Michael Barnett, a practicing psychotherapist, researcher, author, and trainer specializing in EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy) and addiction, based in Los Angeles

I’m Michael Barnett, LPCC

psychotherapist, certified EFT trainer, author, and workshop presenter specializing in EFT and addiction

A woman walking under a large tree with spreading branches

TREATING ADDICTION with EFT

I am applying the tenets of attachment theory and EFT to the addiction treatment process. What would it look like if we could help people truly heal the root causes of addictions? If we could help them identify, work through, and heal the triggers and patterns that drive addiction?

This is the core of EFT, and alongside addiction treatment experts, I am developing a set of resources, trainings, and protocols to help integrate EFT practices into addiction treatment.

Michael Barnett giving a lecture or presentation on Emotionally Focused Therapy as part of his work training other practicing therapists

EFT THERAPIST TRAINING

I am among the small number of ICEEFT (International Center for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy) certified supervisors and trainers in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) .

I offer a variety of trainings for practicing clinicians on an ongoing basis, from fundamentals to advanced workshops.

COUPLES and FAMILY THERAPY

I work with couples and families in a therapeutic setting. I have always had a deep respect and passion for couples therapy. It has been the specialization of my clinical practice for well over twenty-five years.

I specialize in EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy), empirically validated as the gold standard of relationship therapies that help people get and stay unstuck. It not only helps partners co-create the relationship that they have been longing for, it also helps partners heal historical wounds from the past in the process.

A series of wooden rounds forming a pathway of stepping stones out into the horizon; set on a sandy beach with foaming water under a sunset sky

Philosophy of Engagement

I aim to cultivate a climate of inclusion, an environment where all can feel seen, valued, cared for, and supported throughout their therapy process.

In all facets of my work I strive to embody what I hope to see in the world: a just, loving, humane space in which people are free to be fully themselves.

Michael Barnett giving a lecture on EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy)

Upcoming Training, Events, and Workshops

NEW RELEASE

The Emotionally Focused Therapy Workbook for Addiction

How to Heal the Loneliness and Shame That Trigger Addictive Behaviors

MICHAEL BARNETT
New Harbinger Publications, August 2024

The cover of a book entitled The Emotionally Focused Therapy Workbook for Addiction by Michael Barnett, LPCC - held by a person in a green sweater and blue jeans

Heal the pain at the root of your addiction with this comprehensive, evidence-based workbook.

If you struggle with substance abuse, you may have intense feelings of loneliness, isolation, and disconnection. You may feel uncomfortable asking others for help. And when faced with difficult emotions, it’s easy to fall into the habit of numbing and avoiding emotional pain with drugs and alcohol, which can leave you feeling even more shame and despair. So, how do you break this cycle and create real connections that will reward you with relief, belonging, and a sense of safety?

The skills and exercises in this user-friendly workbook are based in proven-effective emotionally focused therapy (EFT)—an innovative approach for transforming the pain of addiction into a sense of love, community, and connection. Step by step, you’ll build a solid foundation of self-compassion to help you heal from the underlying causes that drove you to self-medicate in the first place. Instead of turning to drugs and alcohol to dull the pain at the core of your addiction, you’ll discover how to develop a safety net of life-affirming relationships to protect and support you.

As therapists we should be asking: “Not why the addiction…but, why the pain?

– DR. GABOR MATE