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USA - East Coast | Midwest | West Coast & Southern States | Canada | International
As a service to the international focusing community, The Focusing Institute provides this space for the posting of dates and times of ongoing "Changes" groups. Changes groups meet to share Focusing either with or without a facilitator. The Focusing Institute does not monitor, and is not responsible or accountable for the following groups. However, individuals listed as Certified Trainers have been certified by the Focusing Institute to be highly competent Focusing teachers.
Are you holding a Changes group that you would like listed here? Email our
webmaster with the particulars.
Please also visit our Bulletin Board page
which lists Focusing-related workshops not offered by the Institute.
For information on Institute workshops, please refer to our Workshops
page.
Kathleen McGuire-Bouwman
In the early 1970’s, when Eugene Gendlin was trying to define Focusing as a skill that could be taught to everyone, students of Gendlin’s and others got together to form a crisis hotline and supportive community where everyone was invited to learn the basic Focusing and Experiential Listening skills. The basic training took place in small groups, and, even after the initial training, many people enjoyed meeting for the exchange of listening/focusing turns as peer counselors in a small group format. The first such group was called “Changes,” and such Listening/Focusing communities have continued to be called Changes groups.
The Building Supportive Community manual, and its Spanish Translation, both available from The Focusing Institute website, tell how to find potential members and to start a Changes Group, the basic Listening/Focusing skills and the exchange of equal peer-counseling turns, and the use of the Listening/Focusing skills to resolve any interpersonal conflicts or group decisions that come up.
Read more... (text displayed below)
More Articles on Focusing Communities
BOSTON, MA: Changes group meetings in Boston MA. meets monthly in Arlington Mass at The Arlington Center 369 Mass Avenue from 2-4p.m. on Sundays. Every other month, CHANGES is open for for anyone NEW to Focusing as well as those returning. The spring dates are March 19, May 21st 2006. The alternate months are for those with at least some focusing experience (even one Changes meeting is sufficient). The dates for the returning focusers this spring are April 23 June 25. Laury Rappaport and Joan Klagsbrun co- facilitate CHANGES. There are no meetings scheduled over the summer, though they sometimes happen informally. Generally about 15-28 people attend when the meeting is for new people and less (6-12) attend on months for returning or experienced focusers only. Interested people who would like to receive a reminder email, can write to Joanklag@mac.com. For the CHANGES schedule and for information about some local certified focusers, see Newenglandfocusing.com
CHESAPEAKE, DE: Changes Group held in our home in
Wilmington, Delaware. We plan to meet every second Sunday of the month and
we welcome your energy and input. Please let me know if you are coming and
if you need directions. Our address is 1907 West Ninth Street,
Wilmington, DE. Phone number: (302) 777-3111 email:
tarotflex@yahoo.com
NEW YORK, NY: Focusing ‘Changes’ Group in New York City
generally meets on the first Sunday evening of the month from 6:30 – 8:30
PM. Next meetings:
March 9, 2008
April 6, 2008
May 4, 2008
June 1, 2008
Location: Offices on West 86th Street
Note: July 6, 2008 onwards, meetings are scheduled to alternate with a
downtown location.
Focusers who have yet to sample these meetings, held in a small group
setting, will be made especially welcome. Do not expect a preconceived
agenda. The large part of the evening is experiential. However, we always
open with a group attunement. Each individual is then invited to focus on
whatever opens up: in a dyad, a triad or in the round, according to
individual wishes. We close by sharing what change in perception the process
has brought: our collective and personal “to go”.
For more information, call 917 595 6884 or email
larry.hurst@focus-in-touch.com
From July, as above or
moirabrennan@mac.com
NEW YORK, NY: Changes group for focusers. NEW MEMBERS WELCOME!
Our changes group welcomes new members. We meet one Friday each month from
7pm-9:30pm in the East Village near 14th Street and 1st Avenue. The group is
free of charge and is open to anyone interested in focusing. We have been
meeting regularly for over 20 years. For further information, please contact
Marsha Lipshitz, 212-734-9004 or email
syoung5@juno.com.
