A302 Getting Unstuck: An Introduction to Focusing

Focusing, a process developed by psychologist Eugene Gendlin, is a powerful and effective way to bypass intellectualization, deal with otherwise overwhelming emotion, and go directly to the source of change. In this experiential course, you will learn tools for helping clients who report being stuck, out of touch with their bodily experience, and in the grip of repetitive patterns of thinking and feeling. We will explore concrete methods for helping people move into a position of being the compassionate witness to their own inner experience, without shame or self-criticism. You will come away with a deeper appreciation of how to create safety in your work with clients and enhance the level of presence in your therapeutic work.

Meet The Instructor

Ann Weiser Cornell is an internationally known teacher of Focusing, and the author of the best-selling The Power of Focusing. Her latest book is The Radical Acceptance of Everything: Living a Focusing Life.

Course Contents

Session 1: Introduction to the Focusing process, background and history

Session 2: The concept of the "felt sense" • How a felt sense is different from body sensation or emotion • Why it is so important

Session 3: The concept of "Presence" • Why an inner compassionate witnessing state is a key to Focusing • How to help clients find it

Session 4: The four stages of Focusing • How to facilitate them

Session 5: The power of empathy

Session 6: Tough cases: Clients who find Focusing hard to do • How to help them

Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize and respond to clients' felt senses
2. Discuss techniques to help clients find a felt sense when they are "in their heads"
3. Identify ways to help clients find a compassionate witnessing state ("presence") when they are emotionally overwhelmed
4. Discuss the concept of the "body" as understood within Focusing