Welcome address of the President of EFTA, Kyriaki POLYCHRONI

A word from the former President

It is my great pleasure, and a real honour to hand over the presidency of EFTA to Kyriaki Polychroni. I have known her for some years as a member of the TIC Board of the EFTA General Board. I know she will do stirling work for you all. She inherits a strong organisation, with much potential for influence at a European level of practice and policy development. And of course, she participated in creating this strong organisation we are all proud to call the European Association for Family Therapy. I wish her well. I wish you all well.
With my good wishes
Arlene Vetere
Former President

A few words about our Association

Welcome to the website of the European Family Therapy Association (EFTA), an association that connects over 900 family therapists, 130 training institutes and 26 national family therapy organizations, altogether representing 28 different countries across Europe.

EFTA has its roots in 1975 when it started off as a small group of professionnals dedicated to changing social structures related to the field of psychotherapy.  This was the "Alternative to Psychiatry" and included scientists such as Ronald Lang, David Cooper, Franco Basaglia, William Jarvis, Felix Guattari and Michel Foucault.  This was an exciting period of intense dialog and alternative proposals both the mental health field.
Among this group was also Mony Elkaïm who went on to create a Network of Family Therapists at a Conference in Rome in 1981.  The purpose of the network was to bring together professionals who had developed a Systemic Perspective and were practicing Family Therapists in Europe.
Through the growth of this Network, in 1990, at its 1st Congress in Paris, EFTA was established as an official association.

During the formative years, the Presidency of EFTA was held by Mony Elkaïm from Belgium.  He, together with professionals acknowledged in the field in Europe, strived to set fundamental foundations for an association that would connect family therapists in a creative scientific exchange and would contribute to the advancement of family therapy as a profession.

In 2001, EFTA again illustrated in practice that it is an open and evolving process.  Recognizing and responding to new needs, at its 4th Congress, in Budapest, EFTA was restructured so as to incorporate European Training Institutes and the various National Family Therapy Organizations.
3 chambers were created: the Chamber of Individual Members (CIM), the Chamber of Training Institutes (TIC) and Chamber of National Therapy Organizations (NFTO).  These 3 Chambers are both autonomous and interdependent and have, since then, been successfully developing activities through which European Family Therapists, Trainers and Systemic Practitioners come together, exchange their experiences and learn from each other on the many issues that are crucial to our field.

EFTA's two Presidents since its reconstructing, Juan Luis Linares from Spain and Arlene Vetere from the UK, have both contributed productively to the growth and expansion of EFTA.
EFTA now proudly represents about 1,000 individual family therapists, 130 training institutes and 26 national organizations of family therapy in 28 different countries of Europe.

Furthermore, in collaboration with the European Association of Psychotherapy (EAP), EFTA is continually striving to develop psychotherapy as an acknowledged profession in Europe and, more specifically, that of family therapy.

Recent developments

During EFTA's 7th Congress held in Paris, last October, elections to the 3 Chambers brought in a number of new members to the Board and also re-elected others with previous experience-this electoral outcome assured stability for EFTA's goals while opening up to new and fresh ideas.

I would like to thank our colleagues of the outgoing General Board for their commitment and productive work in striving for EFTA's goals.  I hope that they will continue to actively contribute to EFTA's further development.

As of October 30th, 2010 elections, the EFTA board includes:
David Amias (NFTO), Maria Borcsa (NFTO), Javier Bou Piquer (NFTO), Francesco Bruni (NFTO), Nevena Calovska Hertzog (TIC), Rodolfo de Bernart (TIC), Pier Giuseppe Defilippi (CIM), Mony Elkaïm (TIC), Edith Goldbeter-Merinfeld (TIC), Guy Hardy (CIM), Julia Hardy (NFTO), Phil Kearney (TIC), Michel Maestre (TIC), Mauro Mariotti (TIC), Hans Christian Michaelsen (NFTO), Jean-Paul Mugnier (CIM), Jacques Pluymaekers (CIM), Mina Polemi-Todoulou (NFTO), Kyriaki Polychroni (President), Yveline Rey (CIM), Jose Soriano (CIM), Peter Stratton (TIC), Malvina Tsounakis (CIM).

EFTA presidency

I am honored to have been elected President of this dynamic association. I believe that at this stage in its development, EFTA will continue to play the central role in connecting family therapists and trainers from the various European countries - a connection through which we can co-creatively take our profession further.  During my term, I will be particularly dedicated to enhancing conversations across differences in our field such that we may together promote the further creation of new alternatives.

I am open to and would appreciate receiving your feedback and proposals for the future of our association.

With best wishes for a creative collaboration.

Kyriaki Polychroni
EFTA President
See the CV of Kyriaki Polychroni

Kyriaki Protopsaltis-Polychroni, President