EUROPEAN FAMILY THERAPY ASSOCIATION
CONNECTING FAMILY THERAPISTS AND TRAINERS
Michael Elkaïm, son of Mony and Olga, announces the passing of his mother: Olga Ginsburg Elkaïm left us on July 31, 2025. She was a woman of integrity in her fight against injustice, pretense, and social hypocrisy. Highly cultured, she was interested in many fields and her contributions were always extremely relevant. One day, while attending one of the scientific conferences of the Michel de Montaigne Institute with Mony, after several scientists had spoken about the brain, she asked this remarkable question: “But where is the seat of consciousness?” ” A long silence followed and, of course, there was no answer. At all the conferences, both those of the IEFSH and then those of EFTA, Olga was interested in what new insights they would bring, and she would suggest, in her sententious manner, that emphasis be placed on particular themes that she considered crucial. Mony always attached great importance to this. It was always a pleasure to see her come and say hello at our working meetings. Her highly perceptive comments opened up new possibilities, as Mony would have said. She was present throughout Mony’s life, both in his scientific and political commitments. Above all, she was the person who found the strength to support Mony throughout his long hospital stay. By his side every day, she was his link to friends and all those who wanted to show Mony their affection and sympathy. André-Jacques Neusy, one of the couple’s best friends, summed up what this couple meant to him in his tribute to Mony: “These two wonderful people, different, similar but so complementary. Olga and Mony became inseparable, developing a lifelong bond based on the same values and ideals, the same struggles to which they devoted themselves tirelessly.” (*).
We will miss them both.
Myriam Cassen and Jacques Pluymaekers
(*) Cahiers critiques de thérapie familiale et de pratiques de réseaux 2021 N°66
The work was undertaken by EFTA TASK Force under the leadership of Dr Valerie O’Brien.
Members of the Task Force include :
Valerie O’Brien (Chair); Federico Ferrari; Julia Hardy; Lucie Hornova; Teresa Moratalla Gellida; Martine Nisse; Yvain Piketty; Marie Jeanne Schon; Shan Tate.
Status of the Work:
The draft version – August 2025 HERE was agreed by the General Board of EFTA in August 2025. The draft will be discussed at the EFTA Roundtable in Lyon on Friday Aug 29th 12.30 -13.30. Information regarding the background to the evolution is contained in the document. It may also be useful to read the results of the 2025 Survey of Training and Service Provision of Family Therapy in Europe READ THE SURVEY. The data was collected primarily by the Task Force in 2023. This survey provided important information in the development of the standards.
Feedback Invited : The Task Force is open to receiving feedback up to Sept 30th, 2025, at which time the definitive version will be published on the EFTA web site, following this date.
Information to be sent to the Chair of the Task Force Valerie O’Brien at and .
Commencement of New Training Standards:
It is planned that the new standards will be required for all Training Programmes commencing in the academic year 2027.
Dr Valerie O’Brien – Chair of EFTA Training Standards Task Force
Dr Valerie O’Brien – Chair of EFTA Training Standards Task Force
Background to Survey
The data in this report provides a descriptive overview of some aspects of family therapy training and service provision across 35 countries. The information gathered through a questionnaire was used to review and update EFTA training standards for family therapists in Europe. We were particularly interested in capturing the variation in countries. Many thanks to the individuals in each country that worked with the Task Force to obtain this data. Thanks also to Dr Mattia Messena for his assistance. It is intended to publish a more detailed analysis of family therapy training in Europe – using the data in this report.
READ THE SURVEY REPORT
Task Force Members :
Valerie O’Brien (Chair); Federico Ferrari; Julia Hardy; Lucie Hornova; Teresa Moratalla Gellida; Martine Nisse; Yvain Piketty; Marie Jeanne Schon; Shan Tate.
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Relationships between people families, work teams, communities and nations have all undergone major changes in recent decades. Multiple influences, including cultural and scientific evolution are all central to the context of systemic thinking and therapy.
Disciplines such as physics, medicine, psychology, environmental and social sciences have made decisive contributions to the advancement of our knowledge. Distant galaxies have come closer due to our increased knowledge of the cosmos, and our probes and rockets are reaching towards the farthest edges of space-time. On the other hand, violence and barbarism destroy lives, property, and certainties on a daily basis, sparking vicious and often deadly clashes between individuals, communities, nations, and cultures.
In spite of these challenging realities, systemic therapists and practitioners are compelled to pursue their commitment to healing the resulting psychic and relational suffering and, above all, to rekindle hope, resilience and optimism for a better future.
1. Reflection from Umberta Telfener : As Social Justice and Systemic Thinking Task Force we met the first time at the NFTO in Sofia in June 2023, we created a whatsup group and exchanged some “fast” thoughts wondering what to deal with. Too many issues seemed important and focus was needed. Then life took over but right now we decided to start meeting and discussing again regularly. These words are just some reflections on the too many terrible and unjustified wars we are surrounded by.
Few days ago a client of mine posed this question: “Are we more violent compared to Medieval times?” I was stunned since I was questioning myself about the horrors of war in a time of enhanced consciousness: why does a civilized country become violent and destroy others? How can individuals de-humanize and do things that are despicable and they would judge as horrendous in times of peace? I started searching ….
Hello to everybody, I am Umberta Telfener, the new President of EFTA.
I am very honored to have received this assignment which I personally care very much about.
I am in EFTA since 1991, first as an individual and from 2010 representing the Milan Institute of Family Therapy (Luigi Boscolo and Gianfranco Cecchin). I become a member of the TIC Board in 2016 and from November 2020 I was its Chair. Now I will act as your President and intend to do my very best.
Agenda Upcoming events
This document was written by participants of the online meeting regarding the international dramatic situation. The contributors (Mauro Mariotti, Valeria Pomini, Maria Grazia Sabatini, Peter Stratton) are part of the group of authors of “Evidenze e creatività in psicoterapia sistemica e relazionale,”
Dear members, We decided to upload the “Assisi Manifesto” to let you know what is the latest choral effort of clinicians around the world reflecting on our specific work as systemic practitioners. As I think you know by now I am not keen on bringing everything back to families: I think that systemic thinking obliges […]
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