EFT therapist training – how does it work?

A certified EFT therapist is a specialist whose skill in this approach is recognised by the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT).

Its goal is to uphold skilled, ethical EFT and keep quality high. The process recognises therapists who meet this standard and points out where they can still grow.

The application is thorough and intensive, letting the applicant deepen knowledge and grow as an EFT therapist. So applying is part of learning and growing. Certification is not the end of the EFT path but a key step in a therapist’s ongoing development.

ICEEFT offers separate certification in these EFT specialisms:

• EFCT – emotionally focused couples therapy;
• EFIT – emotionally focused individual therapy;
• EFFT – emotionally focused family therapy.

To qualify, a therapist must finish approved courses for their chosen focus and then get supervision from a certified supervisor in that same area. Full details of each route and all requirements are on the ICEEFT members’ site.

Below is a brief list of the skills needed for certification. Applicants and supervisors can use this list to judge a therapist’s readiness for certification. More specific requirements for each EFT modality are on the ICEEFT members’ website.

Skills in building a therapeutic alliance

The therapist can:

• build good rapport with clients from diverse backgrounds and identities, noting both the harm of bias and their strengths and resilience;
• tune into the client’s experience and observe it empathetically;
• build a safe alliance rooted in availability, receptivity and engagement, and check risks, context and contraindications;
• spot repeated patterns and name the client’s attachment style.

Micro-skills

The therapist can:

• reflect and acknowledge the client’s experience and spot emotions and relationship patterns;
• name coping moves and normalise roadblocks;
• ask open questions to spot patterns and reach deeper feelings, attachment fears and longings, while supporting reflection;
• use empathic guesses that reflect and deepen the client’s experience and their view of self and others;
• use micro-skills with RISSSSC tone, speaking slowly, clearly, gently and in tune with feelings;
• deepen their experience with imagery and words that matter to them;
• reframe their story, especially around attachment feelings and needs;
• evoke and deepen feeling, and guide the resulting emotional meetings;
• Set the pace of change and risk to match their readiness, keeping them in their comfort zone.

EFT Tango skills

The therapist can use the five steps of EFT Tango:

1. 1. Reflecting patterns – spotting the relationship patterns and ways of handling feelings that keep negative cycles going.
   2. Deepening emotion – spotting and exploring core feelings, triggers, perceptions, body sensations, meanings and habits.
   3. Creating an engaged encounter – using the RISSSSC steps to make feelings clearer and stronger, focusing on the here-and-now.
   4. Shaping a new interaction – creating and guiding engaged moments that foster new awareness or safer connection, and helping the client process it.
   5. Consolidating the experience – sum up progress, note growth and point out how new patterns differ from old ones.