doors and move into dimensions
that cannot be entered through
the intellect alone.’
(Eugene Gendlin, 1978).
Focusing
My background is in the visual arts, and I am interested in creativity, not just within the arts, but as a way of experiencing life more fully. I have trained as a Focusing Practitioner (certified with the British Focusing Association); focusing is a way of becoming in touch with our felt senses which may be described as a hunch, an inkling or a something which we cannot immediately find words to express. This can potentially lead to a more creative and expansive way of experiencing the world. If this is something that interests you we can discuss how we might integrate this into our sessions.
I became interested in focusing after learning how the philosopher, Gene Gendlin, developed it based on research in the 1950’s showing that positive therapeutic outcomes were not just dependent on the quality of therapist-client relationships but also, when clients paused and sometimes struggled to find the right words to express themselves. Gendlin developed focusing to help people attend to underlying ‘edge of awareness’ feelings of which they may not immediately be able to articulate.
The focusing process involves gently pausing to observe how a situation feels within your body and approaching those sensations with friendly curiosity. For instance, you might feel a heaviness in your chest or simply have an indescribable sense about something, a felt sense may surface as an image, a memory, metaphor or even a movement or gesture. By acknowledging and allowing space for these felt senses, you may find words that resonate with the feeling, leading to insight or a sense of release and helping you move forward.