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The NCCEFT began as a project initiated by a group of San Francisco Bay Area EFT therapists who had been meeting for several years for clinical consultation and the study of EFT. In an effort to continue building and expanding the EFT community in Northern California, this group launched the first EFT Community meeting on May 3, 2007.
The Community has evolved as a membership organization where all can initiate and participate with others in implementing the NCCEFT mission.
Quarterly meetings promote the mission by:
General inquiries: ncceftinfo@gmail.com
Membership: ncceft.membership@gmail.com
Programs and events: ncceft.programs@gmail.com
Technology-related issues: ncceftinfo@gmail.com
755 East Blithdale Ave. #625
Mill Valley, CA 94941
The NCCEFT follows the guidelines of the International Center for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT), directed by Susan Johnson, Ed.D.
To learn more about the International Center for Excellence in EFT go to www.ICEEFT.com.
NCCEFT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023 Chair POSITION OPEN Chair-Elect POSITION OPEN Raquel GarcĂa, LMFT - CFO/Treasurer Certified Emotionally Focused Therapist Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Raquel Garcia is a LMFT from Spain, living in SF for almost 30 years She started her journey in EFT in 2017, and became certified in earlier in 2022. She has a private practice in SF, where she sees individuals, couples and families. She integrates somatic, attachment based and transpersonal practices in her work. Spirituality, nature, connection, creativity, are some of the aspects of this human experiences she holds as sacred. Director-at-Large POSITION OPEN Dean Paquette, LMFT, Technology Coordinator Prior to becoming a therapist, Dean had a long career in the television and film industry with a side gig as a sea kayak instructor. He began his therapist journey as a student trainee at the Pacific Center for Human Growth, then as an Associate working with couples at the Bay Area Psychotherapy Institute (BAPTI). Currently, he works in private practice. He is trained in EFT and EMDR. The opportunities with these diverse populations are experiences he will carry into his position with NCCEFT. Dean's quiet time is spent with his Dalmatian/pointer Pixie and an ever-growing stack of books on the bedside table. Olivia Provan, LMFT - Membership Coordinator Certified Emotionally Focused Therapist Pronouns:She/Her/Hers Olivia is a certified EFT therapist working virtually from San Francisco. She works with both couples and individuals from an attachment perspective and founded Swipe the Right Way, an online workshop aimed at helping individuals apply attachment theory to their dating lives. In addition to EFT, Olivia is trained in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Brainspotting, and is beginning her training in sex therapy through CIIS. Olivia is passionate about mental health education and has worked as an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco’s graduate school of clinical psychology and with the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department, developing and facilitating training for officers to educate them on mental illness and compassionate crisis response. In her free time, Olivia loves to travel, read fiction, cook, and practice yoga and pilates. Stephanie Pappas, Member-at-Large Stephanie Pappas, LMFT, a passionate therapist with 10 years of clinical experience, brings her expertise to the NCCEFT board as a member-at-large. As the owner of a virtual private practice based in Orange County, Stephanie works with individuals and couples, fostering deeper connections and healing through evidence-based therapies. Stephanie is a strong advocate for Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), complementing her advanced training with skills in Brainspotting and Trauma-Informed Yoga. This holistic approach allows her to empower clients, particularly those from under-served communities, to navigate emotional challenges and build stronger relationships. Beyond her clinical work, Stephanie values her identity as a Latinx daughter of immigrants. This lived experience fuels her commitment to making mental health resources accessible and inclusive. | NCCEFT PROGRAM COMMITTEEElisa Lewis, LCSW, Program Committee Co-Chair/Program Committee Chair Elect I am an Oakland, California native, and Licensed as a Social Worker in California and Oregon. I obtained my master’s in social work from California State University, East Bay. I have been awarded the opportunity to work with some of the most culturally diverse people in the Bay Area. I am a Social Justice Warrior with a deep passion for helping disenfranchised and underserved populations. I started a small private practice, MOCHA Therapy Group with a friend and business partner. I am newbie to EFT, completing Externship in 2021 and currently enrolled in Core Skills. I have a 24-year-old son who is finding his way, as a Black man in America and a 5-year old fur baby named, Shirley. When I am not working, you can catch me at the dog park, with family, or in Napa enjoying some of the finest wines Northern California has to offer. Kelly Baker, LMFT, Program Committee Co-Chair Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Kelly, Licensed Marriage, and Family Therapist (she, her, hers) is the owner and founder of Onyx Trauma Healing Center, in a small group private practice in Hanford, California, the Executive Director of ExpreseArte Cultural Wellness Collective and adjunct faculty at Fresno Pacific University. She spent the first twenty-five years of her career in public service, first in child welfare, 15 years in probation and parole, subsequently ending her career as Deputy Director of Kings County Behavioral Health. In March 2020, during the pandemic, Kelly transitioned into full-time private practice. Kelly is passionate about the physical and emotional benefits of mindful movement and creates opportunities for her clients to use their bodies to heal, grow and transform their chaos into clarity, confidence, and peace. Kelly’s practice approach is attachment-based, trauma-focused, and rooted in decolonizing mental health and wellness practices with a social justice framework. Kelly began studying and practicing EFT during her Externship with Dr. Silvina Irwin, studied EFIT with Laurie Brubacher and EFT consultation with Dr. Yamonte Cooper. Kelly is currently in Core Skills with Dr. Paul