POMPTON PLAINS, NJ: The North Jersey Focusers have a Changes
meeting on the second Saturday of the month except for August.
Time: 10:30 AM to 12 noon. Location: Eleanor Buscher's office: 933 Rt 23 So.
Suite 10 Pompton Plains, New Jersey, 07444. (973) 839-5539. email:
embuscher@hotmail.com Criteria
for joining: Any experience or interest in Focusing.
This group is an enthusiastic mix of experienced focusers and beginners,
most of whom live in the Northern New Jersey area. It is led by Eleanor
Buscher, Joanne Stickles and Jack Waldron all of whom are in advanced
training with Robert Lee. Eleanor, Joanne and Jack take the role of coaches
at the Changes meetings to help people who want support with focusing
partnership practice.
Eleanor, Joanne and Jack run Introductory classes two or three times a year
to help new people get acquainted with focusing. We are also giving focusing
classes on Monday evenings once a month for people to get more in depth
training and experience after they take Level 1 training in NYC or the
Introductory classes in New Jersey.
WILMINGTON, DE: Changes Group meeting every second Sunday of the month, 2pm to 5pm. Open to focusing practitioners and students. Those who have no experience in Focusing will need a brief introductory training. Call Martha Garland or Dale Lantz (302) 777-3111 or email: tarotflex@yahoo.com.
WOODBURY, NY: Changes Group meeting for experienced focusers. On Friday, March 31st from 2:00pm-3:30pm. For more information, please contact: Lori Ketover, LMSW, Long Island Focusing Center, Woodbury, NY, (516)692-0613 lketover@lifocusing.com
EVANSTON, IL: Changes group, Sunday evenings, monthly. Contact: Marsha Smith, 847 333-3809.
CHICAGO, IL (Western Suburbs): Changes group meets every two
weeks on Sunday afternoons in Glen Ellyn. Contact Jack Hatfield at 630 375
0881 or
jackhat1@aol.com
MARINETTE, WI: Changes group meets Sunday evenings at 5 P.M.
at St. James Lutheran rectory. Jim Van Doren, 414-498-3810.
OAK PARK, IL: Changes group meets Tuesday evenings. Bebe Simon, 708-524-1114.
OCONTO, WI: Changes group has meets Wednesdays at 5 P.M. in the Oconto Memorial Hospital second floor conference room. Jim Van Doren, 414-498-3810.
CORVALLIS, OR: Focusing group. We meet in the home of a
member... mostly in my home as teacher/ leader. We meet twice a month, on
2nd and 4th Sunday afternoons right now for 2 hours, from 3 - 5 PM. We
include people who have learned Focusing already, not people new to it.
Anyone can come who has focusing already. I remind the group by e- mail sent
to all the people in our Corvallis area who have had a Focusing workshop
with me, or have sought me out, having learned Focusing already. There are
maybe 15 people the notices go out to in the Corvallis, Salem area. Contact
person: Nina Joy Lawrence,
9ajoy@comcast.net 541-745-5377
DALLAS, TX: Changes group meets first and third Monday
evenings of every month. Patricia Pierce. 214-596-7784.
EUGENE, OR: Changes group meets bi-weekly. Linda Prier.
541-345-9672.
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA: Twice monthly Focusing practice group,
trainer-led. Diana Marder, Ph.D. 16168 Beach Blvd, Huntington Beach.
714-843-1109
L.A., CA: Focusing Changes Group, Meets monthly Lucinda Gray
310-827-4241.
PORTLAND, OR: Changes Group, first Tuesdays from 7-9:30pm,
centrally located in Hollywood District.
focusinginportland@yahoo.com
RENTON, WA: Changes group meets monthly. Marj Franke. 425-255-1233. Merry O'Brien. 425-271-6417
SACRAMENTO, CA: Changes group meets monthly. Christina Rex.
916-944-2003.
SAN DIEGO, CA: Changes group meets weekly. Russell Jenkins.
760-672-8466.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA: Changes group meets monthly. Shelley
Diamond. 415-564-8255.
