The EFCT Externship is the foundational step in your training as a couples therapist. This is an official Externship, endorsed by the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy, with CEUs provided by TRI EFT Alliant. The Arizona Externship is offered in partnership with the Arizona Center for Emotionally Focused Therapy (azeft.com).
Completion of this Externship is the first step toward being listed on the ICEEFT website, where couples actively search for trained EFT therapists. It is also a key requirement on the path toward EFT certification. For full details about the certification process, please visit ICEEFT.com.
Training Location
This Externship will be held in the Community Room at Franciscan Renewal Center, a spacious, peaceful, and beautifully maintained setting that supports learning and growth. The natural light, quiet grounds, and welcoming environment create an ideal atmosphere for deep clinical work and connection. Please note that we have no affiliation with the Franciscan Renewal Center.
Address: 5802 E Lincoln Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85253
Training Schedule
- Day 1: September 3rd
- Day 2: September 4th
- Day 3: September 5th
Time: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM with a one-hour lunch
This is an in-person event. The training is limited to 75 participants.
What You’ll Learn
In this Externship, you will learn to:
- See couples’ distress from an attachment perspective
- Help partners reprocess the emotional responses that maintain couple distress
- Shape key new interactional and bonding events
- Overcome therapeutic impasses
You will see a live demonstration — a profound learning experience where the EFT trainer works with a couple in a live consultation session. We will at times break into smaller groups for discussion or role-play led by experienced EFT therapists. We will also be showing videos of actual client sessions.
General Objectives
- Gain a clear understanding of the systemic concepts and basic experiential moves of an Emotionally Focused Therapy approach
- Hold an attachment view of clients coping with their interpersonal dilemmas so you can conceptualize relationship distress and repair based on theories of attachment and emotion
- Develop skills in sharing, maintaining, and engaging in an open and collaborative alliance with your clients
- Develop skillful use of the 5 moves of the basic macro-intervention “the EFT Tango” to improve clients’ affect regulation, models of self and other, strategies for engaging with others, and changing interactional patterns
- Develop the ability to utilize systemic and experiential models of interventions applied as EFT micro-interventions
- Participate in skills development to overcome common blocks and impasses across EFT therapy modalities so you can shape core corrective emotional experiences that lead to constructive dependency and secure attachment
This training includes an overview of the entire model of Emotionally Focused Therapy including steps and stages, macro and micro interventions, adult attachment theory, and application of EFT with couples. The Externship is recommended for all types of mental health clinicians who counsel or want to counsel couples.
Reference Materials for Study
- Attachment Theory in Practice: Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) with Individuals, Couples, and Families
- The Practice of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy: Creating Connection by Susan M. Johnson, 3rd Edition, 2019
- Becoming an Emotionally Focused Couple Therapist: The Workbook by Susan M. Johnson, et al, 2005
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 August 3, 2026 are refundable minus a $75 non-refundable processing and administrative fee.
- Cancellations made after August 3, 2026 will incur a $150 non-refundable fee.
- Email rachel@therapywithheart.com to cancel and request a refund.
About Ryan Rana, Arkansas EFT Trainer
Ryan Rana, PhD, LMFT, LPC is an ICEEFT Certified EFT Trainer, Supervisor, and Therapist with 25 years of experience in the therapeutic field. He is the President and Founder of the Arkansas EFT Center. He and his wife, Anne, founded The Joshua Center where he currently practices and acts as Executive Director. His specializations include work with couples, sexuality, depression, and traumatic stress. In addition to psychotherapy, Ryan works with people on organization and leadership approaches as well as studying military training/processes and performance psychology. Before becoming a therapist, Ryan was a college athlete in baseball and a pitching coach at the collegiate level. Ryan is also well known for his EFT Podcast, The Leading Edge, with ICEEFT Trainer James Hawkins.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there diversity scholarships for this training?
YES! We offer both licensed professionals and student scholarships. To learn more and apply, please visit our diversity and scholarships page found here. Deadline to apply is Monday, June 1, 2026. All applicants will be notified by Monday, June 15, 2026.
Where should I stay for this training?
Great question! At the training location there are discounted rooms available to stay on property, but please know these are very minimal rooms as it’s a spiritual retreat center. There are plenty of amazing resorts nearby. Please use the links to explore what might be best for you!
- Andaz Scottsdale
- The Omni or Embassy Suites
What can I do to prepare? What should I bring?
Check out our listed book recommendations! These reading materials will give you a great baseline of the model. We suggest you bring writing materials, notebooks, or computers with you — and don’t forget your charger!
Will there be options for lunch?
Absolutely! At Scottsdale & Lincoln Rd., there are a few restaurants and coffee shops. If you are local and would like to bring your lunch, we will also have a microwave available for use.
What can I expect to do in Arizona after training?
Welcome to the Grand Canyon State! We are so excited to have you. There is so much to do, from lounging by the pool to hiking and exploring some of our incredible museums and dining. We are so glad you are spending your 3-day weekend with us! Check out some of our recommendations:
- Grab a day pass to the pool — celebrate completing Externship
- Camelback Mountain — get moving bright and early before training
- Blanco Cocina + Cantina — enjoy a taste of the Southwest
- Musical Instrument Museum — explore music in the desert