Focusing for Your Clients and Yourself: Level 1

 
Why Focusing and Why Now?

 
In these uncertain economic times, every workshop we take needs to provide both value for the money and practical tools that we can directly incorporate into our personal and professional lives. So why Focusing and why now?

 Focusing was developed as an outcome of a groundbreaking research project conducted by Eugene T. Gendlin, Ph.D., at the University of Chicago exploring the question: Why does Psychotherapy work for some clients and not for others? and When therapy is successful, WHY is it successful?
Much to everyone's surprise, the research demonstrated, that successful psychotherapy was neither based on the type of therapy being employed or the specific attributes of the therapist.
Successful and effective therapy was determined by "something" that clients were doing – internally – and often unconsciously. What was it? They were automatically checking for congruency, between what they were thinking, feeling and saying.
The Focusing model is an extrapolation of this internal process.
Gendlin eventually named the process Focusing.
It can be integrated seamlessly with all other therapy approaches so that this essential ingredient for potential client success is always present in the therapy hour.
 
*Note: this course is a requirement for the year-long training program for Certification.

 

What is Focusing?

Focusing is a specific skill that therapists can employ to help clients develop and become more aware of congruency between what they think and what they feel. When thinking and feeling become aligned, decisions and courses of action that feel right spontaneously emerge (regardless of whether the task is pleasant - or not!) helping clients to move forward in their lives.
Focusing provides clinicians with practical tools to assist clients in developing this "right relationship" between thoughts, feelings, and consequent action.

 
What you will learn in the two-day training
  • The steps of the Focusing process
  • How to listen to and from the bodily "felt-sense"
  • The linguistic nuances of Focusing: How to phrase questions to get authentic answers.
  • Effective strategies for overcoming obstacles to the Focusing process (dealing with the inner Critic)
  • Empathic Attunement: The role of the listener in the Focusing process
  • Weaving Focusing naturally into the therapy hour
  • Skills for Focusing on your own and with a partner
  • Applications: How to use and integrate Focusing with a diverse range of clients and presenting issues
  • Moving forward with Focusing: Transitioning from training to practice
In day 2, we will delve into case examples, role-plays and practice exercises, making your newly acquired Focusing skills readily adaptable to your current therapy practice.

What you will get for yourself…

  • More proficiency and confidence in applying Focusing both personally and professionally
  • Increased skill in dealing with conflictual issues and situations
  • Expanded ability to hear, empathize, and understand others
  • Ability to resolve issues with more awareness, creativity and flexibility
  • More energy - less stress
Details
Date: Saturday & Sunday, October 15th & 16th, 2011
Time: 9:30am to 4:30pm
Cost: $285 * or bring a colleague/friend for a $25 discount
Place: University of Toronto

 
For more information and/or to register, please contact…
Bala Jaison, Ph.D.
Focusing For Creative Living
282 Erskine Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4P 1Z4
(416) 440-1811

 
About the Facilitator
Bala Jaison, Ph.D., author of Integrating Experiential and Brief Therapy: How to do Deep Therapy - Briefly and How to do Brief Therapy – Deeply, is an internationally recognized lecturer, trainer and workshop leader. She is a psychotherapist in private practice for individuals, couples and families, Director of Focusing For Creative Living in Toronto and a Certifying Coordinator for the International Focusing Institute. Dr. Jaison is also the senior editor of the Folio, the academic journal for the International Focusing Institute and has written extensively on the clinical applications of Focusing in therapy.

 
We are in the process of finalizing our 2011-2012 training schedule. If you would like more information about: upcoming courses, workshops tailored for your specific groups, or to discussing your individual training needs and areas of interest, please contact Bala Jaison at balaj@sympatico.ca or (416) 440-1811. We look forward to hearing from you.


 
Focusing for Creative Living is a Government recognized Educational Institution affiliated with the International Focusing Institute, celebrating over 25 years of providing professional training programs and seminars on Focusing, Focusing Oriented Psychotherapy, and Solution Oriented Focusing Therapy (SOFT). All courses are Tax Deductible and HST exempt.