Center for Integrative Counseling

WHAT IS GENDLIN FOCUSING?

Focusing is both a natural process that all of us have experienced on occasion AND a simple method that can be practiced in order to develop our natural ability. You are just beginning to Focus whenever you notice a bodily felt sense at the edge of your awareness:

“There’s something about this situation that bothers me.”
“I don’t know why, but whenever I’m around this person I feel on guard.”
“For some reason, I just feel more comfortable with this decision.”
“I feel this pressure to keep going faster and get more done.”
“I know I forgot something, but I can't think what it is.”

We often don’t know what to do with this bodily felt sense or how to understand it. We tend to either be run by it or to devalue it, perhaps even seeing it as a problem we need to get rid of. This disconnection and potential conflict between body and mind is one of the root causes of physical and emotional symptoms such as chronic muscle tension, pain, boredom, depression, confusion, anxiety, lack of self-confidence, etc.

The simple steps Gendlin describes as the "Focusing" process can help you learn how to help this process complete itself, giving you more productive access to your inner wisdom and helping you feel at home in your body.

People live at different distances from the body sense. If you are a natural Focuser, this training can support you in exploring this infinitely vast territory. If you feel more cut off from your body or have a negative relationship with it, this training can help you learn to trust your body in a new and beneficial way. Almost everyone can benefit. For example, Focusing can help you:

• Trust yourself more and feel less self-critical
• Get underneath repetitive thoughts and feelings that go nowhere
• Feel more connected with your creativity
• Make wiser decisions
• Have clearer boundaries and deeper connections with others
• Discover new choices when you're feeling stuck
• Be guided by your feelings without being overwhelmed by them
• Take more responsibility for your own mental and physical health
• Bring the resources of your whole self to your profession – Focusing has been used by teachers, therapists, financial advisors, writers, parents, etc.

Eugene Gendlin, PhD first observed and described this process in the 1960's. He has been given three awards for his work by the American Psychological Association, including the "Distinguished Professional Psychologist award. Focusing has been the subject of much research (for more information on Focusing, the writings of Gene Gendlin, PhD, and research, please see http://www.focusing.org )

Click here: "Trainings in Gendlin Focusing" for more information on courses offered by me, here in Malibu.