(310)383-5654
EFTSoCal@gmail.com
Testimonials from EFT training participants
I have had the opportunity to participate in Emotion Focused Therapy trainings with both Dr. Les Greenberg and Dr. Robert Elliott and feel deep gratitude for their authenticity, generosity, humility, and knowledge. We as practitioners of Emotion-Focused Therapy have the unique opportunity to stand on the shoulders of these giants and their wonderful colleagues.
Emotion-Focused Therapy, working with couples and individuals, has given me an informed pathway to clients’ underlying pain and their unmet needs and has equipped me with interventions that support the client’s innate ability to find resolution.
It is encouraging and fulfilling to witness my clients’ transformations in the room and to see the relief they experience in resolving their emotional pain. What is equally important and fulfilling for me is how it has changed my life personally and opened me up to processing my own unresolved issues.
Janice Maurer, LMFT
Northern California
December 2018
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In my 15 years of clinical practice, Emotion Focused Therapy is the best model I have found that reduces suffering and truly helps clients change. When I teach it to students and they use it during their clinical training, they are always amazed at how much relief it brings clients. By moving from talking about emotions to experiencing emotions, EFT can help heal the wounds of developmental trauma, relationship distress, depression, and anxiety. I cannot recommend this model enough – working with it brings me a great deal of personal satisfaction and joy, and it continually reminds me of why I wanted to be a therapist in the first place.
Brennan Peterson, Ph.D.
Professor, Chapman University
Marriage and Family Therapy & Psychology
October 2018
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Working within the Emotion Focused Therapy model has brought immense healing for my clients. As a therapist who sees both individuals and couples, I have the tools to be able to follow their pain, bring out their resilience and help them to face and put aside their emotional blocks or patterns. The workshops and on going consultation I receive keep me informed and enlightened as to how to practice this model with confidence. Les Greenberg, PhD has been instrumental in helping me be a better practitioner. I've combined the skills I've honed from his teachings as well as those from Sue Johnson's Emotionally Focused model as well. Working within these models has brought me professional joy. And in a big way, it's why my calendar is always full of clients. It works!
Michele Hahn, JD, MFT
Santa Monica Couples Therapist
October 2018
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My story with EFT started from when I was a bachelor’s student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Tehran/Iran. I was often overwhelmed by the thought of helping a diverse range of people and find solutions for all the problems in the world.
However, everything changed for me when I read a quote about EFT: “We don’t need to focus on the content; we focus on the process. The process for most problems in individuals and couples is similar.” This quote changed the way I think about therapy. When I attended two EFT trainings in California, I found out that EFT is not just an approach to therapy, it’s a way of thinking about people. To not judge people because of their problems. However, focus on people’s emotions. Emotions are global. They are like energy – they won’t disappear, but they could change from one kind to another. In this way, you can help all kinds of people around the world based on the knowledge of emotions. With empathy, a therapist is well-equipped to address the needs of a diverse range of people around the world. I not only recommend EFT to my colleagues, but to all of my friends and family to help improve their lives by “living with your emotions.”
Hamed Fatahian-Tehran
PAU Grad student,
January 2019
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The trainings provided by Dr. Leslie Greenberg and Dr. Robert Elliott have been outstanding and truly inspiring professionally. I feel very grateful and privileged to have had the opportunity to witness their knowledge and empathy. With a solid theoretical framework and research base, Emotion Focused Therapy provides a roadmap to working with emotions and achieving change. The connection between therapist and client based on following and guiding creates a strong bond to dive deeply into people’s most intimate concerns. Clients have commented that the times we use an EFT approach have been the most helpful for them. I have also experienced that change occurs faster and at a deeper level than with other approaches. I particularly appreciate that it is experiential, process based, and that it communicates to clients that they have the resources to change, with the help of their therapists.
Ana Ribas, PhD
Clinical Psychologist in Los Angeles
October 2019
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Overall ABSOLUTELY AMAZING TRAINING that I would not hesitate to recommend to colleagues.
Nader Albadawi, PsyD
Psych Assistant in Irvin
October 2020
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A very informative and emotionally rich workshop!
Julia Galaudet, PsyD, LCSW
October 2020
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I was very impressed and am now excited to dive into more EFT learning and implementation in my own practice.
