Adapting emotion-focused therapy for teletherapy

Abstract

ABSTRACT Person-centered and experiential therapies rely heavily on presence, empathic following, and experiencing. With the onset of the coronovirus pandemic in 2020 and the accompanying rapid shift to teletherapy, there are concerns about whether these essential components of person-centered and experiential therapies remain intact when not meeting in-person. This paper explores adaptations for delivering emotion-focused therapy virtually: setting the stage, intentionally creating space for transitions, adjusting enactments, and bringing special focus to therapeutic presence. These adaptations, based on personal experience, have been helpful in cultivating connection, presence, and experiencing when delivering therapy virtually.