Opening Panel: “Becoming Emotion Focused”

Les Greenberg, Jeanne Watson, Robert Elliott, Rhonda Goldman

What happens when four of the most influential pioneers in psychotherapy sit down to share their personal journeys? You get an intimate and inspiring panel where stories of emotional breakthroughs, awkward early days, and lightbulb moments collide. Les Greenberg, Jeanne Watson, Robert Elliott, and Rhonda Goldman will offer heartfelt stories of their paths to becoming emotion Focused therapists and researchers. This isn’t just a panel—it’s a chance to get to know the real people behind EFT, their triumphs, and the lessons learned along the way. Expect laughter, insight, and maybe even a tear or two!

Whether you’re an experienced therapist, a student, or simply curious about the human emotional experience, this panel is a must-see. It’s not just about the theories and techniques—it’s about the heart and humanity of EFT. Come for the wisdom, stay for the stories, and leave feeling just a little more emotionally focused yourself.

Keynote panel on new developments in Emotion Focused Therapy: EFT Groups (EFT-G), EFT Youth (EFT-Y), EFT Families (EFT-F)

Mirisse Foroughe, Anne Hilde Vassbø Hagen, Sarah Thompson

From Triggered to Tender - How Chair Work Transforms Parenting Struggles into Compassion - Anne Hilde Vassbø Hagen
What if your clients’ toughest parenting challenges could become gateways to deeper compassion for themselves and their child? This talk introduces an exploratory approach to chair work in Emotion-Focused Skills Training for Parents (EFST) that brings empathy and heart back into the hardest moments. Featuring a video demonstration of Enhance Compassion, this session invites you to experience a revitalized, deeply humanistic approach to EFST.

About the Speaker:
Anne Hilde Vassbø Hagen is a clinical psychologist, author, and certified trainer in EFT and EFST. She manages the Institute for Psychological Counselling (IPR) and the Norwegian Institute for Emotion-Focused Therapy (NIEFT). She co-authored Emotion-Focused Skills Training for Parents and Angry Kids, Angry Parents and has contributed to the acclaimed Alfred & Shadow animated series, offering practical strategies for addressing family dynamics.

Helping Youth Find Their Voice: Emotion Focused Therapy for Youth - Mirisse Foroughe
What if your clients’ toughest parenting challenges could become gateways to deeper compassion for themselves and their child? This talk introduces an exploratory approach to chair work in Emotion-Focused Skills Training for Parents (EFST) that brings empathy and heart back into the hardest moments. Featuring a video demonstration of Enhance Compassion, this session invites you to experience a revitalized, deeply humanistic approach to EFST.

About the Speaker:
Dr. Mirisse Foroughe is a clinical psychologist and director of the Emotion Transformation Institute. A dedicated mother, researcher, clinic director, and author, she has pioneered Emotion Focused Therapy for Youth (EFT-Y), equipping therapists to address the unique emotional challenges of adolescents. She is the author of numerous book chapters on Emotion Focused Therapy, and has edited two books: Emotion Focused Family Therapy with Children and Caregivers: A Trauma-Informed Approach and Emotion Focused Therapy for Youth: The Clinical Manual, which integrates the theory, research, and practice of EFT for youth and their families.

Group Dynamics: The Power of Shared Emotional Healing in EFT Groups - Sarah Thompson and Laura Girz
Group Dynamics: The Power of Shared Emotional Healing in EFT Groups - Sarah Thompson and Laura Girz Group therapy offers a unique and powerful opportunity for shared emotional healing. In this session, Sarah Thompson and Laura Thompson delves into the transformative potential of EFT Groups, showcasing how collective vulnerability and connection can amplify individual growth. The highlight of this talk will be a moving therapy video demonstration of a real EFT Group session, offering insights into the power of this approach.

About the Speaker:
Dr. Sarah Thompson is the founder and clinic director of Transforming Emotions. She is a clinical psychologist, an accomplished writer, and an expert educator with over 20 years of experience. A certified EFT therapist, supervisor, and trainer, Sarah is also a black belt in Taekwondo, exemplifying her dedication and discipline. Her work inspires therapists to embrace the potential of EFT in group therapy formats.

Dr. Laura Girz is a clinical psychologist and the Clinical Coordinator of the Centre for Student Development and Counselling at Toronto Metropolitan University where she leads a team of 20+ clinicians and supervises doctoral students in the theory and practice of EFT. Originally trained in a research-based psychology program, she has a strong interest in disordered eating and in providing consultation and supervision in the area of EFT-G.

Keynote on emotional processing
"Principles of Emotional Change: A Guide for EFT Practitioners"

Antonio Pascual-Leone

Emotion-focused therapy (EFT) is at the forefront of the growing emphasis on working with emotion in psychotherapy. Despite the widespread use of terms like "emotional processing" and "regulation," these concepts remain poorly defined and inconsistently applied across therapeutic approaches. EFT, however, has been a pioneer in this area, influencing the development of other treatments. With an increasing number of EFT markers, it's timely to refocus on core principles to simplify treatment. This lecture will address three key questions: (1) What are the distinct forms of "emotional processing"? (2) What pathways facilitate emotional change? (3) Which processes are best suited to working with which specific types of client emotions? First, Dr. Pascual-Leone will outline five ways of working with emotion: (a) emotional engagement and awareness, (b) expression and emotional arousal, (c) down-regulating intensity, (d) sequential transformations in emotional patterns, and (e) narrative reframing and existential insights. Second, he will match specific kinds of emotions (secondary, primary adaptive or maladaptive, and instrumental) to the processes that most effectively promote change. Third, the lecture highlights practice implications of recent research. Based on a recent APA book (2025) hailed as an "integrative masterpiece" and "contemporary classic," this lecture will highlight practice implications for working within sessions, consider EFT's contributions, and explore the future of psychotherapy.

Keynote panel on EFT for couples

Rhonda Goldman, Serine Warwar

This plenary will explore key developments in Emotion-Focused Therapy for Couples (EFT-C) and highlight the critical role EFT-C therapists have in shaping the future of intimate connection. We will examine how the model has evolved alongside EFT for individuals, with a focus on EFT-C’s unique use of empathy to deepen emotional processing; the expansion of experiential work to deepen emotional blocks and enactments; the growing emphasis on self–self processes; and the development of a structured model to resolve emotional injures and facilitate forgiveness. Finally, this plenary will highlight EFT-C’s critical role in responding to the relational challenges of an increasingly fragmented, digitally saturated, and AI-driven world, providing those seeking healthy, lasting relationships with a roadmap to emotional attunement, vulnerability, and meaningful connection in an increasingly disconnected world.