a form of couples therapy based on the premise that relationship problems are most often due to thwarted fulfillment of emotional needs, particularly the need for attachment. This intervention involves isolating the conflict over thwarted needs, interrupting the negative interaction cycle, reframing the conflict, and helping the partners to accept each other’s emotional experience as valid. Also called emotionally focused couples therapy. [developed in the 1980s by South African-born Canadian psychologist Leslie S. Greenberg (1945– ) and Canadian psychologist Susan M. Johnson]