EFCT Standard Core Skills for the Cambridge EFT Community
EFCT Standard Core Skills for Cambridge, ON
This streamlined Standard EFCT Core Skills training is tailored for clinicians seeking a condensed version of the core skills advanced training, prioritizing practical content over experiential elements. Designed for mental health practitioners who prefer a shorter approach, the program features lectures, dyadic presentations, tape demonstrations, and structured exercises. Dispensing with case presentations and role-plays, this refined course is ideal for those aiming for a methodical learning of the EFCT model. Participants can advance more swiftly to individual supervision with a local certified EFT supervisor for further development of the EFCT skills, as the curriculum contains a singular focus on applying the EFCT model with working with couples. The 'Standard Core Skills' is also designed for those requiring a training with less group time commitment.
Registration is Open:
Training Dates: December 11/12, 2025 | January 15/16, 2026
EFCT Core Skills Training
The overall goal of the Core Skills Training is to take the overview knowledge gained in reading EFT literature and in an EFT Externship and turned it into a procedural map for intervention for the therapist. Training occurs on the following levels:
Instruction and review of the EFT model.
Demonstration of skills through video recording,
A deeper look at the macro intervention, the EFT Tango, in each stage.
The EFCT Core Skills Training consists of 2 x 2-day 12 - hour modules (training).
In the Core Skills training, participants spend more time learning the EFCT stages and interventions.
Each of the training modules is 2-day - 12 hours and consists of instruction by a certified ICEEFT trainer. In the first two modules, participants deepen their understanding of Stage 1 of EFCT - De-escalation. In the second two modules, participants will learn how to restructure interactions and create bonding moments for their couples creating second order change in Stage 2 of EFCT.
EFCT Core Skills Material
It is our main goal to create a safe and secure place to explore, take risks, be vulnerable and learn!
In her new book, 'Attachment Theory in Practice', Sue Johnson states the EFT tango is the basic intervention that the therapist employs again and again in all stages and forms of EFT (Johnson - 2019).
Participants of the Standard Core skills will spend time learning the 5 moves of the EFT Tango, watching it being executed in EFT videos.
This training is for mental health practitioner interested in learning the EFCT model including Psychologists, Psychoanalysts, Psychiatrists, Psychotherapists, Social Workers, MFTs, RMFTs, Counsellors, Abuse and Addiction Counsellors.
Training Schedule
Module One - December 11/12, 2025
9:00 AM - 4:15 PM (EST)
(Lunch - 60 minutes plus two 10-minute breaks)
Stage One of EFT – Cycle De-escalation | Relationship Stabilization
EFT Tango in Stage 1
Alliance and Assessment and Identifying negative cycle and attachment issues
Skills training:
1. Building a positive alliance
2. Assessment
3. Treatment planning/the EFT map
4. Identifying negative cycle
7. Negative Cycle Reflections and Reformulations
8. Assessing for Cycle De-escalation
5. EFT interventions - Heightening and RISSSC, Elements of Emotion and EFT tango.
Method: didactic, video demonstration, practice, group discussion and handouts
Module Two - January 15/16, 2026
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM (EST)
(Lunch - 60 minutes plus two 10-minute breaks)
Stage Two - Implementing the Tango to restructuring the bond.
Access implicit needs, fears, models of self
Promote acceptance by other – expand dance
Structure reach and respond – express attachment needs – create bonding interactions
Skills training:
1. Evocative Responses to expand emotion
2. Processing partner's attachment fears and longings
3. Promoting acknowledgment and acceptance
4. Choreographing a partner's reach
Stage 3 - Implementing the tango in Consolidation
Method: didactic, video demonstration, structured exercises and handouts
This training is an intermediate-level EFT training.
Prerequisite: EFCT 24-hour Externship.
Training Fees
Total cost for Training $1250 (CAN) (taxes included where applicable)
Payment Breakdown
$625 for each module
Taxes Included where applicable
Payment Schedule:
$350 deposit to hold your spot
Deposit includes $175 X 2 prepayment for each module and is non refundable
Followed by $900.00
on October 1st
Location: Online
Please fill out the registration form and make a deposit payment to hold your spot!
There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.
For more information, questions or concerns please contact:
EFT Supervisor Debbie Wang at:
debbie@debbiewang.com
Meet your ICEEFT Trainers:
Gail Palmer and Robin Williams Blake
GAIL PALMER, (RSW, RMFT)
Gail Palmer is a recognized leader and contributor to the practice of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for families. Over the past 35 years, she has worked closely with Dr. Susan Johnson, creator of Emotionally Focused Therapy. Gail is an ICEEFT certified therapist, supervisor and trainer and educates mental health professionals in EFT worldwide. She holds a Masters degree in Social Work and is a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist in Canada.
Gail is Co-Director of the International Center of Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy and one of the Founding Members of the Ottawa Couple and Family Institute.
Gail has a particular interest in applying the EFT model with work with families. For over twenty years, Gail has been one of the lead EFT trainers who have developed and expanded on Sue Johnson’s EFFT method and is co-author of the seminal 2018 text, Emotionally Focused Family Therapy: Restoring Connection and Promoting Resilience and Becoming an Emotionally Focused Therapist: The Workbook. Gail has presented on Emotionally Focused Family Therapy internationally, has published several chapters and articles on EFFT and has been involved as a supervisor in EFFT research. Professionally, Gail’s primary passion is to help therapists who are both new to EFT and trained in EFT, to bring the powerful interventions and skills of this model to the family therapy room.
Robin is a certified Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) trainer, supervisor, and therapist. Presently, Robin is a adjunct faculty member in the graduate program for Martin Luther University College (WLU), where he teaches the EFT Externship and Core Skills in the Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy program. Robin teaches Creating Secure Connections: an Intro to EFCT, and Moving from Self Criticism to Self Acceptance with EFIT in the continued education program for the School of Social Work Program for WLU (2020 to present). He designed and taught the first EFT Core Skills equivalency course to be offered at a Canadian University with his colleague, ICEEFT supervisor Debbie Wang at WLU (2021). In the past few years, Robin has taught EFT at York University in their social work program and was invited by Mount Sinai Hospital to speak at their level two trauma clinic. He is a former adjunct faculty member at the Living Institute of Existential-Integrative Psychotherapy, where he taught EFT for 5 years. Robin trains EFT for local centres and communities in Fredericton, Cambridge, Toronto, York Region, London, ON and Edmonton and he co-trained at the Toronto Externship with Sue Johnson in October 2020-2022. As an international EFT trainer, Robin has taught in the US, UK, Iran and Ukraine. For the past 4 years, he has been a regular consultant and facilitator of Hold Me Tight retreats organized by Canada Beyond the Blue a not-for-profit organization providing therapeutic services for Canadian Police Officers and their families. Robin is a co-founder of the Toronto Centre for Emotionally Focused Therapy and has been a director for the Centre since 2005. Robin is a registered psychotherapist and has been in private practice in Toronto for 24 years where he sees individuals, couples and families and provides supervision for therapists working towards certification in EFT/EFIT/EFFT. With a passion for EFIT, Robin has been in private practice in Toronto for 24 years where he sees individuals, couples and families with adult children using the EFT model as well providing EFT consultation to psychotherapists working towards EFT certification.
Grow with Emotionally Focused Therapy.
Let's connect if you’re seeking to refine your therapy skills, find supervision, or explore therapy services. Reach out today to discover how EFT can help you realize the full potential of your therapy practice.