Experience Focused Counselling (EFC)
Training Institute (Germany)
Page updated 19/11/2007
Experience Focussed Counselling (EFC) – Training in Germany
In June 2007, the international group of experts on the topic of voice hearing, Intervoice, met for an annual meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark. There, they agreed on a shared name for professional training in Germany. Experience Focussed Counselling (EFC) embodies a structured approach to experiences such as voice hearing.
There are already training initiatives for professionals to learn about the application of this particular approach in countries such as England (university based amongst
other possibilities), the Netherlands, Denmark, New Zealand, Australia, etc.
EFC describes the approach that goes back to the research by Dr. Sandra Escher and Prof Marius Romme who have been developing it since 1987.
The aim of EFC is to accompany a person who has got experiences that can be difficult to understand, such as voice hearing, visions, unusual beliefs, etc. Talking about these experiences, taking them seriously and working jointly and systematically on making sense of them helps to cope.
The ”Maastricht Interview” for example, is a method that can help to understand and structure, thus better control the potentially negative impact of the voices or similar phenomena more easily. It provides a possibility to explore the meaning of the voices and their connection with the life story.
It thus offers a complementary understanding to traditional approaches in our societies and professional institutions.
In Germany, training in EFC is offered by the
(trainers: Antje Mueller and Caroline von Taysen)
(trainers: Joachim Schnackenberg and others).
Dr. Sandra Escher, Prof Marius Romme and Dr Dirk Corstens support these trainings actively in teaching high level courses and through the provision of supervision as appropriate.
LINKS
The Experience Focused Counselling (EFC) Training Institute is supported by INTERVOICE