Certification

A Certified Emotionally Focused Therapy Therapist is one whose expertise and professional practice of the method is recognized by ICEEFT (International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy).

The primary goals of certification are to promote quality in the practice of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT), Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), and Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) to ensure that the appropriate standard in supervision and training in the method is maintained.

The Path to Becoming a Certified EFT Therapist

Entry level - externship

The Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Entry Level (Externship), which is a 4-day training (24+ hours), is the first level of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) training. Its completion is a prerequisite to becoming a certified EFT therapist.

At this level the mental health professionals are trained in the basic clinical skills they will need to become competent emotionally focused therapists.

The Entry level (Externship) combines theoretical lectures, practical exercises in clinical skills, observation of therapy sessions - videotaped and/or live, and also includes study and discussion of specific clinical cases and bibliography.

Main objectives

Yes Increase the competence of participants to be able to:

• Gain a clear understanding of the basic Systems Principles and the Experiential Approach in Emotionally Focused Therapy.
• Understand couple tension and relationship strengthening through the lens of Attachment and Emotion Theory.
• Assist partners to re-evaluate those emotional reactions that maintain tension in their relationship.
• They help partners to build new patterns of interaction and create positive moments of connectedness.
• Gain expertise to deal with therapeutic blockages when working with couples.

Who can participate ?

Entry level is recommended for all professionals who counsel couples - marriage and family therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, general practitioners doctors, psychiatric nurses, counsellors and those training in these professions.

Participants are advised to read "Creating Connection." by Dr. Sue Johnson before signing up to participate in the Beginning Level.

Specialist level "Basic skills" - core skills

The specialized Core Skills level is the second level of Emotionally Focused Therapy training and is also a prerequisite for becoming a certified EFT therapist. A minimum of 24 hours of Core Skills training is required to become certified with ICEEFT.

The training "Core Skills" is conducted in small groups (of about 12 people) and it is designed to hone the clinical skills needed for the nine steps of EFT. A deeper understanding of the model and further engagement in it through active participation and personal guidance from the trainer.

This level combines training information, practical exercises, real demonstrations from paired sessions, and supervision and counselling on specific cases of the trainee.

The training at our Centre takes the form of 4 two-day training sessions, with a total duration of 48 hours. It is spread over one year. In order to participate in the Basic Skills level, candidates must have completed the Entry Level EFT Externship.

The therapist must be fully licensed or officially registered to practice psychotherapy in the relevant country.

The therapist must have at least three (3) years of clinical experience after earning their degree and must currently be engaged in therapeutic practice with a caseload appropriate to the modality for which they are applying.

The therapist must also hold a postgraduate degree in the relevant professional discipline or in the field of mental health.

The therapist must be an active member of ICEEFT and must also hold membership in a professional organization or association.

For more information, please visit the official ICEEFT website here.

Emotion-Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) is an innovative therapeutic approach that supports the processing of emotional experiences and the development of secure connections with oneself and others. It stems from Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples and adapts its core principles to individual therapeutic work.

EFIT offers a structured approach to addressing various challenges, including anxiety, depression, traumatic experiences, and relationship issues. Its unique features enable mental health professionals to support their clients in transforming limiting emotional patterns, achieving greater inner wholeness, and building deep psychological resilience.

• Fundamentals of EFT 
• EFIT Essentials, led by a certified EFT trainer and approved by ICEEFT (or EFIT Levels 1 and 2).
• EFIT Consultation, led by a certified EFT trainer (10-hour training course).
• Approved EFIT Short Courses: A minimum of 6 hours of additional EFIT training is required, selected from the list of approved training videos (including those developed by ICEEFT and PESI). This requirement may be fulfilled through a single 6-hour course or a combination of shorter courses totaling at least 6 hours.
• Required Reading: *A Primer for Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT): Cultivating Fitness and Growth in Every Client* by Susan M. Johnson and T. Leanne Campbell, Routledge, 2022.

This assessment evaluates the overall skill level of the certification candidate as demonstrated in the two submitted video recordings. It is not necessary for every intervention to appear in each of the recordings.

The goal is for trainees to be able to identify both their strengths and the areas in which they need to improve. The supervisor and the certification candidate work together to outline a clear plan for improvement.

Professional development and growth are viewed as an ongoing process throughout an EFT therapist’s entire professional career. In this sense, certification is not an end goal, but rather an important step along this journey.

Supervisors look for key elements that demonstrate an understanding of the client, their suffering, and the process of change, based on attachment theory. The candidate is expected to present a coherent picture of the client’s history from an attachment perspective and to describe what led the client to seek therapy at this particular moment: why the client is seeking therapy now, their symptoms, diagnoses (if any), and current life stressors, as well as how these issues manifest on the emotional, relational, and intrapsychic levels.

Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) extends the principles of Emotion-Focused Therapy to the restoration and strengthening of family relationships. Its primary goal is to help build secure patterns of functioning within the family, in which attachment, responsive care, and emotional bonds function effectively. EFFT focuses on stabilizing negative interaction patterns, restructuring interactions between parents and children, and reinforcing a sense of security through new patterns of connection. 

Drawing on the science of attachment, it helps families make rapid progress as their members become more responsive and engaged with one another, discover and address previously unrecognized emotions and needs related to attachment, thereby fostering personal growth and improving intergenerational relationships.

• Fundamentals of EFT
• EFFT Essentials, led by a certified EFT trainer and approved by ICEEFT (or EFFT Levels 1 and 2)
• EFFT Consultation, led by a certified EFT trainer (10-hour training)
• Approved EFFT Short Courses: A minimum of 6 hours of additional EFFT training is required, selected from the list of approved training videos. This requirement can be met through a single 6-hour course or through a combination of shorter courses totaling at least 6 hours.
• Required Reading: *Emotionally Focused Family Therapy: Restoring Connection and Promoting Resilience* by James L. Furrow, Gail Palmer, Susan M. Johnson, George Faller, and Lisa Palmer-Olsen, Routledge, 2019.

This is an assessment of the certification candidate’s overall skills as demonstrated in the two submitted video recordings. It is not necessary for every intervention to be included in each recording. The goal is for trainees to be able to identify their strengths and weaknesses. The supervisor and the certification candidate work together on a clear plan for improvement. Development and professional growth are viewed as a continuous process throughout the EFT therapist’s entire professional journey; that is, certification is one step along that path.

Candidates must demonstrate an understanding of key elements, including the family’s history as viewed through the lens of attachment theory, as well as the circumstances that led the family to seek therapy. Candidates are expected to describe the negative cycle or pattern present in the family, explaining how each member of the distressed dyad interacts, what the triggering factors (signals) are that cause the distress, as well as the behavioral tendencies, primary and reactive emotions associated with these interactions.

The therapist should include a description of the parents’ attachment history and outline the general course of the therapeutic process, noting all significant moments of change. Whenever possible, the therapist is encouraged to include personal professional reflections.