

The Leading Edge in Emotionally Focused Therapy
theleadingedgeineft
Helping therapists on their leading edge of learning so they can help clients on their leading edge of healing. In each episode, we try to focus on parts/moments of the counseling experience through the lens of Emotionally Focused Therapy, developed by Sue Johnson. We share how we are being pushed in our growth process and things we are learning from our clients in their growth process. We are also thankful for the many EFTSupervisors and Trainers who share their learning nuggets with us to pass on to you. We invite you into a brave space as we all push our leading edges of learning and healing.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 27, 2022 • 24min
43. Working with Hopelessness
Welcome to the Leading Edge in Emotionally Focused Therapy with Drs. James Hawkins, Ph.D., LPC, and Ryan Rana, Ph.D., LMFT, LPC, ICEEFT Therapists, Supervisors, and Trainers. Thank you for listening. We hope this experience helps you push the leading edge in your work to help people connect with themselves and each other.
You can financially contribute to this podcast on Venmo (@dochawklpc) or Cash App ($dochawklpc). Type LEFT or Leading Edge in EFT in the comments or notes section. All financial contributions are greatly appreciated and will help us keep producing content to help you push your leading edge.
We desire to use this podcast to help equip therapists with tools and encouragement to help them with relational distress. We are also a part of a team that has created an online training program, Success in Vulnerability (SV). Success In Vulnerability is your premier online education experience that leads with innovative instruction to advance your therapeutic effectiveness through Success in Vulnerability’s exclusive Modules and full-length Clinical Examples.
Link for Self of the Therapist Training with James and Chad.
You can follow us on our Facebook page @pushtheleadingedge
You can follow Ryan on Facebook @ryanranaprofessionaltraining and his website com.
You can follow James on Facebook and Instagram @dochawklpc. You can also check out his website com.
Check out our online training program com
You can follow George @ https://www.georgefaller.com/.

Oct 20, 2022 • 30min
42. Focus: Entering the F.R.A.(Y)
Welcome to the Leading Edge in Emotionally Focused Therapy with Drs. James Hawkins, Ph.D., LPC, and Ryan Rana, Ph.D., LMFT, LPC, ICEEFT Therapists, Supervisors, and Trainers. Thank you for listening. We hope this experience helps you push the leading edge in your work to help people connect with themselves and each other.
You can financially contribute to this podcast on Venmo (@dochawklpc) or Cash App ($dochawklpc). Type LEFT or Leading Edge in EFT in the comments or notes section. All financial contributions are greatly appreciated and will help us keep producing content to help you push your leading edge.
We desire to use this podcast to help equip therapists with tools and encouragement to help them with relational distress. We are also a part of a team that has created an online training program, Success in Vulnerability (SV). Success In Vulnerability is your premier online education experience that leads with innovative instruction to advance your therapeutic effectiveness through Success in Vulnerability’s exclusive Modules and full-length Clinical Examples.
You can follow us on our Facebook page @pushtheleadingedge
You can follow Ryan on Facebook @ryanranaprofessionaltraining and his website com.
You can follow James on Facebook and Instagram @dochawklpc. You can also check out his website com.
Check out our online training program com
You can follow George @ https://www.georgefaller.com/.

Aug 15, 2022 • 35min
41. The C.A.R.E Model of Assessment in EFT: Approaching Clients with Curiosity
We had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Leanne Campbell on the CARE. The C.A.R.E Model of Assessment in EFT is a great tool to help in assessment and attunement throughout the EFT process with individuals, couples, and families. Leanne so graciously shared an outline of her notes with us. You can also read The Primer for Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy. We hope you find this helpful.
CARE Model Outline
CONTEXT
An experiential therapist seeks to enter the phenomenological world of the client. Therapist immerses self in contexts in which clients live and have lived, with attention to:
Identity (e.g., race, ethnic, spiritual, religious, gender, sexuality)
Environmental factors (e.g., socioeconomic, work/organizational, neighborhood)
Experiences (e.g., racism, colorism, discrimination, sexism).
ATTACHMENT
The therapist explores attachment and relationship history, with attention to:
Pivotal experiences/critical moments that have shaped models of self and others.
Coherence of narrative.
Current relationship resources; relationship security/insecurity, intimacy/sex;
potential intergenerational impacts, risk/vulnerability, and resiliency factors.
RELATIONSHIP/THERAPEUTIC ALLIANCE
As a ‘temporary attachment figure,’ the therapist establishes a ‘secure base’ characterized by A.R.E. at the outset of therapy.
The therapist monitors the therapeutic alliance throughout the process of therapy.
Therapist attunes to potential ruptures; contextual factors, including key
The therapist joins with the client in discovering and exploring painful material.
EMOTION
The therapist attends to the expression of emotion, affect regulation strategies, and capacity (e.g., ‘window of tolerance), with attention to:
Core features of ‘emotional disorders (e.g., self-criticism, numbing, detachment, nightmares, flashbacks, hypervigilance, heightened anxiety);
Process elements, e.g., body language, facial cues; automaticity and/or rigidity of strategy; capacity (on a continuum from wide to narrow); ‘emotional handles,’ e.g., poignant words, images, phrases.

Jul 22, 2022 • 32min
40. Working With Positive Emotion
As therapists, we train to help people in deep valleys of pain and grief and go with them to peaks of anxiety and anger. In this episode, we want to talk about using their times of joy and celebration.

Jul 22, 2022 • 34min
39. The Role of Repetition
In this episode, we talk about the role of repetition in the EFT process and how to use it in an attuned way in session.

