An authorized trainer is a professional who can train and disseminate the tool outside their own research/clinical team.  Such training is intended to be in person or live through a platform such as Zoom, as there is prerecorded online training already available to every professional on an ongoing basis.

So that this role is done to a standard, one needs to get certified/licensed on a yearly basis so that authorization is about having the standard, updated knowledge and dissemination being accurate dissemination.

Everyone is on the same footing, unless they are authorized to be a trainer.  This authorization comes from emotionalavailability.com, not by the head of a research or clinical team, or other.  Reason:  Abiding by these guidelines keeps the EA System evidence-based/scientifically defensible, and linked to the wealth of EA literature indicating strong validity.

There is the possibility of heading up an "EA Hub" in your country, including doing translation of the manual.  This would not be authorized trainer role, but rather, a place to share ideas, watch videos together (i.e., community of practice/research), share information, or resources.  This would be done in collaboration with emotionalavailability.com, llc.  Below are the authorized trainers, who have done or are about to do EA Basic Training, with extensive experience in using the EA System.

DR. SAARA SALO, Helsinki, Finland

I am a Clinical Psychologist and Senior Researcher, as well as Licensed Psychotherapist.  Clinically, I worked over 20 years at the Helsinki University Hospital out-patient unit for small children utilizing many attachment/mentalizing based assesments and interventions (including Theraplay and Mentalizing Based Treatment for Families/MBT-F, Family and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy). Nowadays, I do 20% clinical practice privately (www.pilkeklinikka.com). I’m a trainer/supervisor for different methods and interventions (Emotional Availability System®, Theraplay®, MIM/DEIS©, MBT-F, and Nurture and play/NaP©) both in Finland and internationally. I have a researcher post at the Helsinki University, where I study the transition into parenthood with focus on parental reflective functioning and relational satisfaction. I also run a clinical study evaluating the implementation and efficacy of various interventions and treatment programs conducted with high-risk parents. I am the developer of Nurture and Play©, a prenatal intervention to improve prenatal emotional availability and reflective functioning.  www.pilkeklinikka.com/en, www.nuturi.net/en.  I hosted Zeynep's workshops on the EA Basic 3 times in Helsinki, Finland.  I myself have conducted workshops in Finland, in Denmark, as well as Sweden.  I am eager to not only continue my role as an authorized trainer in the EA Basic, but also to disseminate the EA Prenatal Training, which I formulated and developed into a training authorized by emotionalavailability.com, llc.

Publications:

Salo, S. J., Flykt, M., Isosavi, S., Punamaki, R. L., Kalland, M., Biringen, Z., & Pajulo, M. (2019). Validating an Observational Measure of Prenatal Emotional Availability among Mothers with Depressive Symptoms. Journal of Prenatal & Perinatal Psychology & Health, 34(1).

Salo, S., Flykt, M., Mäkelä, J., Biringen, Z., Kalland, M., Pajulo, M., & Punamäki, R. (2019). The effectiveness of Nurture and Play: A mentalisation-based parenting group intervention for prenatally depressed mothers. Primary Health Care Research & Development, 20, E157. doi:10.1017/S1463423619000914.

Salo, S., Flykt, M., Mäkelä, J., Lassenius-Panula, L., Korja, R., Lindaman, S., & Punamäki, R. L. (2020). The impact of Theraplay® therapy on parent-child interaction and child psychiatric symptoms: a pilot study. International Journal of Play, 9(3), 331-352.

Flykt, M. S., Salo, S., & Pajulo, M. (2021). “A window of opportunity”: parenting and addiction in the context of pregnancy. Current Addiction Reports, 8(4), 578-594.

Salo, S. J., Pajulo, M., Vinzce, L., Raittila, S., Sourander, J., & Kalland, M. (2021). Parent Relationship Satisfaction and Reflective Functioning as Predictors of Emotional Availability and Infant Behavior. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 30(5), 1214-1228.

Salo, S. J., Lipsanen, J. O., Sourander, J., Pajulo, M., & Kalland, M. (2022). Parental relationship satisfaction, reflective functioning, and toddler behavioral problems: A longitudinal study from pregnancy to 2 years postpartum. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 904409.