Jennifer Henshaw, LMFT
October 2020
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This training was incredibly helpful for understanding the EFT method. I will certainly be attending future trainings to deepen my understanding.
Craig Cardamone, LMFT
October 2020
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EFT strikes me as the most structured and pragmatic framework for applying an experiential humanistic approach to therapy. EFT's use of schemes, markers, and tasks helps guide clinicians more directly into the client's experience. I knew almost nothing about EFT before this training and now I just want to steep myself in it.
Geoffrey Graham, ASW
October 2020
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The EFT training is the best training that I have had in my 20 years career as a clinical psychologist. By taking the EFT trainings I have learnt to observe the emotional process inside the client and how I can transform that process in a very gentle way. I feel that this method enables us to reach the deepest levels of human nature. When I started to use EFT skills in therapy sessions, my clients say that they feel so well understood, accepted, and feel so much warmth. I regret that I did not know about the EFT approach earlier. Thank you very much!
Lina Kalinauskiene, Phd
Vilnius, Lithuania
October 2022
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I have had the fortune to take two workshops hosted by SoCal institute of EFT with Dr. Robert Elliot (EFT Level 1 and the Advanced Empathic Attunement Training). Both times I came away with a new embodied understanding of therapeutic empathy and attunement, as well as a wealth of practical knowledge on how to apply EFT with my clients. With the emphasis on experiential practice in these trainings, I also gained a stronger understanding of EFT tasks from the inside out and felt better able to resonate with my clients' experiences of the therapy. I am so grateful for this training institute and the community Ladan is actively creating. I would recommend these trainings to any students or providers who want to learn Emotion Focused Therapy!
Kati Lear, PhD
Sacramento, California
May 2023
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I wanted to send my deepest regards to you, Robert, and Christina for facilitating the EFT training level one by Professor Robert Elliott, a fantastic training, which was by far the best training I have attended in my career as a therapist so far. There is so much that I gained from the experience that I am admittedly still stewing on. I already see myself practicing some of the skills I have learned in my sessions with clients and have been incorporating feedback I received as well. It was so meaningful, and I am so honored to have been part of it. I definitely see myself attending future EFT trainings.
Sara Boblak, AMFT
San Pedro, California
May 2023
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I have had the honor of learning EFT training level one and level two by Dr. Robert Elliott, and the trainings were simply amazing and experiential. I have learnt so much about the EFT language, formulations, skills and even, the self awareness of a therapist in slowing down during the skills practice. EFT Approach to me, is a very elegant and compassionate here and now process and through the trainings, I have gained so much for my personal and professional journey. I really appreciate all the trainers for being so candid and humble despite being pioneers of the EFT approach. Thank you so much once again!
Choong Ying, registered social worker
Singapore
December 2023
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The Advanced Empathy Training provides an in-depth look at empathic responding in psychotherapy, highlighting the complexity of empathic responses in the therapeutic process and ways empathy can foster the therapeutic relationship even when it doesn’t “land.” Robert Elliott is exquisite as a trainer – a true master therapist. This is an
invaluable training for all experiential practitioners who prize emotion in psychotherapy, including both early-career and seasoned clinicians.
Dr. Shauna Randhawa, R.Psych. (#2691)
Clinic Owner/Director
Oceanside Psychology Group
Burnaby, BC, Canada
September 2024
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Learning EFT has been a crucial step in my personal and professional development. I am truly inspired by the EFT therapists' kindness, curiosity, genuine presence and above all resilience in being patient, never give up, and always ready to give up their own agenda and stay open to working with the client’s evolving needs.
Zhi LI 李智
Psychologist (NIP-223561)
Founder of Access to Health
Netherlands
September 2024
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Certification Process Recognized by ISEFT
There are 5 levels of recognition and also the possibility of certification.
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Level A: Completion of Basic EFT Training
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Level B: Completion of EFT Supervised Practice
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Level C: Certified EFT Therapist
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Level D: Supervisor
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Level E: Trainer
For Description and details of each level please check the EFT Certification and resources page
Counseling for Depression by
Dr. Robert Elliott
A short story about emotions
A short story about
self-criticism
Unfinished business and unresolved grief
We need to live in mindful harmony
with our feelings, not attempt to
control them.
