Upcoming Trainings
Pre-EFT Essentials:
Assessment and Stabilization for Complex and High-Risk Couples
Not every couple is ready to begin Stage 1 EFT work and starting too soon can undermine safety, amplify risks for the individuals and the relationship, or set therapy (and the therapist) up to fail. This presentation offers EFCT therapists a clear treatment hierarchy for assessment and stabilization that answers two critical questions: Is this couple appropriate for EFT? and What pre-EFT work is necessary to prepare them to benefit from EFT?
Dr. Gambrel will guide participants through a systematic framework for identifying contraindications, assessing risk factors, and determining couple readiness for experiential, attachment-based work. She will present concrete stabilization interventions to use when couples lack the emotional safety, affect regulation, capacity, or relational foundation needed to benefit from EFT. This session equips therapists with the clinical judgment and practical tools to set up couples for success with EFT and to recognize when additional or alternative treatment options are needed.
Participants will learn how to:
Identify contraindications and determine when EFT may not be appropriate
Recognize when couples need stabilization before beginning Stage 1 work
Navigate the clinical decision-making process of when to proceed, pause, or refer
Implement targeted interventions to build capacity, safety, and readiness for EFT
COST: Free!
Details: Kansas City EFT (KCEFT) - March Community Meeting
Friday, March 27th 9:00 - 10:30am CDT (virtual)
To join the zoom session, to go: https://www.kceftcommunity.com/events
Selected Past Trainings, Workshops, Podcast Interviews, and Presentations:
Comprehensive Assessment in Emotionally Focused Therapy: Foundational Skills for Safe and Effective Couples Therapy, South Florida EFT (Nov 2025)
High Conflict Couples: Effective Integrative Strategies for Deescalation and Connection. Workshop presentation at the Washington Association for Marriage and and Family Therapists (WAMFT) Conference, Everett, WA. (Sept 2025)
Embodied Social Justice for Counselors. Presentation at the Social Justice Symposium, Antioch University, Seattle, WA. (April 2025)
Relational Mindfulness: Applications in Private Practice and Agency Settings, Facilitated 2-day training for therapists at The Learning Consortium (TLC) in Columbia, SC (Oct 2022)
Relational Mindfulness Strategies for Client Engagement and Preventing Burnout, Facilitated daylong training for staff at Prisma Health, Adult & Adolescent Teams, Columbia, SC (Oct 2022)
Embodied Social Justice and Contemplative Practices, The AFTA Podcast, Interview, Episode 8 (Jun 2022)
Sharing Compassion and Community: A Relational Mindfulness Workshop for Mothers, Facilitated a workshop on relational mindfulness and self-compassion for mothers during COVID, Boone, NC and virtual (June 2021)
Gambrel, L. E. (April 2022). Embodied Social Justice: A Mindfulness-Based Framework for Family Therapist Training. Workshop Presentation at the International Family Therapy Association 2022 World Family Therapy Congress, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Gambrel, L. E., & Thibodeau, J. (2022). Embodied Healing through Relational Mindfulness: Systemic, Contemplative, and Experiential Approaches to Cultivating Connection. Presentation at 2022 Annual North Carolina Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Conference, Charlotte, NC.
Gambrel, L. E. (June 2021). Improving Your Relationship with Your Spouse/Partner. Panel discussion at the 2021 Better Relationship Summit, Virtual, Invited.
Gambrel, L. E., Nickels, B., & Thibodeau, J. (Mar 2021). Student Perspectives on Social Justice Training in Family Therapy Education. Presentation at the International Family Therapy Association 2021 World Family Therapy Congress, Virtual.
Gambrel, L. E., Mizell, K., Gale, J., Nickels, B., Sloan Couch, D., Gallet De St. Aurin, G., & Martin, H. (June 2020). Social Justice Training in MFT Education. Presentation at the American Family Therapy Academy 2020 Annual Meeting, Alexandria, VA. (Conference canceled).
Gambrel, L. E., Gale, J., & Nickels, B. (Nov 2019). Mindfulness and White Fragility: Tools for Engagement. Poster session at the 10th annual Association for Contemplative Mind in Higher Education (ACMHE) Conference, Amherst, MA.
Gambrel, L. E., Gale, J., Fordham, B. (Jun 2019). A Feminist Analysis of Online Parenting Programs. Presentation at the American Family Therapy Academy 2019 Annual Meeting, Oakland, CA.
Gambrel, L. E., Sude, M., Reed, K., & Wilson, S. (Jun 2017). Using Video to Enhance Learning of Systems Theory. Presentation at the American Family Therapy Academy 2017 Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.
Sude, M. & Gambrel, L. E. (Jun 2016). Experiential Self of the Therapist Training. Presentation at the American Family Therapy Academy 2016 Annual Meeting, Denver, CO.
Gambrel, L. E. (June 2014). Relational mindfulness and attunement: An application of interpersonal neurobiology to couples therapy. Brief presentation at the American Family Therapy Academy 2014 Annual Meeting, Athens, GA.