Weaving Culture into EFT: Embracing Diversity and Therapist Self-Awareness

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is one of the few relational approaches to therapy that emphasizes the importance of therapists bringing their authentic selves into the therapeutic experience.

This involves incorporating the full spectrum of their intersecting identities and lived experiences, including those from their families and cultures of origin. Despite the growing attention to cultural matters in therapy, there remains a lack of concrete guidance on how therapists can integrate their authentic selves and lived experiences into their practice.

This gap is especially pronounced in heavily manualized treatment modalities like EFT, which often leave limited room for integrating diverse perspectives. Drawing on intersectionality theory (Crenshaw, 1989) and the concept of self-of-the-therapist as discussed by Aponte and Kissil (2016) and Timm and Blow (1999), this workshop aims to: 1) explore cultural diversity as a crucial component of the self-of-therapist in EFT, and 2) present a concrete framework for integrating cultural matters as part of the SOT experiences in the practice of emotionally focused therapy.

CEUs
Certificate of Attendance: 3 hours
**Counts towards CEUs for AzBBHE for cultural competency.**

KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Participants will learn to recognize and appreciate the significance of cultural diversity as an essential component of the therapist's authentic self in Emotionally Focused Therapy.

2. Participants will gain knowledge on how to apply intersectionality theory to understand and incorporate their intersecting identities and lived experiences, including cultural backgrounds, into their EFT practice.

3. Participants will acquire practical strategies for integrating cultural matters and self-of-the-therapist experiences into their work with clients, to enhance therapeutic alliance and outcomes in Emotionally Focused Therapy.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Dr. Ronald Asiimwe (Dr. A) is an assistant professor in Couple and Family Therapy at the University of Minnesota. He holds a BA in Community Psychology from Makerere University, a master's in Marriage and Family Therapy from Oklahoma Baptist University, and a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from Michigan State University. Dr. A specializes in studying the impact of trauma on relationships and developing culturally responsive interventions for underserved communities. Dr. A grew up in Uganda, Africa, and has lived in the U.S. for 8 years.

Throughout his career, he has had the privilege of being published in top-tier journals such as Family Process and the Journal of Marriage and Family Therapy. He is also a recipient of several awards, including the New Writers’ Fellowship award from the Family Process Institute, an Excellence in Graduate Teaching award from Michigan State University, and the John Douglas EFT Award for his pioneering EFCT initiatives in East Africa.

His research includes adapting Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for use in Uganda and Kenya, exploring self-of-the-therapist and cultural experiences, and studying intimate partner violence and fatherhood in Uganda. Dr. A serves on the Board of Directors for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and directs Conexa East Africa. A published author and award-winning scholar, he actively contributes to national and international conferences and will bring his expertise to the Arizona EFT community in Spring 2025.

DISCOUNTS

** 20% discount offered to group practices of 5 or more who each register for the event; for the discount code

CANCELLATION/REFUND POLICY

In the event that you have paid for an upcoming event but are not able to attend, you may request a refund up to 30 days prior to the event.

Refund requests must be received in writing via email to: [email protected]. Requests received at least 60 days prior to the start of the event will receive a full refund of the registration minus the Eventbrite refund fee. Requests received between 30-59 days prior to the start of the event will receive a 50% refund of the registration minus the Eventbrite refund fee. No refunds will be issued for cancellations received less than 30 days prior to the start of the event.

Host or Publisher Emotionally Focused Therapy for Arizona