___ Les Greenberg ___
Therapists Who Took Trainings at SoCal Institute of EFT
Ladan H. Safvati, LMFT, ATR
Certified EFT Therapist & Supervisor
Level one, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019
Facilitator at level one 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Level two, 2013, 2018, 2021, Facilitator 2023
Level three, 2021
Jessica Borelli, PhD
Level one, 2017
Level two, 2018
Level three, 2021
Hila Madani, PsyD
Level one, 2019
Level two, 2021
Level three, 2021
Marilyn Talmage, LMFT
Level one, 2019
Level two, 2021
Level three, 2021
Sandy Sayan-Pedram, LMFT
Level one, 2019
Level two, 2021
Level three, 2021
Siyu Peng, LMHC
Level one, 2019
Level two, 2021
Level three, 2021
Mary Dousette, PhD
Level one, 2020
Level two, 2021
Level three, 2021
Zeinab Bagheri, MA
Level one, 2020
Level two, 2021
Level three, 2021
Fatemeh Fazelisani, PhD
Level one, 2020
Level two, 2021
Level three, 2021
Dominique Walterson, MS
Level two, 2021
Level three, 2021
Francisco Beisterveld
Level three, 2021
Sahar Darvishskandari
Level three, 2021
Judith Ayre
Level three, 2021
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Yamonte Cooper, Ed.D., LPCC
Level one, 2018
Level two, 2018
Brannan Peterson, PhD, LMFT
Level one, 2017
Level two, 2018
Janice Maurer, LMFT
Level one, 2018, 2019
Level two, 2018
Michael Pariser, PsyD
Level one, 2018
Level two, 2018
Lital Shavarts, PsyD
Level one, 2017
Level two, 2018
David Kyle Bond, PhD
Level one, 2017
Level two, 2018
Patricia Taylor, LMFT
Level one, 2017
Level two, 2018
Christopher Walling, PsyD
Level one, 2018
Level two, 2018
David Laramie, PhD
Level one, 2018
Level two, 2018
Tina Dahlenburg, LMFT
Level one, 2018
Level two, 2018
Stephani Kirschner, LMFT
Level one, 2018
Level two, 2018
Randy Gottlieb, LMFT
Level one, 2018
Level two, 2018
Jonathan Mueller, PhD
Level one, 2018
Level two, 2018
Heidi Mattila, PhD
Level one, 2018
Level two, 2018
Nasrin Barkhordari, PsyD, LMFT
Level one, 2018
Level two, 2018
Alexandra Block, MA
Level one, 2018
Level two, 2018
Kathryn Purdy, LMFT
Level one, 2018
Level two, 2018
Beth Bernholtz, PhD, PsyD
Level one, 2018
Level two, 2018
Deryl Goldenberg, PhD
Level one, 2017
Level two, 2018
Michelle Hann, LMFT
Level one, 2017
Level two, 2018
Gerin Gaskin, MA
Level one, 2018
Level two, 2018
Sherise Prince, PsyD
Level one, 2017
Level two, 2018
Ann Gilbert, LMFT, ATBC
Level one, 2017, 2019
Level two, 2021, 2022
Terry Akhtarzad, LMFT
Level one, 2018
Level two, 2021
Natalie Pujo, PsyD
Level one, 2019
Level two, 2021
Hamed Fatahian, MA
Level one, 2018, 2019, 2020
Level two, 2021
Erjing Cui, LMHC
Level one, 2019
Level two, 2021
Ana Ribas, PhD
Level one, 2019
Level two, 2021
Adrienne Kijak, LCSW, ATR
Level one, 2019
Level two, 2021
Sarah Johnson, PhD
Level one, 2019
Level two, 2021
Ross Phillips, LMFT
Level one, 2019
Level two, 2021
Jennifer Cha, MFT
Level one, 2019
Level two, 2021
Salma Shah, MFT
Level one, 2019
Level two, 2021
Maxine de Luna, MFT
Level one, 2019
Level two, 2021
Jennifer Henshaw, LMFT
Level one, 2020
Level two, 2021
Xiaomio Li, PhD
Level one, 2020
Level two, 2021
Trevor Olsen, PhD
Level one, 2020
Level two, 2021
Tracy Hefter, PhD
Level one, 2020
Level two, 2021
Julia Galaudet, PsyD., LCSW
Level one, 2020
Level two, 2021
Itzuri Hurtado, LMFT
