Focusing: Accessing the Body’s Wisdom

Course Description

Focusing is a deeply embodied listening practice that can lead to living with greater immediacy. It can be applied both in the practice of psychotherapy and in deepening connection with oneself. This method of inner inquiry is gentle and safe, yet goes deep and is often helpful in surprising ways.

Focusing has its roots in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Dr. Eugene Gendlin studied thousands of patients and therapists to determine what made the therapeutic experience successful or not. He discovered that the technique of the therapist was not relevant. What made the difference was the patients’ ability to enter their own experience during the session. Gendlin evaluated what successful patients were already doing and broke that process down into 5 steps. He called this process “Focusing” and dedicated his life to helping people learn this softly penetrating skill.

The atmosphere of focusing is collaborative, respectful, supportive and nurturing of what your actual experience is. This acceptance of what is makes exploring safe and fruitful. With Leslie’s guidance you will feel more empathy for your predicament and more resourcefulness about how to move within it.

All four class sessions will begin with a group experiential practice of a focusing session or will offer an experience of a relevant aspect of focusing. This highly experiential method is best learned by doing, and this will be followed by information about theory and technique. There will also be demonstrations of 1:1 focusing sessions with class participants.

While focusing can be a lifelong study, this course with master teacher Dr. Leslie Ellis, is a powerfully deep introduction to listening to the body’s wisdom.

This course is ideal if

• You want to deepen your ability to access your body’s wisdom.
• You want to gain a practical tool for addressing the challenges on your journey.
• You want to learn about Focusing from a recognized teacher.
• You are a coach or mental health practitioner who wants to add a profound dimension of listening to the body to your work with clients.

Course Overview

Class One: Introduction to Focusing

• Experiential practice: Focusing session and discussion
• What is focusing and how did Gendlin develop it?
• Overview of the 5 steps of Focusing
• Demo, discussion and questions 

Class Two: Exploring the Felt Sense

• Experiential practice and debrief
• How to listen to the body in a focusing-oriented way
• The nature of Experiencing and how to deepen it
• Demo, discussion and questions

Class Three: Focusing and Listening

• Group focusing session
• Gendlin’s radical impact on psychotherapy
• How to become an exquisite listener; partner practice
• Demo, discussion, questions

Class Four: Focusing and Trauma

• Experiential practice: clearing space, finding help as a resource
• Working with the inner critic
• Focusing and implicit memory
• Demo, discussion and questions

By the end of this course you will

• Have experienced how to practice focusing.
• Deepen and widen your inner sensing skills.
• Have subtler listening skills with other people.
• Understand the influence of Eugene Gendlin in modern psychotherapy.