SEBASTOPOL, CA: A new Changes group has been started that
will meet on the fourth Tuesday of each month, 7pm-9pm, at EasySweet Farm
(the home of Abi Porter and Neil Dunaetz) near Sebastopol California. Our
purpose is to provide an ongoing environment for coming together and
engaging in reciprocal focusing exchanges with a variety of people and
fostering a sense of community among focusers in our area. New participants
are welcome as space is available. Please call Abi at 707 824-8471 or Neil
at 707 829-8938, or email us at
neilr@sonic.net
if you are interested.
WALNUT CREEK, CA: Changes group meets bi-weekly. Buddy Maynes.
925-937-3316.
MONTREAL, QC: Changes group, en francais. Marine de Freminville, 514-341-9596.
MONTREAL, QC: Changes Group (English) meets the third Tuesday of every month, 7-9.30 p.m., The Bilingual Focusing Center of Montreal, 5830 Monkland, suite 11. Patricia Manessy, (514) 488-2944.
ORILLIA, ON: Monthly changes group. One Sunday a month, 2-4
pm we meet to exchange focusing partnerships. The group is open to people
trained to participate in Focusing Partnerships. We start with an
attunement, brief check-ins, do our focusing in dyads or triads and then
meet again to share check-outs. Contact Judy Archer
judyarcher@rogers.com
705-325-2055 for dates, directions and to let us know you're coming.
NORTH TORONTO, ON: New Changes Group being formed by
Jacqueline Wislesky. If you are interested please contact Jacqueline at
jwislesky@sympatico.ca
TORONTO, ON: Changes group meets once a month from 6-7:30pm on Wednesday. Trainers, and seasoned Focuser's are welcome. We meet, have a brief tune-in, then break up in some configuration (dyads or triads) for Focusing time, and generally re-convene together at about 7:50pm. Bala Jaison, 416-482-6689.
MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA: A Changes Group is held in
Mont Albert, Melbourne Vic. on the first Monday of the month from 7.30 till
9.30pm. Ring Maureen Ireland (03) 9899 2053 or email
maureen_ireland@bigpond.com.
EAST BURWOOD, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA: Changes Groups. Saturday
afternoons, monthly. These groups are very relaxed and informal and provide
an opportunity to be amongst other people who are interested in Focusing as
well as to do some Focusing in partnership. The meetings usually last
for about 2 - 2½ hours. There is always coffee/tea and a biscuit.
Everyone contributes a few dollars to cover the cost of the venue and
refreshment . Contact Andrea Pelletier on 0412 871137 or
andrea.pelletier@bigpond.com.
HAMBURG, GERMANY: Monthly Changes group. Some previous Focusing
experience required. Contact Elmar Kruithoff at
kruithoff@bareattention.com
for further information or visit our website:
www.bareattention.com (German
version) or
http://www.bareattention.com/epages/61434722.sf/en_GB/?ViewObjectID=6843012
(English version).
BEDFORDSHIRE, UK: Monthly Changes group. We meet at
9.30 to 11.30 a.m. on the first Thursday of each month in Potton, near
Sandy. Participants require a basic knowledge of Focusing and listening.
Contact Kay Hoffmann
kay.hoffmann@homecall.co.uk
if you wish to attend or would be interested in learning Focusing.
YORKSHIRE, UK: Monthly Changes group. We meet every
month at various venues around Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield.
Participants require a basic knowledge of Focusing and listening. Contact
Simon Kilner at
skilner@dyslexiaaction.org.uk if you wish to attend or would be
interested in learning Focusing.
BALI, INDONESIA: Ongoing Focusing groups. Lyly Rojas De Knaus, Tromol Pos #204, Kantor Pos Dan Giro, Ubud, Gianyar 80571 Bali. Fax: 62-361-975115.
Teaching
Focusing and Focusing Communities: Our Way of Teaching Which Resulted In 17
Focusing Communities by Mako Hikasa
Tips for building and
continuing a Focusing Community (Work book appendix for above
article in Japanese) by Mako Hikasa
Some Group Experiences
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This page was last modified on 07 May 2008
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