SFT vs EFT vs CBT Therapy Approaches

Not all therapy works the same way. And not every client needs the same approach. At Rosen Couples Counselling, we offer several proven methods tailored to individual goals, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), solution-focused therapy (SFT), and emotion-focused therapy (EFT). Each method offers a unique path to emotional wellness, personal growth, or relationship repair.

Whether you’re seeking quick, practical results, working through long-standing emotional patterns, or looking to strengthen a relationship, understanding these approaches helps you make informed choices about your mental health care.

This guide breaks down how CBT, SFT, and EFT work and what you can expect from each so you can choose the right starting point for your journey.

Understanding How CBT, SFT, and EFT Work

CBT, SFT, and EFT each offer a different route to improving mental and emotional health. While their goals may overlap, their methods, focus, and time commitment vary.

Here’s a breakdown of how each therapy works.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

CBT is a structured, evidence-based therapy that helps clients recognize and challenge negative thought patterns. It’s especially effective for anxiety, depression, trauma, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and addiction. Sessions focus on practical strategies, often with take-home exercises that reinforce what’s discussed in therapy.

• Focus: Thoughts → Emotions → Actions
• Method: Structured sessions with practical tools and homework
• Duration: Typically 12–20 sessions

Related Article: How CBT Fixes Negative Thinking Patterns

Solution-Focused Therapy

SFT is designed for clients who want results quickly. Rather than exploring past experiences, SFT concentrates on present strengths and future goals. It’s ideal for people going through transitions or facing specific challenges who want to move forward with clarity.

• Focus: Solutions, not problems
• Method: Goal setting and future-focused questioning
• Duration: Typically 1–8 sessions

Emotion-Focused Therapy

EFT helps individuals and couples work through emotional challenges by increasing awareness, identifying core emotions, and reshaping emotional responses. It’s rooted in attachment theory and is especially helpful for relational issues, trauma, and emotional regulation.

• Focus: Emotional awareness and attachment
• Method: Experiential, emotionally focused conversations
• Duration: Typically 8–20 sessions

Related Article: What Is Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples

Each approach offers something unique. Choosing the right one depends on your personal goals, how deep you want to go, and how quickly you’re hoping to see change.

Who Benefits from Which Therapy?

Each therapy method serves a different purpose, and the best fit depends on your goals, personality, and current challenges. Whether you’re navigating anxiety, relationship strain, or life transitions, there’s a therapy style that matches your needs.

Here’s a quick breakdown of who typically benefits most from each approach.

Choose CBT if you need:

• Help with anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma, or eating disorders
• Strategies to restructure negative/automatic thoughts
• Homework assignments and tracking progress using evidence-based methods

Choose SFT if you’re:

• Focused on quick results and practical goals
• In a life transition (job change, parenting, confidence-building)
• Overwhelmed by detail and want a direct path forward
• Interested in a strength-based approach built on hope and existing solutions

Choose EFT if you’re:

• Struggling with emotional awareness, regulation, or relationships
• Working through grief, attachment issues, couples conflicts, or trauma
• Wanting to deepen emotional insight, connection, and healing

Beyond Differences: When Integration Works

These approaches can be combined for stronger results:

• CBT + EFT for couples offers cognitive strategies and emotional healing
• EFT + SFT helps with emotional depth and goal setting.
• CBT + SFT keeps emotional distortions in check while focusing on solutions.

Rosen Couples Counselling can craft a tailored plan that matches your goals, whether that’s rapid change, emotional insight, or strengthening your relationship.

Related Article: Underlying Issues in Couples Therapy

What Science Says About Them

Therapy isn’t just about comfort; it’s about results. These three approaches are backed by decades of clinical research, and each one has its strengths depending on the issue at hand.

CBT is considered the gold standard in psychotherapy for a reason. It has been extensively studied and consistently shows high success rates in treating a wide range of mental health conditions, particularly anxiety disorders, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and OCD.

CBT’s structured format and focus on measurable goals make it appealing in clinical settings and private practice. Research also shows that CBT often leads to long-term improvement by equipping clients with skills they can continue to use after therapy ends.

SFT may not be as well-known, but research supports its effectiveness, especially in short-term or goal-specific contexts. It has shown positive outcomes for individuals dealing with depression, anxiety, trauma, substance use, and work or life transitions.

Because SFT is brief and emphasizes clients’ existing strengths and successes, it can help people feel empowered quickly. Studies suggest that SFT can be just as effective as CBT in some cases, particularly when the issues are situational rather than chronic.

EFT is strongly supported by evidence when it comes to emotional regulation and relationship repair. It’s especially effective in couples and family therapy, where emotional connection and attachment patterns are central.

EFT has been shown to reduce conflict, increase empathy, and improve communication. It’s also used with individuals experiencing emotional suppression, trauma, or unresolved grief. Research highlights EFT’s ability to bring lasting change by working directly with deep emotional processes, not just symptoms.

All three therapies are validated by research. The key is choosing the one that fits the problem you’re facing and how you prefer to work through it.

How to Decide Which One’s Best for You

Use this guide as a starting point:

1. What’s your main challenge?
   • Distorted thinking → CBT
   • Short-term practical goals → SFT
   • Emotional or relationship depth → EFT
2. How much time can you commit?
   • SFT: 1–8 sessions
   • CBT/EFT: 8–20 sessions based on pace and depth
3. What style suits you?
   • Structured homework → CBT
   • Hope-driven and brief → SFT
   • Exploration of emotion and attachment → EFT
4. What’s your budget?
   • SFT is usually the shortest and least costly
   • CBT/EFT involve more sessions and time investment
5. Want expert opinion?
   • Book a discovery session at Rosen Counselling, where therapists can recommend the best fit for your needs.

Choose What Helps You Thrive

CBT, SFT, and EFT each offer powerful paths to healing, whether you need to stop negative thought cycles, focus on a clear life goal, or heal emotionally. The “best” therapy is the one that aligns with your needs, timeframe, and how you connect with change.

At Rosen Couples Counselling, our mission is to help you choose and help you thrive. Because when therapy fits, you fit the path to growth.

Ready to find your fit? Book a consultation with us today. Take the first step toward clarity, connection, or change.