The Emotion Focused Formulation was developed by Isabel Clarke in an acute mental health context (i.e. inpatient mental health) but this approach also has wider applicability. It places the client's felt sense at the center with maintenance cycles derived from functional/behavioral analysis.

Significant past events and recent stresses triggers give context to the client’s current experience. It is the 'intolerable internal state' which is identified as the source of the problem behavior/experiences that have brought the client to therapy. Therapists are encouraged as much as possible to use the client's language, and to translate difficulties into behavioral terms.

• Further information and training is available from http://www.isabelclarke.org
• Presentation on CBT in inpatient and crisis settings http://www.isabelclarke.org/docs/Edinburgh_2008.ppt