The Psychology of the Felt Sense
Focusing...
is a reflective practice that brings the mind back to its natural centre in the felt experience of the body. It restores emotional equilibrium, renews the spirit, and helps you find your way forward in life. Focusing can be used to resolve unwanted feelings that thinking alone cannot change, to make decisions that feel 'right', and to think in fresh and creative ways. It was originally developed by Dr Eugene Gendlin.
Focusing can be practiced with another person, on your own, and in professional contexts such as coaching, counselling and therapy.
Listening
The 'inner listening' to the felt sense in Focusing is complemented by the practice of empathic listening and responding to others. You learn to support them in their own inner listening. The 'experiential listening' skills of Focusing are both effective and rewarding to practice.
Workshops
This year will be my last year offering a full workshop programme in London as I will be life-work transitioning (old age!) and leaving the big city in 2024. I will run one more introductory workshop in October. And I will be doing some 'workshops for experienced focusers' on creative thinking, decision making, Focusing in helping relationships, plus a new workshop on our response to the whole climate change business. Details including dates are on the Workshop Programme page.
Felt sense
A new page is 'felt sense notes', a collection of thoughts about the key concept of Focusing and how we can work with it in approaching big 'out there' issues like climate change. I shall be adding more notes as they roll off the inner creative production line
Neuroscience
is a page about my interest in neurobiology and its relevance to Focusing and therapy. There's news of my book Therapy in the Age of Neuroscience, and some articles I have written in recent years about Focusing and neuroscience.
About myself
I have been practicing Focusing and teaching it to others for over 30 years. Originally, it taught me to trust my feelings and their capacity to move naturally once I stopped resisting them - and to trust my ability to respond empathically to others. Now, I practice it for personal and professional nourishment, teach the skills of Focusing and listening, and lean on both all the time in my work as a counsellor and therapist - and in navigating life generally.
More information …
can be found by on the menu items at the top of this page.