression. There is empirical evidence that individual
disorders such as depression can be significantly affected within the context
of couple therapy (Baucom, Shoham, Mueser, Daiuto, & Stickle, 1998;
Halford & Bouna, 1997; S. Johnson & Lebow, 2000; O’Leary & Beach, 1990).
Recent research also suggests that mindfulness practice alongside several
individual and couples therapy can be utilized effectively to treat depression
and reduce depression relapse rates (Carson, Carson, Gil, & Baucom,
2004; Coelho, Canter, & Ernst, 2007; Segal, Teasdale, & Williams, 2004; Singh,
Lancioni, Wahler, Winton, & Singh, 2008; Williams, 2008).