The first step towards learning Emotionally Focused Therapy is the 4-day EFT Externship. During the four days, participants learn the theoretical foundations of EFT, Attachment theory and emotion regulation. Participants learn and practice powerful interventions and techniques to help couples to slow down and begin to listen to each other. Participants learn how to differentiate between different attachment styles in adults and how these play a major role in their conflictual interactions. By engaging in experiential and role play exercises, participants will have ample opportunities for hands-on practice. Participants learn how to work with highly escalated couples as well as couples that seem detached.

In the EFT Externship, therapists will learn how to view relationship distress through an Attachment lens and to focus their attention on attachment needs and longings.  Therapists will learn how to pay attention more closely to the emotions of their clients and to explore, heighten and expand underlying emotions.  Therapists will also learn and practice how to facilitate new couples therapy conversations that increase their couples’ feelings of secure attachment, closeness and connection. The goal of the San Francisco Center for Emotionally Focused Therapy is to train therapists to attune to their clients better, by tuning their therapeutic ear to the emotions of the relational dance. In the EFT Externship, you will learn how to help your couples deal with their feelings together, reach towards each other, and be responsive in more loving and positive ways. You will learn by watching videotaped and live demonstrations of the approach and then you will practice via experiential exercises and role-plays.

• EFT is one of the most thoroughly researched, clearly delineated and empirically validated approaches in the field of couple therapy. It reflects the most recent research on the nature of relationship distress, adult love and emotion. Research studies find that after treatment with EFT couples therapy, 70-75% of couples move from distress to recovery and 90% of couples show significant improvement.
• In the EFT Externship, therapists will learn how to view relationship distress through an Attachment lens and to focus their attention on attachment needs and longings in order to get to the heart of their clients’ problems. 
• Therapists will learn how to pay attention more closely to the emotions of their clients and to explore, heighten and expand underlying emotions. 
• Therapists will also learn and practice how to facilitate new couples therapy conversations that increase their couples’ feelings of secure attachment, closeness and connection.
• Therapists will develop and practice skills towards helping partners to change the emotional responses that lead to relational distress and that maintain a repetitive negative cycle of interaction.
• The training teaches participants how to shape new interactional patterns and create bonding events with couples. 
• Participants learn to identify and overcome therapeutic impasses with couples and to treat attachment related injuries.
• The Externship offers ample opportunities to observe and practice EFT interventions.

1. Presentations of theory and clinical techniques that are clearly explained.

2. Skills training and experiential / hands-on exercises.

3. Observation of videotaped sessions and when possible, a live couple consultation.

Participants will be able to:

1. Summarize the basic experiential and systemic concepts of an “Emotionally Focused” approach to couple therapy.

2. Diagnose couple distress and relationship repair based on theories of attachment and emotion.

3. Demonstrate skills in helping partners to change the emotional responses that lead to relational distress and that maintain a repetitive negative cycle of interaction.

4. Describe how to help partners shape new interactional patterns and bonding events.

5. Practice EFT interventions to overcome therapeutic impasses with couples and to treat attachment related injuries.

Day 1:

9:00 -10:30 Attachment Theory

10:30 -10:45 Break

10:45 -12:00 EFT Theory of Change

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch

1:00 - 3:00 Assessment and Tracking the Cycle

3:00 – 3:15 Break

3:15 – 4:00 Steps 1 and 2 of EFT

4:00 – 5:30 Role Play Exercise

5:30 – 6:00 Discussion and Review

Day 2:

9:00 -10:30 Working with Emotions

10:30 -10:45 Break

10:45 -12:00 Accessing Underlying Emotions – Step 3 of EFT

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch

1:00 - 3:00 EFT Reframes – Step 4 of EFT

3:00 – 3:15 Break

3:15 – 4:00 The EFT Tango

4:00 – 5:30 Role Play Exercise

5:30 – 6:00 Discussion and Review

Day 3:

9:00 -10:30 Reengaging Withdrawers, Steps 5,6,7 of EFT

10:30 -10:45 Break

10:45 -12:00 Video Demonstration

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch

1:00 - 3:00 Pursuer Softening, Steps 5,6,7 of EFT

3:00 – 3:15 Break

3:15 – 4:00 Review and Demonstration

4:00 – 5:30 Role Play Exercise

5:30 – 6:00 Discussion and Review

Day 4:

9:00 -9:30 Case Discussion

9:30 -10:45 LIVE Demonstration

10:45 -11:00 Feedback to couple

11:00 -11:15 Break

11:15 – 12:00 Discussion and Q&A

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch

1:00 - 3:00 Attachment Injury Repair Model (AIRM)

3:00 – 3:15 Break

3:15 – 4:00 Steps 8 and 9 of EFT

4:00 – 5:30 Role Play Exercise

5:30 – 6:00 Discussion and Evaluations

For more information about EFT, the San Francisco Center for EFT or Sam Jinich, PhD please visit: www.SFCEFT.com