Flykt, M., Belt, R., Salo, S., Pajulo, M., & Punamäki, R. L. (2022). Prenatal reflective functioning as a predictor of substance-using mothers' treatment outcome: Comparing results from two different RF measures. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 909414.

Peltokorpi, S., Salo, S., Hart, P., Nafstad, A., Kajamies, A., & Laakso, M. (2024). Developing reciprocity between one-year-old children with visual impairment and additional disabilities and their mothers: The effects of bodily-tactile early intervention. Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, 48, 100849.

Salo, S., Mykkänen, E., Peltonen, S., & Vänskä, M. (2025) Multimethod Perspective on Mother-Infant Interaction in Free-and Semi-Structured Play: Associations with Parental Reflective Functioning. Available at SSRN 4999528. Infant Behavior and Development, 80, 102076.

Salo, S. Flykt, M., Li,Y., Kalland, M., Pajulo, M. (2025). Parents with Substance Use Disorder in the Holding Tight® Treatment System: Intervention Effectiveness and Moderating Effects. Journal of Child and Family Studies (in press).

Chapters:

Salo, S., & Flykt, M. (2013).  The impact of parental addiction on child development. In: Parenting and substance abuse. N.Suchman, M. Pajulo, & L. Mayes, pp.  Oxford University Press.

Salo, S. (2013). Emotional Availability Scales - assessing parent-child emotional interaction from infancy to school-age. In: S. Hart & R. Schwartz. The Clinical Child Assessment within an Attachment based Framework, Hans Reitzels Forlag, pp. 223-236.

Salo, S., & Lampi, H. (2021). Prenatal and Infant Theraplay. In: S. Lindaman and R. Hong. Theraplay theory, applications and implementation. pp, 83-101, Jessica Kingsley: London.

Salo, S. (2025). Working with traumatized children and parents. In:  N. Midgley, E. Morris, & N. Vliegen (Eds). Mentalization-Based Treatment for Developmental Trauma: A Casebook for Working with Children and Their Families.

YOUNG AE KANG, in Tokyo, Japan

I am a Certified Clinical Psychologist and Certified Public Psychologist based in Tokyo. I work in a psychiatric clinic that features a postpartum day-care program and provides specialized psychological services for infants, young children, and their caregivers, including sensitive and clinically informed support for high-risk families and those experiencing significant relational or emotional challenges. With nearly 20 years of clinical experience, my work focuses on early parent–child relational assessment and interventions for families affected by trauma or early relational difficulties. I recently conducted a pilot study of EA-based intervention (i.e., EA Briefing), with clinical populations and subsequently integrated the approach as a therapeutic service within our clinic (Clinic Ogura in Tokyo)

I am fluent in Japanese, Korean, and English and have extensive experience working with international families and drawing on my expertise with culturally responsive and clinically attuned care. I am expanding EA training opportunities in both Japan as well as Korea.  I have already conducted the inaugural training in the EA Basic in Tokyo May 2025, and preparing additional trainings.  I have Japanese captioned the prerecorded EA Basic Training for Japanese learners, and regularly collaborate with Zeynep and with Japanese professionals so that there is greater depth in understanding of the system.  As such, I do EA consultations and supervisions.  Below is a pic from the inaugural EA Training.

PROF. GIZEM ARIKAN, Istanbul, Turkiye

I am an Associate Professor of Psychology at Özyeğin University. I completed my PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Southampton (2011) in the UK, following my BSc degrees in Psychology and Philosophy (2005) and MSc in Clinical Psychology (2007) from Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Türkiye. After completing my postdoctoral research fellowship at the Centre for Research on Self and Identity at the University of Southampton, I joined the Department of Psychology at Özyeğin University in Istanbul. My research has focused on attachment, emotion regulation, parental psychological well-being, social media and screen use, and early childhood socio-emotional development. My recent research is supported by several national and international grants, including funding from the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK) and the British Council International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF). I became Emotional Availability Scales (EAS) coder in 2019 and have been using the EA System since then.  Many of my students and colleagues have trained in the system.  Zeynep came to Istanbul and to Ankara to train close to 75 professionals some time ago. I would like to now  be instrumental in disseminating EA in Turkiye.

