World-renowned psychologist, bestselling author, professor, researcher, creator of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), extraordinary partner, incredible mother, gardener, feminist, tango dancer, nature lover, history scholar — Sue lived with cancer for three years.
On April 23, 2024, that journey came to an end.
Sue was deeply passionate about her work, her family, her friends, and her dogs. She loved teaching and held deep appreciation for her students.
She received numerous accolades and was especially proud to have been awarded the Order of Canada, the highest civilian honor in her adopted country, recognizing outstanding achievement, dedication to the community, and service to Canada. In 2016, she was named Psychologist of the Year by the APA and was also honored by the AAMFT for her exceptional contributions to the field of couple and family therapy.
Sue was born on December 19, 1947, and raised in Kent, England, where she lived until completing her undergraduate studies at the University of Hull. Shortly thereafter, she moved to Vancouver, Canada, where she earned her Master’s degree and later her Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia.
Driven by the desire to find the best way to help couples resolve conflict, strengthen their bonds, and improve mental health, Sue watched hundreds of hours of therapy session tapes to identify the key elements that truly made a difference and changed lives. The resulting dissertation became the foundation of EFT, a humanistic, experiential model of therapy that is now the most empirically supported approach to couple therapy in the world.
Together with her colleagues, during (and after) her tenure as a professor at the University of Ottawa, she expanded EFT to show its equal relevance and value for individual therapy (EFIT) and family therapy (EFFT), building on the science of attachment and the power of emotional connection.
Sue leaves behind a substantial body of work: numerous books, articles, chapters, training videos, interviews, podcasts, and her first work of fiction, Edgar & Elouise.
Her first book for the general public, Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love — in Italian, Stringimi Forte, published by Cortina and edited by our Italian trainers Giulia Altera and Andrea Pagani — sold over one million copies. This bestseller was developed into an educational and relationship enhancement program, the Hold Me Tight® program, which has been translated into more than 30 languages and is offered in workshops worldwide. The program has been adapted for specific groups, including couples facing heart disease, families with teenagers, and Christian couples, and is also available in an online format.
Her book Love Sense: The Revolutionary New Science of Romantic Relationships presents a new, science-based understanding of why and how we love. Explaining that romantic love is an attachment bond, Dr. Johnson shows us how we can develop our own “love sense” — our capacity to form lasting, meaningful relationships.
Sue’s second-to-last book, Attachment Theory in Practice: EFT with Individuals, Couples and Families, illustrates how attachment science helps us make sense of and heal our most precious relationships, and thrive as strong, resilient individuals. It argues that attachment offers the most powerful map for therapeutic change, particularly in the treatment of anxiety and depression — and that EFT captures the essence of this perspective more closely than any other model. EFT focuses on the core survival-based feature of human connection — strong emotion — and systematically shapes bonding interactions with others.
Sue’s final book, also translated into Italian as Guida per la Terapia Individuale Focalizzata sulle Emozioni, published by Franco Angeli and edited by Andrea Pagani and Giulia Altera, was co-authored with our colleague Leanne Campbell. It applies the core EFT interventions to individual psychotherapy, offering both an overview and clinical guidance for working with clients facing depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress.
Some of Dr. Johnson’s other most influential professional books include The Practice of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy: Creating Connection (third edition, 2019), and Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy with Trauma Survivors (2002).
Sue believed that to truly teach and demonstrate the power of EFT, it was not enough to write about it — it was important to show the work. She recorded numerous live therapy sessions that demonstrated EFT’s effectiveness for the training of mental health professionals. Sue wanted others to truly understand what works, and how the power and meaning of emotion are central to therapeutic healing, mental health, and overall wellbeing.
In 1998, alongside her husband John Douglas and colleagues Gail Palmer and Alison Lee, Sue co-founded the Ottawa Couple and Family Institute. Soon after, the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT) was established — a global network of mental health professionals dedicated to advancing the use and understanding of EFT. Today, EFT has thousands of member therapists, nearly 90 certified trainers, and close to 100 affiliated centers and communities around the world. EFT is taught in over 15 languages and in more than 40 countries. Sue often spoke of a key goal in her life: to have an impact. And she did.
Sue is survived by her husband John, her three children Sarah, Tim, and Emma, her granddaughter Amelie, and countless friends and colleagues. Sue connected deeply with people wherever she went.
Sue taught us how to love.
Sue left the world a better place.
May her memory be a blessing to us all.
Awards and Recognitions
- 2022 – Psychotherapy Networker Lifetime Achievement Award
(Awarded to individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the field of psychotherapy; whose life’s work has provided new tools for mental health professionals around the world due to its profound impact on our understanding of psychotherapy, on how therapists practice their craft, and on people’s lives.) - Order of Canada – awarded in 2017
- Family Psychologist of the Year Award – American Psychological Association (APA), Division 43 – 2016
- 21st John Bowlby Memorial Lecture – invited speaker at the 2014 John Bowlby Memorial Conference, London, UK
- Award for Professional Training – American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy – 2013
- Lifetime Achievement Award – Belgian Association for Couple and Family Therapy – 2009
- Family Therapy Research Award
Awarded by the American Family Therapy Academy – 2005 - Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Marriage & Family Therapy Award
Granted by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy – 2000 - Fellow of the American Psychological Association (Division on Family Psychology)
Sue Johnson was named a Fellow in recognition of her contributions to the field – 2003 - Award for Excellence in Education
Awarded by the University of Ottawa – 2002 - YMCA Women of Distinction Award
Honored for her work in the field of health and wellness – 2001
Our trainers, Giulia Altera and Andrea Pagani, had the honor and immense privilege of being trained by Sue.
