Dyadic Formulation
The tool represents both partners and the loop between them, rather than creating a one-person problem list.
Negative Interaction Cycle Map for EFCT Couples Therapy
Negative Interaction Cycle Map is an emotionally focused couples therapy formulation tool for practitioners. It helps therapists map each partner's triggers, protective moves, observable behaviors, and emotional or attachment responses into a dyadic loop that externalizes the negative cycle.
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Tool guide
Learn more about this tool
Use this background section to understand when the tool fits, how practitioners use it, and what to consider before sharing it with clients.
Practitioner-Authored Interpretation
Underlying emotion or attachment response is entered or reviewed by the practitioner; the system does not infer it automatically.
Version History
When real maps change over time, prior formulations should remain historically distinguishable rather than silently overwritten.
Does the map assign blame?
No. The cycle is framed as the shared problem, and the tool avoids fault rankings or blame assignments.
Can clients complete the map without the practitioner?
The practitioner remains central. Clients may contribute descriptions and view the externalized cycle, but clinical formulation is practitioner-controlled.
What if only one partner's position is known?
The map remains partial and shows the missing partner components or unresolved links.
What is saved from the public demo?
The tool itself and intentional partner-label or cycle-focus setup are saved. Fictional cycle content and demo notes are not saved as real client data by default.