ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on emotion-focused therapeutic work with general anxiety disorder (GAD) sufferers. Emotion-focused therapy (EFT) is a relational therapy. It builds on the tradition of client/person-centered therapy, which means that the therapist offers a genuine, authentic way of being and relating to the client in therapy. The supportive relationship offered by the therapist in EFT is also seen as a potentially powerful healing agent. A prerequisite for relational psychotherapy is authenticity on the part of the therapist. EFT therapists openly show that they care for their clients. Interpersonal warmth in the therapist is a particularly cherished quality by clients undergoing EFT. The relational nature of EFT is revealed in the client's use of the therapist's relational offer in emotional transformation. In addition to the authentic caring and the provision of corrective relational experiences, the client's trust in the therapist is also developed through recognition of the therapist's expertise.
