About this episode

This episode features a roundtable discussion with leading voices in EFT about the intricacies of Stage 2 emotional work.

What happens in the deepest moments of Stage 2 EFT work?In this special roundtable episode of The Leading Edge in Emotionally Focused Therapy, hosts Dr. James Hawkins and Dr. Ryan Rana sit down with three pioneers in EFT process research and training: Dr. Jim Furrow, Dr. Kathryn Rheem, and Dr. Marlene Best. Together, they unpack the heart of Stage 2 change events in EFT: withdrawer re-engagement, pursuer softening, therapeutic presence, fear, longing, attachment risk, and the healing power of vulnerable reach-and-response moments. This conversation is more than theory. It is a masterclass in how therapists help clients move from talking about emotion to speaking from emotion. The group explores how fear and longing work together, why vulnerability requires both courage and safety, and how the therapist’s emotional presence becomes the bridge that helps clients risk connection. You’ll hear powerful reflections on: Why fear must become experiential in Stage 2 The difference between Stage 1 and Stage 2 emotional work How longing creates movement through fear Why enactments are essential for deep limbic revision The therapist’s role in co-regulating attachment risk How healing…

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