(310)383-5654
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An Introduction to Emotion Focused Therapy with Individuals
Date: March 22nd, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM Pacific Day Time
Presenter: Ladan Safvati, Certified EFT Therapist and Certified International Supervisor
Format: Live on Zoom
APA CE Hours: 2 units, co-sponsored by Central Valley Behavioral Health for $30.
In this introduction you will be introduced to the principles of change from the Emotion Focused therapy approach.
This introduction consists of brief lecture, video demonstrations of EFT sessions by developers and Q & A.
OVERVIEW
Based on Emotion Focused Therapy developed by Dr. Leslie Greenberg, Dr. Robert Elliott, and others, change happens by transforming emotion with emotion, not by reasoning, managing, or simply accepting feelings. This principle, rooted in Spinoza's idea that an emotion can only be changed by a stronger opposing emotion, is central to EFT.
Clients move from core maladaptive pain (such as shame, fear of abandonment, sadness of loneliness) to primary adaptive emotions (such as self-compassion or assertive anger). To transform emotion, clients must first fully access and experience the painful underlying feeling. One cannot leave an emotional place until one has truly arrived at it.
EFT does not aim to reduce symptoms directly (e.g., social anxiety). Instead, it works with the deeper emotional schemes beneath the symptom. The process involves deepening maladaptive emotions, reaching core pain, and then transforming it by accessing a new adaptive emotional experience. This is not exposure for extinction; it is emotional transformation through new lived experience.
EFT facilitates change through new emotional experiences in session, when a new emotional experience reshapes an old one, leading to both emotional and narrative change.
This workshop covers:
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How does an EFT session look like?
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What are emotions?
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Why are they important?
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Why do we focus on emotion?
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How can we have problems with our emotions?
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What are the different types of emotion?
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How to process different type of emotion?
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How to work differently with different types of emotion?
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What is the sequence of emotional change?
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How to facilitate emotional change, transforming painful, problematic emotions, and relief symptoms rather than working in symptom reduction with coping skills?
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How to help clients stay with the painful emotions so we can facilitate change?
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Role of empathy and presence in facilitating this change?
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What are different interventions we can use to facilitate emotional change?
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In this introduction we use various video examples to show how a typical EFT session looks like.
Continuing Education
2 CE units can be obtained for an additional cost of $30 provided by the “Central Valley Behavioral Health".
Certificates are issued after the evaluation is submitted.
To pay for the CE units please use Zelle to pay $30 to Ladan Safvati phone number (310)383-5654
If you can't use Zelle, please Use PayPal to pay $32 to Ladan Safvati using the email LadanhsMFT@gmail.com. The extra $2 goes to PayPal.
This fee goes to Central Valley Behavioral Health.
Psychologists: Central Valley Behavioral Health (CVBH) is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Central Valley Behavioral Health maintains responsibility for the content of this continuing education event.
MFTs / LCSWs / LPCs: The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts APA CEs. Majority of US state masters level boards accept APA but, please check your state board to make sure.
For any questions regarding the training please contact Ladan Safvati, LMFT (310)383-5654
