How To Find An EFT Therapist

Every week I get at least one inquiry from phone, text, email, or contact through the website saying something like this: “Our relationship is in trouble and we need help.  I’ve been doing some research and found Emotionally Focused Therapy, which I believe can help us.  I ran across your website and see that you do EFT for couples.  We live in (another state or country) and wonder if you offer online counseling?” 

My answer is always the same: “I wish we could help you, but we are licensed to counsel in Texas.  In our state, that includes online counseling.  If you come to Texas, we can help.  Otherwise, I suggest you look for a counselor where you live.”  And then I include the information I’m going to give you in this blog. 

Finding An EFT Therapist Is Easy Once You Know Where To Look

Emotionally Focused Therapy has and is growing among therapists as the preferred couple therapy model.  But it is still a challenge to find a couples therapist near you who uses EFT if you don’t know where to look.  This is because most therapists still use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which has been around a long time, but it’s not as effective in couple therapy as Emotionally Focused Therapy.  92% of couples who complete EFT see significant change and 70-75% can no longer be diagnosed with relationship distress.  Compare that to 35% for CBT or other therapy models. 

You can, of course, do a Google search for “EFT counselors near me,” and you’ll get some results that may lead you to the right therapist.  But there is a better, easier, and more precise way to find an EFT therapist.  Simply go to www.iceeft.com (“International Center for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy”) and use the “Find a Therapist” directory.  All the EFT therapists in the world are listed in this directory.  You will find the location, contact information, website address, and training level of each therapist.  You can filter your results by therapist’s last name, your city, state/province/region, country, or postal code.  You can also search for therapists who do couple therapy, family therapy, or individual therapy with EFT. 

What Is The Difference in EFT Therapist’s Training Levels?

You will notice that the search results will show different levels of training for EFT therapists.  What are these and what do they mean?  Let’s walk through the levels of training in EFT from highest to lowest. 

EFT Trainer

Fully certified by the EFT international organization and is also certified as a supervisor of therapists working on their EFT certification.  An EFT Trainer also leads all the regional trainings in Emotionally Focused Therapy skills for therapists wanting to learn EFT.  He or she also supervises the EFT supervisors in his or her area. 

Certified EFT Supervisor

Supervises other therapists who are learning Emotionally Focused therapy skills and working toward certification as a certified EFT therapist.  To be a Certified EFT Supervisor, a therapist must receive full certification as a certified EFT therapist for at least one year and be licensed in his or her state for at least four years.  He or she must have completed coursework and a rigorous application process including submission of two videotaped supervision sessions and then been approved by the ICEEFT board.

Certified EFT Therapist

Completed EFT Externship Training, EFT Core Skills Training, and a year or more of weekly EFT supervision.  Like the Certified EFT Supervisor, the Certified EFT Therapist has completed a rigorous application process that requires submitting videos and transcripts of therapy sessions with real clients.   

Additional Training and EFT Supervision Completed

Has completed the basic EFT Externship Training, then gone on to complete 4 to 5 two-day trainings over a year where he or she has gone deep in the theory and practice of the steps and stages of EFT.  In addition to this work, he or she has been under weekly supervision of a Certified EFT Supervisor.

EFT Externship Completed

Has begun their training in Emotionally Focused Therapy by completing a week-long 30-hour intensive training in the basics of EFT.  Therapists who claim to be “EFT Therapists” but have not completed the EFT Externship are not EFT Therapists.  You can’t learn EFT from what little is taught about it in a university setting, or from reading a book about EFT.  EFT Training is “hands-on.” 

Which Training Level Is Right For My Needs?

Which training level your EFT therapist should have depends on how much support you need.  For example, if you are looking for premarital counseling, you don’t need the therapist with the highest level of training.  At SoulCare Counseling, premarital counseling falls under what we call “psycho-ed.”  That means that it’s mostly educational information about expectations, roles, communication issues, sex, in-laws, children, things like that.  A graduate student intern is sufficient for your needs.  But if you and your spouse are caught in a reactive negative conflict cycle, fighting all the time, and perhaps even considering divorce, or if there has been infidelity in the marriage, the more training your EFT therapist has, the better.  At SoulCare Counseling, Dr. Bernis Riley is a certified EFT Therapist-Supervisor, one of a handful in the North Texas area.  Kelly Heard is a Certified EFT Therapist.  SoulCare Counseling is rare in that we only practice Emotionally Focused Therapy and all our therapists are at some level of training in EFT.  In addition, all our therapists are born-again, Bible-believing, conservative evangelical Christians.  That is indeed a rare combination. 

If you are out of state or out of the country, we offer a 2- or 3-day EFT couple intensive where you can come in to our office in Colleyville, Texas and get a powerful jumpstart on repairing your marriage.  Many couples from outside Texas or outside the United States fly in for our couple intensive, and all enthusiastically report that it was well worth it. 

How Can I Be Sure I’ve Chosen The Right EFT Therapist?

If you are in Texas and choose to do EFT couple therapy in-person or online with one of our EFT therapists, how can you be sure that you have the right therapist for you?  You can start by visiting our “Meet The Team” page on this website.  Go to the “About” link at the top of the home page and scroll down to “Meet The Team.”  There, you’ll find a photo and short introduction to each therapist answering your three big questions: 1) “Why should I trust you?” 2) “Do you understand my problem?” and 3) “How will you help me?”  Then just complete the “Contact Us” form, call or text 817-808-2606, or email info@soulcarecounselingdfw.com.  Or if the therapist has a direct line phone number listed, call that.  

We start every counseling client with a free thirty-minute consultation where you meet your potential therapist, ask whatever questions you have, and satisfy yourself that it “feels right” before you spend a penny.  At the end of the session, if it feels right, the therapist will make your first counseling appointment and get you started. 

I encourage you to read more about Emotionally Focused Therapy.  When you are ready, reach out to us for a free thirty-minute consultation. 

Dr. Mark Riley is co-founder and Executive Director of SoulCare Counseling.  He is married to Dr. Bernis Riley, co-founder and Clinical Supervisor.