Guillory. She is learning so much from Core Skills including how to work with Black couples. In addition to EFT, Kelly is also trained in Brainspotting, Flash and is a certified yoga instructor. Kelly is the mother of 4 adult children and when she is not working, she loves to camp and travel throughout the United States in her RV. She is really excited to have an opportunity to serve the board and to become a more active member of the NCCEFT community. Margaret Peterson, LMFT- Program Committee: Speaker Liaison Certified Emotionally Focused Therapist and Certified Emotionally Focused Supervisor Pronouns: she/her/hers Margaret is a certified EFT therapist and supervisor in training who has been working in the field of mental health since 1979. Margaret began volunteering as the NCCEFT Hospitality Coordinator in 2013, holding that position for 3 years. She has been volunteering as the Speaker Liaison for the past 7 years, and resonates with being part of a close-knit community of like-minded and wonderful EFT clinicians. (If only more NCCEFT members knew how rewarding it can be to take on a volunteer role with the Board!) Margaret’s specialty is working with couples and families, and she has a passion for trauma-informed care and social justice. Understanding systemic oppression comes up often in her work and she is committed to dismantling racism and all other -isms in her practice and in her Fran Reich, LCSW- Program Committee: Hospitality Coordinator Fran is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has been in the field for over 40 years. After 26 years working in the psychiatry department of Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco, Fran took early retirement in 2015. In 2017 Fran discovered EFT, which rejuvenated her private practice. She continues to maintain a part-time practice in San Francisco working with individual adults and couples. In her spare time, Fran does stained glass (See photo) and loves entertaining good friends at her home in SF with her husband Alex. Christina Massoni Hughes, LMFT - Program Committee: Hospitality Coordinator Christina works with individuals, couples and families in her San Francisco-based private practice. She's passionate about supporting her clients to deepen their connections to those around them, to learn to be in tune with and respond to those they love. Still new to EFT, she completed Externship in 2020 and then Core Skills with Dr. Silvina Irwin and Michael Baxter, and now, is patiently working towards certification. Prior to private practice, Christina worked with adolescents, teens and families through school-based programs with the YMCA and Edgewood Center. Christina grew up here in San Francisco and is grateful to raise her two children here, alongside sweet friends and family. |
Laura McCabe, Program Committee/Hospitality Laura works with individuals and couples using an attachment based and emotion focused approach. She has experience with a wide range of issues including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma, and grief. She believes that the most important source of resilience comes from within ourselves and from our close relationships. She creates a compassionate and collaborative environment to support her clients as they work to strengthen their internal sense of self and heal attachments with those who love and support them. In addition to Emotionally Focused Therapy, Laura has training in attachment focused EMDR, Internal Family Systems and Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Before joining Asch Therapy Group, she worked as a clinical supervisor, therapist, and program developer in underserved communities in San Francisco. She strives to provide a culturally responsive therapeutic space that honors, culture, race, sexual identity, orientation and all abilities. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her partner and friends and exploring the beauty of the Bay Area. Before Laura was a therapist, she was a certified Olympic Weightlifting Coach and Yoga Instructor. Stephanie Lemus, LMFT Program Committee/Hospitality A licensed marriage and family therapist based in Oakland, California, with a private practice in nearby Berkeley. She was born and raised on the East Coast (Brooklyn, New York and Jersey City, New Jersey), to Guatemalan immigrants and practices therapy and life in both English and Spanish. Stephanie is trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy, Brainspotting, Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment, Somatic Attachment Therapy and EMDR. She uses these methods to adopt a holistic approach to therapy, integrating brain and body to create a more comprehensive healing experience. Stephanie has a profound passion for helping individuals journey towards self-love, a process she believes is integral to establishing and maintaining healthy relationships. Stephanie is also a proud mama to an almost 3 year old. Robert Jackson LMFT, CE Coordinator
Pronouns: he/him/his Advanced Trained Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist Robert specializes in working with men and couples virtually from his two offices in the Bay Area. He helps his clients to better understand their emotional world and practice communicating themselves to those they love. He began his training in Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples in 2018 and submitted his application for EFCT Certification in December 2023. He completed specialized training to address attachment injuries with Drs. Jim Furrow and Lisa Palmer-Olson. Prior to private practice, Robert worked with a variety of clients in community mental health settings as well as couples at The San Francisco Marriage and Couples Center. Prior to transitioning to life as a therapist, he worked for two decades in the non-profit sector running workforce education programs and supporting organizational growth using technology. When he is not seeing clients on Zoom, he enjoys hiking, cycling and searching for the best bowl of ramen in the Bay. |
In association with the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy | NCCEFT is a professional association of therapists practicing Emotionally Focused Therapy in Northern California. Serving communities of the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, including San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Fremont, San Jose, Sacramento, Santa Rosa, Stockton, Modesto, Fresno, and beyond; we have members throughout California and throughout the United States. |