Emotion Focused Skills Training for Parents and Caregivers

  • A Four Day clinician training in Emotion Focused Skills Training (for parents and caregivers)

  • Presented by Anne Hilde Vassbø Hagen and Vanja Hjelmseth (Norwegian Institute for Emotion-Focused Therapy)

  • €875 (€800 early bird fees paid in full by 31st January 2025).

  • For all enquiries and bookings please contact: ieftireland@gmail.com

The Institute of Emotion-Focused Therapy Ireland hosts an intensive four-day training in Emotion-Focused Skills Training. This workshop is aimed primarily at psychologists and psychotherapists/counsellors but is also open to other mental health professionals working with children and their caregivers (e.g., social care, social work, occupational therapy, teaching, nursing and medicine). The EFST model is applicable both to contexts where children live with their parents and to contexts where children live in other care environments, including foster-care and residential care. As such the workshop format and related interventions covered in this training is applicable both with parents and with professional carers (e.g., foster-carers or social care workers).

What is a training in Emotion Focused Skills Training for Parents and Caregivers?

This training gives a complete overview of the theory, practice, and research of an emotion-centered, humanistic approach to supporting parents (and caregivers) of individuals who struggle with any mental health challenge. Emotion Focused Skills Training (EFST) conveys an unyielding belief in caregiver’s motivation and ability to heal the caregiver-child relationship and help their child (young, adolescent, or adult child) through their struggles. Drawing on the most current understanding of emotions and human development, the model clearly outlines a central role for parents and caregivers in treating and preventing mental health difficulties in their families and care environments. It is a cost-efficient approach which can accommodate up to 40 parents/carers in one workshop. And it's also evidence based. The training of EFST clinicians is practically oriented and experience-based, which means that participants learn specific skills in how to supervise parents and give parent workshops. Participants will get all the material you need to deliver parent/caregiver workshops and individual counseling sessions.

Anne Hilde Vassbø Hagen is a psychologist, author, mother of three, and filmmaker who produced the popular educational film series Alfred & Shadow. She is head of the Institute of Psychological Counseling, Inc., in Norway, and the director of The Norwegian Institute of Emotion-Focused Therapy. She has written several books in Norwegian about emotions. She is co-author of two English books; Emotion-Focused Skills Training for Parents: A Guide for Cliniciansand Angry kids, Angry Parents – Understanding and Working with Anger in Your Family. She is an experienced trainer, speaker, and therapist in emotion focused therapy and emotion focused skills training for parents and is also trained in emotion focused couple’s therapy.  

Vanja Hjelmseth is a psychologist, author, and mother of two teens. She is an experienced speaker, and therapist in emotion focused therapy and emotion focused skills training for parents and is also trained in emotion focused couple’s therapy. She is a co-author of Emotion-Focused Skills Training for Parents: A Guide for Clinicians and is an EFT and EFST trainer.

For all enquiries and bookings please contact: ieftireland@gmail.com