Externship in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy®
with a Created for Connection (C4C) Focus
- July 29 - August 1, 2026
- Shawnee, OK
Lead couples with greater clarity and care—
through a model rooted in both faith and attachment science.
Join ICEEFT Certified Trainer Dr. Greg Cheney for a 4-day Externship in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy® (EFCT) — delivered with a Created for Connection (C4C) focus on Christian couples. Through this approach, you’ll learn to guide couples toward healing, understanding, and renewed connection using tools that align with both scripture and clinical best practices.
This training is ideal for:
- Licensed therapists and counselors
- Pastors and clergy
- Mental health professionals
- Students training in these professions
Whether you're helping couples heal through clinical work or faith-based ministry, you’ve probably asked yourself:
- “Couples sessions feel unpredictable. I worry I’ll lose control of the conversation.”
- “I want to walk with couples who long to grow closer to God, but I’m unsure how.”
- “I’m not sure current models align with my Christian values.”
Event Details
This Externship is the first step toward certification in EFCT
Dates
July 29 - August 1, 2026
Time
9:00 AM – 4:30 PM (Lunch break included)
Location
Oklahoma Baptist University
Shawnee, OK
Investment
Secure your spot with a $250 deposit or an automated 3-month plan
Payment plans are available for a limited time through April 30
Earn 24 NBCC Continuing Education hours ($30)
$795
Student Rate
$960
Early Bird (ends May 15)
$1,160
Regular Rate
What You’ll Learn
- The EFCT model’s stages and steps
- How to view clients through the lens of emotional and relational attachment
- Live or recorded therapy sessions with real couples
- The structure of the EFCT model as outlined in Attachment Theory in Practice
- Skills to form collaborative alliances and deepen emotional engagement
- How to use the 5-step EFT “Tango” to transform relational patterns
- Techniques for overcoming blocks in therapy or pastoral counseling
- How to weave spiritual meaning into emotional healing
Christians believe, as do I, that we are indeed created for connection.
Hi, I'm Dr. Greg Cheney
ICEEFT Certified Trainer | Ph.D., LMFT, LCMHCS, BC-TMH
For over 20 years, I’ve helped individuals, couples, and professionals navigate life’s most meaningful and difficult moments—as a therapist, Army Chaplain, and clinical educator. My passion is helping others make sense of where they feel stuck and supporting them as they move toward lasting change.
I’ve spent most of my professional life walking alongside military service members, first responders, and their families. That includes deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and later serving as Director of a counseling center at Fort Bragg. These sacred moments of both tragedy and transformation have deeply shaped how I view the work we do as therapists and leaders.
What led me to Emotionally Focused Therapy was its clarity and compassion. Its grounding in attachment science, experiential learning, and systems thinking mirrors what I’ve seen firsthand: healing happens in relationships. It happens when people feel safe, seen, and supported—and when those of us offering care are equipped with tools we trust.
In this externship, I’ll share the same EFCT model that has helped me support thousands of couples in therapy and train countless clinicians and ministry leaders across the country. Whether you’re a licensed therapist, a marriage pastor, or a counseling student, you’ll walk away with the confidence to lead couples toward deeper connection while remaining anchored in your Christian values and spiritual calling.
Qualifications
- Ph.D. in Counseling & Counselor Education – North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Regularly trains clinicians for the Army, Air Force, Navy, Defense Health Agency, and North Carolina Department of Public Safety
- Certified Emotionally Focused Therapy Trainer, Supervisor, Therapist
International Centre of Excellence for Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT) - Master of Divinity – Gateway Seminary, Ontario, CA
- Master of Arts in Counseling – Webster University, St. Louis, MO
- Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist – North Carolina
- Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor – North Carolina
- Approved Supervisor
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) - Board Certified Telemental Health Provider in North Carolina and Florida
Dr. Greg Cheney
Owner and Clinical Director, Valiant Couples Therapy and Consulting
Ready to take the next step?
Secure your spot for this immersive training in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy with a Created for Connection focus. Space is limited. Early registration is encouraged to reserve your seat and take advantage of discounted rates.
Refunds are available up to 60 days after the date of payment, minus a $200 administrative fee. No refunds will be issued after July 1, 2026. However, if you are unable to attend, your full tuition can be applied toward a future training offered by Valiant Couples Therapy and Consulting.
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Valiant Couples Therapy and Consulting has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7357. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Valiant Couples Therapy and Consulting is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.
Required Reading: The Practice of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy: Creating Connection, 3rd edition, by Susan M. Johnson, 2020. Routledge.
Recommended Readings:
- Attachment Theory in Practice: Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) with Individuals, Couples, and Families by Dr. Susan M. Johnson, 2019. Guildford Press.
- Becoming an Emotionally Focused Therapist: The Workbook, 2nd edition, by James L. Furrow, Susan M. Johnson, Brent Bradley, Lorrie L. Brubacher, T. Leanne Campbell, Veronica Kallos-Lilly, Gail Palmer, Kathryn Rheem, Scott R. Woolley, 2022. Routledge.