EUROPEAN FAMILY THERAPY ASSOCIATION
CONNECTING FAMILY THERAPISTS AND TRAINERS
This handbook examines digital systemic psychotherapy and counseling for individuals, couples, families, and groups. It addresses online supervision for professionals working in mental health services as well as online training in systemic family and couple therapy. The handbook explores the dramatic changes in the use of digital technology since the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides a theoretical perspective on the impact of digital technology on family life as well as therapeutic work. The volume offers state-of-the-art practical recommendations to trainees, therapists, supervisors, and trainers for implementing online systemic practices.
Maria Borcsa & Valeria Pomini Editors
7th Volume: Handbook of Online Systemic Therapy, Supervision, and Training
The work was undertaken by EFTA TASK Force under the leadership of Dr Valerie O’Brien.
Members of the Task Force include :
Valerie O’Brien (Chair); Federico Ferrari; Julia Hardy; Lucie Hornova; Teresa Moratalla Gellida; Martine Nisse; Yvain Piketty; Marie Jeanne Schon; Shan Tate.
Status of the Work:
The draft version – August 2025 HERE was agreed by the General Board of EFTA in August 2025. The draft will be discussed at the EFTA Roundtable in Lyon on Friday Aug 29th 12.30 -13.30. Information regarding the background to the evolution is contained in the document. It may also be useful to read the results of the 2025 Survey of Training and Service Provision of Family Therapy in Europe READ THE SURVEY. The data was collected primarily by the Task Force in 2023. This survey provided important information in the development of the standards.
Feedback Invited : The Task Force is open to receiving feedback up to Sept 30th, 2025, at which time the definitive version will be published on the EFTA web site, following this date.
Information to be sent to the Chair of the Task Force Valerie O’Brien at and .
Commencement of New Training Standards:
It is planned that the new standards will be required for all Training Programmes commencing in the academic year 2027.
Dr Valerie O’Brien – Chair of EFTA Training Standards Task Force
Dr Valerie O’Brien – Chair of EFTA Training Standards Task Force
Background to Survey
The data in this report provides a descriptive overview of some aspects of family therapy training and service provision across 35 countries. The information gathered through a questionnaire was used to review and update EFTA training standards for family therapists in Europe. We were particularly interested in capturing the variation in countries. Many thanks to the individuals in each country that worked with the Task Force to obtain this data. Thanks also to Dr Mattia Messena for his assistance. It is intended to publish a more detailed analysis of family therapy training in Europe – using the data in this report.
READ THE SURVEY REPORT
Task Force Members :
Valerie O’Brien (Chair); Federico Ferrari; Julia Hardy; Lucie Hornova; Teresa Moratalla Gellida; Martine Nisse; Yvain Piketty; Marie Jeanne Schon; Shan Tate.
1. Reflection from Umberta Telfener : As Social Justice and Systemic Thinking Task Force we met the first time at the NFTO in Sofia in June 2023, we created a whatsup group and exchanged some “fast” thoughts wondering what to deal with. Too many issues seemed important and focus was needed. Then life took over but right now we decided to start meeting and discussing again regularly. These words are just some reflections on the too many terrible and unjustified wars we are surrounded by.
Bonjour à tous, je suis Umberta Telfener, la nouvelle Président de l’EFTA.
Je suis très honorée d’avoir reçu cette mission qui me tient personnellement très à cœur.
Je suis à l’EFTA depuis 1991, d’abord à titre individuel et à partir de 2010 comme représentante de l’Institut de thérapie familiale de Milan (Luigi Boscolo et Gianfranco Cecchin). Je suis devenue membre du conseil d’administration de l’EFTA TIC en 2016 et, à partir de novembre 2020, j’en ai été la présidente. Maintenant, je vais agir en tant que votre présidente et j’ai l’intention de faire de mon mieux.
Agenda Prochains évènements
This document was written by participants of the online meeting regarding the international dramatic situation. The contributors (Mauro Mariotti, Valeria Pomini, Maria Grazia Sabatini, Peter Stratton) are part of the group of authors of « Evidenze e creatività in psicoterapia sistemica e relazionale,”
Chers membres, Nous avons décidé de mettre en ligne le « Manifeste d’Assise » pour vous faire connaître le dernier effort choral des cliniciens du monde entier qui réfléchissent à notre travail spécifique en tant que praticiens systémiques. Comme vous le savez sans doute, je ne suis pas favorable à l’idée de tout ramener aux familles : […]
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- Encourage professionals, Training Institutes and National Federations you consider eligible to join. (Refer to the websites of the 3 Chambers for membership categories and criteria).
- Promote EFTA to students and trainees, supporting them to apply for associate membership.