Level one, 2020
Level two, 2021
Chiehyu Liao, MA
Level one, 2020
Level two, 2021
Parichehr MahdiAbadi, MD
Level one, 2020
Level two, 2021
Samaneh Zaryabi Toosi, MS
Level one, 2020
Level two, 2021
Hamidreza Maghsoodi, PhD
Level one, 2020
Level two, 2021
Elizabeth Seidita, ASW
Level one, 2020
Level two, 2021, 2023
Craig Cardamone, LMFT
Level one, 2020
Level two, 2021
Peter Van Burken, MS
Level one, 2020
Level two, 2021
Joshua Ventura, PhD
Level one, 2021
Level two, 2021
Michelle Kelekota, MS
Level two, 2021
Shaniya Haghigat, MS
Level two, 2021
Babak Sadri, MS
Level two, 2021
Cornelia Andora
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2022
Sarah Bomatter
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2022
Gala Connell
Level one, 2021
Level two, 2022
Tim Day
Level one, 2021
Level two, 2022
Joel Freedman
Level one, 2018
Level two, 2022
Amy Gustafson
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2022
David Eshleman
Level one, 2019
Level two, 2022
Inga Havers
Level two, 2022
Mark Hollingshead
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2022
Bingjie Huang
Level one, 2021
Level two, 2022
Immaculate Antony
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2022
Juri Jeon
Level one, 2021
Level two, 2022
Yueming Jia
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2022
Lina Kalinauskiene
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2022
Kelly Kazmierski
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2022
Margaret Koon
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2022
Eric Lindquist
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2022
Po Yan Lo
Level one, 2019
Level two, 2022
Corina Lopez
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2022
Robert McDonnell
Level one, 2019
Level two, 2022
Jennifer Moudahi
Level one, 2020
Level two, 2022
Si Hui Pang
Level one, 2021
Level two, 2022
Shauna Randhawa
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2022
John Roche
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2022
Emmanuel Romero
Level one, 2021
Level two, 2022
Vivian Qiu
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2022
Shelley Simmons
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2022
Thomas Skotidas
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2022
Patricia Smiley
Level one, 2019
Level two, 2022
Sarah Smith
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2022
Brock Trotter
Level one, 2021
Level two, 2022, 2023
Brad Watkins
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2022
Ryan O'Farrell
Level one, 2021
Level two, 2023
Sepideh Nahavandi
Level one, 2021
Level two, 2023
Nicole Notarfonzo
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2023
Pirayeh Shaban
Level one, 2022
Level two, 2023
Andrew Stover
Level one, 2023
Level two, 2023
Choong Ying
Level one, 2023
Level two, 2023
Curtis Dueck
Level one, 2023
Level two, 2023
Mike Karakashian
Level one, 2023
Level two, 2023
Tiina Saarinen
Level one, 2023
Level two, 2023
Alistair Gordon
Level one, 2021
Level two, 2023
Camilla Graziani
Level one, 2023
Level two, 2023
Foad Hassanzadeh
Level one, 2023
Level two, 2023
Helen Hargreaves
Level one, 2023
Level two, 2023
Judit Darvas
Level one, 2023
Level two, 2023
Mahdi Khas
Level two, 2023
Mervi Koivisto
