Don Browning의 모델을 통한 정서중심적 부부치료 분석

Analysis of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy through Don Browning’s Model -For Effective Use in Pastoral Counseling-

Emotionally Focused Couple’s Therapy (EFCT) is a newer method of therapy designed to help couples embrace their emotions—negative emotions included—and constructively share those feelings with each other to heal their relationship. EFCT has increasingly proven to be reliably beneficial to couples in distress. Therefore, this article tries to examine the philosophical presuppositions of EFCT using Don Browning’s model and provide some thoughts on integrating this therapy within a Christian perspective. This article begins with a brief introduction of Browning’s model (1987)followed by a brief synopsis of EFCT. The article focused on three of Browning’s integration questions as they relate to EFCT: What does the theory claim as the ultimate meaning and foundation of life?, What does the theory morally obligate us to do?, and What are the fundamental needs and tendencies that this theory purports are foundational to psychological health and survival? These are then applied to EFCT. This article suggests that there are four metaphors—harmony, process,growth, atachment—in EFCT. These four metaphors are explained and compared with Christian perspectives. And obligation in EFCT (what we have to morally) is to have sense of entitlement, to form attachment and seek contact, and to love in mutuality. And this article shows that there are basic needs for attachment, self-actualization , and approaching to unexpressed emotion. Though EFCT has some limitations in its theory of ultimacy, it has many points of agreement with Christian tradition and has a strong place within a theory of adult love. Finally this article suggests in the conclusion that it will be a good therapy to help couples in the context of pastoral counseling, if Christian spirituality is considered in the theory.