Emotionally Focused Therapy Training with Yve Gould
Emotionally Focused Therapy is an experiential, humanistic and systematic model of couple’s therapy which is supported by a huge body of empirical research. EFT is considered the gold standard approach for couple therapy and draws on Attachment Theory and the power of emotion to improve the connection in dyadic relationships. It is based on the work of Dr. Sue Johnson.
Dr. Sue Johnson with Yve Gould
A Special Thank You
Dr. Sue Johnson has developed an unsurpassed treatment for distressed couples, Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy. She has won numerous awards for her contribution to training and research in the field of psychology and Marriage and Family Therapy.
Emotionally Focused Therapy Training Pathway for Couples (EFCT)
The Externship pathway training in EFT focuses on working with couples/dyads, however, includes some examples of how the EFT model can be applied across modalities to working with individuals (EFIT). After completing the Externship, you may choose to focus your training on working with Couples (EFCT) or complete Emotionally Focused Therapy for Individuals Training (EFiT) and Emotionally Focused Family Therapy Training (EFFT).
Yve provides training on the following EFT pathway course: Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples (EFCT).
To become a certified EFT couples therapist, participants need to undertake two training events in chronological order.
Step 1 - Externship
- Observation of live and video recorded couple therapy sessions
- Presentations of theory and clinical techniques
- Skills training exercises
- Discussion of specific cases, clinical material and issues
Step 2 - Basic Core Skills
The four-day Basic Core Skills program (24 hours) includes:
- 12 hours dedicated to Stage One and 12 hours dedicated to Stage Two.
- Basic Core Skills workshops are core training and are one of the requirements for certification in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy.
- Applicants for certification are required to attend the full 24 hours.
- Upon completion of the full 24 hours, trainers will issue Basic Core Skills certificates to participants.
Eligibility for Emotionally Focused Therapy Trainings
In order to undertake training in Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples, individuals, or families, you must be a mental health practitioner such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, counsellor, social worker, or psychotherapist. You must have student, applicant or full membership to an appropriate professional body. School counsellors are permitted to attend if they belong to a professional body that has standards of practice for psychotherapy/counselling. Life coaches are not permitted to attend unless they also belong to one of the mental health professional categories listed above.
You can complete EFT training if you are currently studying for a mental health qualification (e.g. undergraduate or postgraduate student) and student discounts are available.
Registrants applying for the student rate must provide proof of enrollment in a course of study in a mental health field such as psychology, counselling, social work, psychiatry etc. Limited student places are available at each training event.
Scholarship, Student & Equity training places
The NZ trainers also offer scholarship places for tangata whenua course participants and low income subsidies for those working with under-served or marginalised people.
Please note, these applications are taken on a case-by-case basis and depend on numbers of scholarships/mentoring places already being given at each training event.
Recommended Reading & Study
To get the most from your EFCT training, we recommend completing some pre-reading.
Attachment Theory in Practice: Emotionally Focused Therapy for Individuals, Couples and Families (Johnson, 2019) and Becoming an EFT Therapist: The Workbook (Furrow et al, 2022) are excellent foundational texts for all EFT modalities (EFCT, EFIT and EFFT).
If you are attending an Externship in EFCT, we recommend reading the latest edition of The Practice of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy: Creating Connection (Johnson, 2019).
It is recommended that participants secure Becoming an Emotionally Focused Therapist: The Workbook (2nd edition, 2022) by James L. Furrow, Susan M. Johnson, Brent Bradley, Lorrie Brubacher, T. Leanne Campbell, Veronica Kallos-Lily, Gail Palmer, Kathryn Rheem & Scott Woolley, for the exercises relating to EFCT.
These two trainings constitute the pathway trainings for becoming an ICEEFT Certified Couples Therapist. To learn more about Emotionally Focused Therapy pathways, click on the following links:
2024 Course Dates and Registration
Externship (March Online)
Be introduced to the principles of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), incorporating recorded therapy session observations, theory presentations, skills training exercises, and case discussions.
- Mon 11, Tue 12, Thu 14, Fri 15 March 2024
- 10:00am - 6:00pm daily (NZT)
- Sun 10, Mon 11, Wed 13, Thu 14 March 2024
- 2:00pm - 10:00pm daily (PT)
Externship (May Online)
Be introduced to the principles of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), incorporating recorded therapy session observations, theory presentations, skills training exercises, and case discussions.
- Mon 6, Tue 7, Thu 9, Fri 10 May 2024
- 10:00am - 6:00pm daily (NZT)
- Sun 5, Mon 6, Wed 8, Thu 9 May 2024
- 2:00pm - 10:00pm daily (PT)
Basic Core Skills (July Online)
Basic Core Skills EFT training is an advanced series of four 2-day events, following the EFT Externship, focused on deepening understanding and application of Emotionally Focused Therapy.
- Mon 22, Tue 23, Thu 25, Fri 26 July 2024
- 10:00am - 5:30pm daily (NZT)
- Sun 21, Mon 22, Wed 24, Thu 25 July 2024
- 3:00pm - 10:30pm daily (PT time)
Basic Core Skills (Sept Online)
Basic Core Skills EFT training is an advanced series of four 2-day events, following the EFT Externship, focused on deepening understanding and application of Emotionally Focused Therapy.
- Mon 9, Tue 10, Thu 12, Fri 13 September 2024
- 10:00am - 5:30pm daily (NZT)
- Sun 8, Mon 9, Wed 11, Thu 12 September 2024
- 3:00pm - 10:30pm daily (PT time)