May 26, 2022 • 36min
38. Special Guest Gail Palmer: Can the Tango Hurt Your Process
We wanted to get some insight and supervision from an expert, so we called in Gail Palmer to be a special guest on this episode. Listen as Gail helps us understand how to use the structure of the Tango with attunement to the attachment process occurring in the room.

May 26, 2022 • 34min
37. Can the Tango Hurt Your Process: A Serious Matter
In this episode, we talk about a common but serious issue we have seen in our work and the work of other EFT therapists. The issue(s) shows up in the moves we make between Tango moves 3 & 4. How do we get the most out of these significant moments to change clients' moves in their attachment dance?

Mar 28, 2022 • 42min
36. Recognizing Reality & Dignity: The Human Experience of Ukrainian Therapists and People
If you would like to support Ukrainian EFT therapists through supervision, running support groups, or providing relevant training, please email the director of the Ukrainian EFT Association (UAEFT) Inna Garbuz at il-g@i.ua
If you would like to contribute financially, UAEFT is creating a program to connect Ukrainian couples and families with Ukrainian EFT therapists to receive help, no matter where they are. While many of the therapists (who are either still in Ukraine or are themselves refugees, abroad) now are continuing to provide help to their clients or refugees, they receive no income. The fund would pay therapists for the work they are doing so they can support their families.
You could contribute in 2 ways:
1) Directly to an account of the Ukrainian Association of Emotionally Focused Therapy at the link:
https://secure.wayforpay.com/button/be20348685470
2) Those of you who are having difficulties with the above transfer can donate to the Gofundme Fundraiser Zoya set up on their behalf. Money goes to her US account and then gets transferred to the association account.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-ukrainian-eft-therapists

Mar 10, 2022 • 28min
35. Vulnerability & Empathy: Are They Enough for a Secure Bond?
Welcome to the Leading Edge in Emotionally Focused Therapy with Drs. James Hawkins, Ph.D., LPC, and Ryan Rana, Ph.D., LMFT, LPC, ICEEFT Therapists, Supervisors, and Trainers. Thank you for listening. We hope this experience helps you push the leading edge in your work to help people connect with themselves and with each other.
You can financially contribute to this podcast on Venmo (@dochawklpc) or Cash App ($dochawklpc). Type LEFT or Leading Edge in EFT in the comments or notes section. All financial contributions are greatly appreciated and will help us keep producing content to help you push your leading edge.
We desire to use this podcast to help equip therapists with tools and encouragement to help them with relational distress. We are also a part of a team that has created an online training program, Success in Vulnerability (SV). Success In Vulnerability is your premier online education experience that leads with innovative instruction to advance your therapeutic effectiveness through Success in Vulnerability’s exclusive Modules and full-length Clinical Examples.
You can follow us on our Facebook page @pushtheleadingedge
You can follow Ryan on Facebook @ryanranaprofessionaltraining and his website com.
You can follow James on Facebook and Instagram @dochawklpc. You can also check out his website com.
Check out our online training program com
You can follow George @ https://www.georgefaller.com/.

Mar 10, 2022 • 27min
34. Depth of Risk: Decision Making Process
Welcome to the Leading Edge in Emotionally Focused Therapy with Drs. James Hawkins, Ph.D., LPC, and Ryan Rana, Ph.D., LMFT, LPC, ICEEFT Therapists, Supervisors, and Trainers. Thank you for listening. We hope this experience helps you push the leading edge in your work to help people connect with themselves and with each other.
You can financially contribute to this podcast on Venmo (@dochawklpc) or Cash App ($dochawklpc). Type LEFT or Leading Edge in EFT in the comments or notes section. All financial contributions are greatly appreciated and will help us keep producing content to help you push your leading edge.
We desire to use this podcast to help equip therapists with tools and encouragement to help them with relational distress. We are also a part of a team that has created an online training program, Success in Vulnerability (SV). Success In Vulnerability is your premier online education experience that leads with innovative instruction to advance your therapeutic effectiveness through Success in Vulnerability’s exclusive Modules and full-length Clinical Examples.
You can follow us on our Facebook page @pushtheleadingedge
You can follow Ryan on Facebook @ryanranaprofessionaltraining and his website com.
You can follow James on Facebook and Instagram @dochawklpc. You can also check out his website com.
Check out our online training program com
You can follow George @ https://www.georgefaller.com/.
2 Lists to Assess Risk
These two lists work together. The more positive variables you have from the first list, the more you can go down the vulnerability ladder with your clients, the second list. You build safety in list one to take more risks on list 2 to push your clients’ leading edge and help them succeed in vulnerability.
List 1 – Risk Assessment: Variables to Consider
Variables to consider when determining the level of Risk you go for. The more of these variables you have, the more Risk you can go for.
Alliance with the therapist (trust).
Alliance with the EFT process (trust).
The number of sessions.
The number of successful missions (Corrective Emotional Experiences, Bonding Events).
Tolerance window of the person you are working with and prepping to share.
Their safety level with their partner.
Tolerance window of the listening partner.
List 2 – Elements of Experience Risk Ladder
This is just our way to describe the various elements of experience. The further you go down this ladder, the riskier it is. Going up the ladder is slicing it thinner.
Protective Behaviors
Secondary Emotion (Emotion that is used to create space vs. create connection)
Story Construction About Distressed Relationship (Meaning)
What They Think (What they say it means about them, others, the relationship)
Recognition of Danger Cues/Triggers
Primary Emotion (Emotion that is used to create connection vs. create space)
Hang Out and Stay in Primary Emotion
Individual Trauma
Attachment Injuries
Vulnerable View of Self
Attachment Needs – When they are in distress


