Beginning in 2024, the Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) Essentials training consolidates the previous Level 1 and Level 2 trainings into a comprehensive 3-day (24hr) program. Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) Essentials
Families don’t need more techniques, they need new experiences of connection, safety, and emotional responsiveness. Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) helps therapists create those experiences by working with the attachment needs that drive family relationships.
This comprehensive 3-day (24-hour) training combines the previous Level 1 and Level 2 curriculum into one immersive experience. Grounded in attachment science and decades of research, EFFT provides a clear roadmap for understanding family distress and facilitating lasting change through emotionally engaged, attachment-focused interventions.
Through a combination of teaching, demonstrations, experiential exercises, and role plays, you’ll learn how to confidently apply the EFFT model with families while deepening your own therapeutic presence.
In this training, you’ll learn how to:
- Understand the research and attachment science that supports the EFFT model.
- Conceptualize family distress through an attachment lens.
- Recognize the stages of EFFT and the key moments that create meaningful change.
- Assess family interaction patterns and develop treatment plans that guide your interventions.
- Work with both adaptive and maladaptive emotions to foster healing and resilience.
- Help family members regulate emotion and create corrective emotional experiences together.
- Strengthen attachment bonds by helping families express vulnerability and respond with greater accessibility, responsiveness, and engagement.
- Navigate blocks to emotional engagement and facilitate deeper emotional processing.
- Develop your therapeutic presence and use of self to create safety and connection within the family system.
Throughout the training, you’ll have opportunities to practice new skills, receive feedback, and integrate the model in a supportive learning environment.
Who Should Attend?
EFFT Essentials is designed for licensed mental health professionals, associates, and graduate students who work with children, adolescents, adults, couples, or families and want to deepen their attachment-based practice.
Whether you’re new to Emotionally Focused Therapy or looking to strengthen your work with families, this training will provide a practical, experiential foundation that you can begin applying immediately. You’ll leave with greater confidence, a deeper understanding of family emotional processes, and a clear framework for helping families move from disconnection to lasting connection.
Training Location
This EFFT Essentials will be held at Therapy With Heart and is limited to 24 participants. The natural light and welcoming environment create an ideal atmosphere for deep clinical work and connection.
Address: 8727 E. Via De Commercio Scottsdale, Arizona 85258
Training Schedule
- Day 1: March 3rd
- Day 2: March 4th
- Day 3: March 5th
Time: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM with a one-hour lunch
This is an in-person event. The training is limited to 24 participants.
Pricing
| Tier | Price |
| Full Registration | $725 |
| Alumni | $573 |
| Full-Time Clinical Counseling Graduate Student | $495 |
| Early Bird Registration (until Feb 3rd) | $650 |
Reference Materials for Study
- EFFT Level 1 + EFFT Level 2 are equivalent to EFFT Essentials.
- Required Readings: Emotionally Focused Family Therapy: Restoring Connection and Promoting Resilience by James L. Furrow, Gail Palmer, Susan M. Johnson, George Faller, Lisa Palmer-Olsen, 2019. Routledge offers this publication in paperback, hardcover or eBook.
- Recommended Readings:
- Attachment Theory in Practice: Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) with Individuals, Couples, and Families by Susan M. Johnson, 2019. Guildford Press.
- Becoming an Emotionally Focused Therapist: The Workbook, 2nd edition, by James L. Furrow, Susan M. Johnson, Brent Bradley, Lorrie L. Brubacher, T. Leanne Campbell, Veronica Kallos-Lilly, Gail Palmer, Kathryn Rheem, Scott R. Woolley, 2022. Routledge.
Participation Requirements
Participants must be familiar with and abide by professional and legal confidentiality requirements regarding all client information shared in the training. Certification in EFT is offered by ICEEFT based on completion of all requirements and demonstrated competence in the model. Completion of training does not guarantee competence or certification.
Confidentiality Agreement: I agree to keep confidential the personal identifying information of case material shared in the training. I agree to not record any part of this training in any format.
Cancellation Policy
- Cancellations made before February 3rd, 2027 are refundable minus a $75 non-refundable processing and administrative fee.
- Cancellations made after February 3rd, 2027 will incur a $150 non-refundable fee.
- Email rachel@therapywithheart.com to cancel and request a refund.
About Rachel Thomas, Arizona EFT Trainer
Rachel Thomas is a Certified EFT Therapist, Supervisor, and Trainer with a full-time practice in Scottsdale, Arizona. She owns Therapy With Heart, a group practice composed of EFT-trained clinicians. As the former President of the AzEFT Board, Rachel now serves as Past President and is known for her passion in helping therapists master EFT and move through learning blocks. She also offers couples intensives, consultations, and training presentations on EFT.
