A Brief History

The European Family Therapy Association is an international non-profit association (AISBL) established in 1990 at the initiative of the European Family Therapy Network. This network, formally established in 1986, grew through informal meetings held at major conferences since 1983.

From 1990 to 2001, the association was exclusively composed of qualified and experienced family therapists practicing systemic family therapy in Europe and Israel.

Since 2001, EFTA has established a new structure made up of three “chambers” (the Chamber of: Individual Members – CIM; National Associations – NFTO; Training Institutes – TIC,) thereby giving space for national associations for family therapy and training institutes to represent their particular interests.

Every 3 years, EFTA organizes an international family therapy conference. Twelve conferences have already taken place in various European countries: Sorrento 1991, Athens 1994, Barcelona 1998, Budapest 2001, Berlin 2004, Glasgow 2007, Paris 2010, Istanbul 2013, Athens 2016, Naples 2019, Ljubljana 2022, Lyon 2025.

Today…

The EFTA Chamber of Individual Members (EFTA CIM) has approximately 900 individual members (in 29 European countries and some countries outside Europe).

Purpose of EFTA

The association aims to:

• connect and coordinate European national associations, institutes, and individuals in the field of systemic approach and family therapy;
• promote the highest level of competence and quality in the practice, research, supervision, and teaching of family therapy and related fields;
• facilitate European cooperation and the exchange of ideas and experiences among associations, institutions, and individuals concerned with medical, legal, social, psychological, gender, cultural, and economic aspects, as well as other aspects of human experiences in relation to systemic thought and practice;
• disseminate information throughout Europe concerning family therapy and the systemic approach to individuals, institutions, and organizations concerned with the health and development of families and human systems;
• promote research, conferences, publications, audiovisual instruments, and other scientific material in this field through meetings and all other appropriate communication methods;
• improve the training of professionals in the systemic field and family therapists at regional, national, and European levels by fostering exchanges between individuals and professional centers;
• establish links with other organizations pursuing common or compatible objectives with those of the association, both within and outside Europe.