On 12 December 2025, Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) was introduced in Latvia for the first time through a four-hour introductory taster day for mental health professionals, delivered by Dr Christina Michael, Founder and Clinical Director of the Cyprus Institute for Emotion Focused Therapy (CiEFT).
Following the success of this first introduction, two online EFT Level 1 trainings with Dr Michael were organised specifically for Latvia, reflecting strong interest from psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors, and other mental health practitioners. It is an honour to witness this new phase in the development of the EFT community take place through our institute. We are committed to supporting the needs of this growing community and to contributing meaningfully as EFT takes root in Latvia.
The first ever EFT Level 1 training in Latvia will take place on 26, 27, and 28 February, and 1 March, from 09:30 to 17:00, and is now fully booked.
Due to high demand, a second online EFT Level 1 with Dr Michael has been scheduled for 11–14 March, also running from 09:30 to 17:00.
Both EFT Level 1 trainings are delivered in English with live translation into Latvian, ensuring accessibility for clinicians across Latvia.
Mental health practitioners interested in participating in this training—or in an EFT Level 1 training delivered by Dr Christina Michael—are invited to contact info@eft.cy for further details, as upcoming trainings may not yet be listed on the website.
A Growing EFT Community – now also in Latvia
The introductory taster day on 12 December 2025 created a shared learning space for clinicians interested in deepening their work in processing and transforming emotional pain and stuckness. It also marked an important step in the growth of the international community and the beginning of an emerging EFT professional community in Latvia, connected to the wider European and international EFT network.
What the EFT Introductory Taster Day with Dr Michael included
The four-hour introduction offered a clear short overview of EFT, focusing on:
- What Emotion-Focused Therapy is and how emotional change happens
- Core theory of emotion in psychotherapy
- The four main types of emotion and their clinical significance
- Why clients often remain emotionally stuck despite insight or coping strategies
- What optimal emotional regulation looks like in therapeutic work
- The main ways of working with emotion in EFT, including an introduction to chair work
- Video material with a real client
- Integration, reflection, and key learning points
The emphasis throughout was on introducing a clinical understanding of this approach, rather than learning EFT techniques.
Continuing Professional Development for Psychologists and Therapists
High-quality continuing professional development (CPD) is essential for psychologists and mental health practitioners working with complex emotional, relational, and trauma-related presentations.
EFT Level 1 trainings includes four-days of intensive skills training and support clinicians in:
- Broadening understanding of emotion across different therapeutic models
- Developing the ability to assess and respond to different types of emotion
- Strengthening clinical flexibility and therapeutic depth
- Gaining structured, evidence-based approaches to working with emotion
- Understanding how chair work dialogues are applied within Emotion-Focused Therapy
- Refining skills in addressing unfinished emotional business that continues to trigger current difficulties
- Building competence in working with self-criticism
- Identifying when and how to deepen and process maladaptive emotional responses
- Participating in supervised, hands-on skills practice every day of the training
- Observing real client video material with expert guidance from experienced EFT trainers
EFT is increasingly sought by professionals internationally looking to integrate evidence-based, experiential approaches into their clinical practice.
About the Trainer
The training was delivered by Dr Christina Michael, Founder and Clinical Director of the Cyprus Institute for Emotion Focused Therapy (CiEFT). Dr Michael is an internationally accredited EFT trainer and supervisor with extensive experience facilitating EFT trainings with Prof Les Greenberg, Prof Robert Elliott and others across Europe, the UK, North America, and internationally.
Mental health practitioners interested in participating in any training delivered or facilitated by Dr Christina Michael are advised to contact info@eft.cy for further details, as upcoming trainings may not yet be listed on the website.
For more information about EFT, upcoming introductory days, and professional training pathways, visit www.eft.cy.