Michael Barnett, LPCC, is a licensed professional clinical counselor in Pasadena, California, and the cofounder and director of the EFT Center of Los Angeles. Michael is one of approximately 25 certified Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Trainers in the United States and is recognized for pioneering work at the intersection of trauma, addiction, and attachment. For more than 15 years, Michael has specialized in adapting and extending the EFT model to work effectively with couples and families navigating addictive processes. Drawing from extensive experience in residential treatment, outpatient settings, and long-term clinical practice, he has developed advanced trainings and master classes that support therapists in modifying EFT interventions for complex presentations involving trauma histories and substance or behavioral addictions.
Michael is also the author of The Emotionally Focused Therapy Workbook for Addiction: Healing the Loneliness and Shame that Trigger Addictive Behaviors, which distills his integrative approach into accessible, attachment-based guidance for both therapists and clients.
A longtime contributor to the EFT community, Michael is known for making challenging clinical territory accessible, humane, and deeply grounded in attachment science. His work helps therapists understand addictive behavior not as pathology, but as an adaptive strategy rooted in emotional pain and unmet attachment needs—offering a powerful pathway toward healing, connection, and long-term recovery.