Publications:

Arikan, G., Acar, I.H., Kumru, A. & Unsal, O.F. (2025). Maternal symptoms and emotional availability predicting children's behavior problems: A longitudinal study. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 97, 101753. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2024.101753

Gunal-Tasel, I. Z*. & Arikan, G. (2024). How do Emotional Availability, Attachment, and Parenting Stress Relate to Attachment Security? Findings from Turkish Mother-Toddler Dyads Journal of Child and Family Studies, 33, 2310-2323. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-024-02783-5

Kumru, A., Acar, I.H., Arikan, G. & Unsal O. F. (2025, June). Maternal mutual attunement, child emotion regulation, and behavior problems: A Longitudinal Study with Turkish Preschool Children in COVID-19 Pandemic. Lisbon, Portugal.

PROF. HEDWIG VAN BAKEL, The Netherlands

 

I am a full professor as well as a licensed health psychologist (Infant Mental Health Specialist, DAIMH).  For more than 25 years I have been working as a researcher and lecturer at Radboud University, Tilburg University, and recently Open Universiteit and at Regional Institutions for Continuing Education and Training in the Netherlands and using EA Scales. In 2007, I became an Emotional Availability Scales Coder and attended subsequent live trainings by Zeynep Biringen in The Netherlands in following years.  My scientific research mainly focuses on the quality of parent-child interactions and family relationships in community samples and families at-risk. Clinically, I use the EA Scales in my work with families and infants in infant mental health teams. In The Netherlands, many colleagues have been trained in the system for using EA in their clinical work. I will be offering regular EA Basic trainings in the Netherlands starting summer 2026.

EA publications:

De Bruijn, T. C. E., van Bakel, H. J. A., Pop, V.J., Wijnen, H., & van Baar, A. L. (2009). Postnatal maternal interaction style moderates the influence of prenatal maternal stress on child behavior. Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, 1(1), p.273-274.

McMahon, C. Martins, E., van Bakel H.J.A., & Salo S. (2010). Emotional Availability (EA) in mother-child and father-child interactions: Development in an international context. Infant Mental Health Journal, 32 (3), p.74.

De Bruijn T.C.E., van Bakel, H.J.A. , & van Baar, A.L. (2010). Father's emotional availability: A buffer against the negative influences of prenatal maternal emotional complaints? Infant Mental Health Journal, 32 (3), p.75. 

De Bruijn T.C.E., van Bakel, H.J.A., Wijnen, H., Pop, V.,  & van Baar, A.L. (2010). The influence of prenatal maternal emotional complaints on child behavioural problems is moderated by the quality of postnatal maternal interaction style. In ’Tied to mommy’s womb: prenatal maternal stress, postnatal parental interaction style and child development’. pp. 59-74. Published doctoral thesis. Tilburg University. ISBN: 978-94-90791-02-5.

De Bruijn T.C.E., van Bakel, H.J.A., Smeekens, S., Wijnen, H., Pop, V.,  & van Baar, A.L. (2010).  Are fathers a buffer against the negative influences of prental maternal compliants? In ’Tied to mommy’s womb: prenatal maternal stress, postnatal parental interaction style and child development’. pp. 75-90. Published doctoral thesis. Tilburg University. ISBN: 978-94-90791-02-5. 

Van Bakel, H.J.A. (2011). Ouder-kind interacties en observatie. Handboek Infant Mental Health (Eds. MM. Rexwinkel, M. Schmeets, C. Pannevis, & B. Derks. Van Gorcum. pp. 247-263.

Endendijk, J, de Bruijn, A., van Bakel, H., Wijnen, H., Pop, V., & van Baar, A. (2017). Maternal Interaction Quality Moderates Effects of Prenatal Maternal Emotional Symptoms on Girls’ Internalizing Problems.  Infant Mental Health Journal, 5,  634-644.

Van Bakel, H.J.A, & Hall, R. (2018). Parent-child relationships and attachment. In Handbook of Parenting and Child development across the Lifespan , M. Sanders and A. Morawska (eds), (pp. 47-66). Springer International Publishing.