Frum marriage enhancement two-day retreat will be held November 12 and 13.

(Courtesy of Hold Me Tight®) “Love and marriage may be the most used and the most potent words in the English language,” states Dr. Sue Johnson, developer and researcher of Emotionally Focused therapy for couples (EFT).

Not to disappoint the Beatles and other famous singers, but “Love is not all you need.”

Western culture views independence as a virtue. We’ve been taught that a truly strong person doesn’t need anybody to survive and thrive. Conventional belief says that secure attachment is only for infants and caregivers.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Being attached to your spouse is actually a good thing. In fact, a secure attachment underlies the strongest relationships.

This viewpoint fits in well with the Jewish perspective of marriage: The essence of marriage is the commitment to pursue life goals together, to share values, and priorities, and have the road map and structure necessary to unite a couple in a secure attachment.

So, how do we get there? EFT!

Based on emotion, attachment and growth theory, EFT helps people identify which of their emotions they can trust and rely on as adaptive guides and which of their emotions are residues of painful memories that have become maladaptive to the person’s current context and need to be changed.

Dr Johnson’s life-changing program, the Hold Me Tight® seminar (based on her best-selling book and empirical research) is coming to the frum community this summer. This life-changing, two-day program is non-stigmatizing, fun and engaging and led by top EFT presenters. Imagery and content have been adapted to be appropriate for the frum couple.

For more information and registration, contact Marcy Davidovics, LCSW, EFT candidate at [email protected] or 917-586-5360.