Level one, 2021
Level two, 2023
Yesim Celik
Level one, 2023
Level two, 2023
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EFT Level one, 2017
Paul Howard, PsyD
Jennifer Codega, LMFT
Kathy Barnum, LPC
Armineh Gorgian, LMFT
Abeer Othman, LMFT
Mark Frankle, LMFT
Debi Frankle, LMFT
Bruce Chambers, LMFT
Debbie Cohen, LMFT, ATR
Brittany Mustin, LMFT
Gina Cantrell, LMFT
Michelle Colarusso, LCSW
Jodie Spanos, LMFT
Adam Brockman, LPC
Shellie Gravitt, LMFT
Level two, 2018
Debby Krahe, PsyD
Darin Bergen, PsyD
Bart Rubin, PhD
Level one, 2018
Diana Menendez, PsyD
Hedieh Azadmehr, PhD
Ginger Schwartz, PsyD
Liron Gabay Samara, LMFT
Alani Van, LCSW
Ruth Kleast, LCSW
Tania Dow, LMFT
Cecily Krumholz, PsyD
Level one, 2019
Cai Yitong, MA
Yang Yu, LMHC
Jilla Behnad, LMFT
Namhee Lim, MBA
Teresa Gamez, MA student
Veiss Zandieh, LMFT, LPCC
Yishan Xu, PhD
Stephanie Rosen, PsyD
Erin Van Voorhies, PsyD
Ellis Franklin, LCSW
Allison Rudnick, LMFT
Ariana Penalba, LMFT
Laura Worthington, LMFT
Alexandra Anguiano, MFT
Nicolette Pyne, MFT
Anna Cancellieri, MFT
Pam Dyer, MFT
Gelisa Gonzaga, MFT
Kelly Royere, MFT
Millisa Morrow, MFT
Kyong Yi, LCSW
Liora Pourati, LMFT
Florence Ahlzadeh, LCSW
Angela Bothwell, MFT
Nicole Reilly, MFT
David Perlman, PsyD
Sarah Taylor, LMFT
Victoria Shirazi, PsyD
Mitra Zaeri,
Level one, 2020
Mary Clark, LMFT
Olivia Einbund, MA, AMFT
Geoffrey Graham, MSW
Arpee Simonian, LMFT
Nader Albadawi, PsyD
Jessica Aguilar, LMFT
Michael Rollin, MD
Robert McDonnel, MA
Bruce Kirby, MSW
Katarina Blom, PsyD
Maura Amaral, LMFT
Level one, 2021
Howard Scott Warshaw, MA
Borja Alonso Arroya, MA
Apiradee Poungjit, MA
Mark Buckingham,MA
Erika Michell, MA
Yiling Zhang, PhD
Karen Worthington, MA
Genevieve Rix, MA
Maria Holkenfeldt, MA
Melissa Glass, MA
Vanessa Groff, MA
Rachelle Michaud, MA
Veronica Parker, MA
Margaux Broux, MA
Emile Lopez, MA
Sara Taveira, MA
Jason Katz, MA
Rinat Kass, MA
Rieko Ward, MA
Zhansaya Akhmetsadyk, MA
Kristen Rattray, MA
Alexis DaFonseca, PhD
Zoe Chen, MA
Daniel Parker, MA
Phoebe Hutut, MA
Rebecca Walker, MA
Sue Hymus, MA
Fiona El Bassuni, MA
Chloe Walls, MA
Ryan Berkompas, MA
Gareth King, MA
Danita Tanner, MA
Patrick Schaafsma, MA
Level one, 2022
Jared Boot
Zhuo Chen
Wendy Coloma
Kyle Dickerson
Daiva Gaidukeviciene
Kelli Hamilton
Nicholas Hebert
Kimberly Hoos
Jamie Johnson
Robyn Kozak
Brittany Lasanen
Andrea Milwidsky
Genovaite Petroniene
Alicia Saporito
Janet Selander
Narayan Singh
Parker Stickland
Nirupa Thanabalasingam
Michael Tugendhat
Ashwini Vishwanathan
Xiaorui Zhu
Level one, 2023
Alexandra Strait
Amy Waterman
Ana Cancian
Andrea Carolina Benites
Beverly Fredborg
Catherine Reza
Chris Minassian
David France
Gabrielle Baker
Hannah Maguire
Jamisyn Atlas
Justin Wilson
Kati Lear
Laura Mullikin
Liat Porat
Lisa Page
Lucia Martincekova
Lyssandra Sears
Minji Yang
Rachael Maher
Sara Boblak
Soyoung Park
Tao Liu
Terhi Tammi
Tiina Paju
Tyler Hakomori
Yashodhan Karandikar
Level one, 2024
Anureet Gill
Asya Rachitsky
Beatrico Loo
Cathy Notardonzo
connor Schell
Cristina Pena-Vargas
David Stroud
Doven Brezner
Elilia Moreira
Fang Shiyuan
Georgia Spiliot
Karen Lewis
lLauren Vu
Nadine Durbach
Nazanin Zarei
Nga-Sum Mabel Cheng
Onur Guler
Pooman BirKaur
Pulkit Chavola
Robert Roan
Sadaf Kafiabadi
Stephanie Yeatts