Interactive Focusing Free Presentation

Our newly formed Focusing Community Australasia (FCA) is honoured to host Barbara Dickinson and Tobias Vieregge as they give their presentation from TIFI 2026 Vienna International Focusing Conference.

The aim of FCA is to support and connect the Focusing Community in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Pacific AND we welcome members from around the world.

If you would like to join our Community please email [email protected]

A FREE Focusing presentation.

Barbara Dickinson and Tobias Vieregge presented their Interactive Focusing wisdom at the TIFI Vienna International Focusing conference earlier this year.

We are delighted to make their presentation available in our Australasian time zone.

What if relationships could become space for mutual learning and transformation? 

Rooted in Drs. Janet Klein and Mary McGuire’s pioneering work, Interactive Focusing (IF) invites us to bring the essence of Focusing into shared experiences, including felt-sensing, presence, and empathic listening. Through experiential practices like Double Empathic Moment and Relationship Check, we explore how dialogue becomes a living process of discovery and care. Our international team shares its collaboration developing an on-demand IF course, expanding access to IF globally. Join us to see how IF supports collaboration, communication, and creativity in teams, relationships, and communities, offering grounding that cultivates trust and connection wherever people interact.

Presenter Barbara Dickinson

Barbara Dickinson is a Certified Professional Focusing Trainer and Teacher of Interactive Focusing (IF). She has studied with several of the top Focusing teachers and worked directly with Eugene Gendlin as a consultant. Her expertise in IF was developed through a long-term partnership with master teacher Masumi Maeda, with whom she collaborated on the finalization of an extensive Japanese IF training program into English. A seasoned operations executive and Certified Strengths Performance Coach, Barbara specializes in bridging somatic wisdom with organizational efficiency. Her work integrates "Focusing-Oriented project management" and many forms of Focusing, especially Interactive, to build trust and authentic dialogue within. teams.

Barbara is the co-author with Margaret A. Herrick of The Encyclopedia of Wishing (August 2025), which explores the intersection of intentionality and felt-sensing. At the 2026 TIFI International Focusing Conference, she presented her work on the "Exploring Interaction" video-on-demand course, advancing the legacy of IF through empathic listening and relational healing, which is supported by LearnFocusing and Sandy Jahmi Burg.

Featured Contributer: Tobias Vieregge

Tobias ("Tobi") Vieregge is a Leipzig-based Social Worker and Coach dedicated to creating authentic spaces for individuals to reconnect with their needs and establish clearer boundaries. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from Hochschule Bielefeld—including a semester abroad in Ireland and a "Culture and Media" qualification—and completed specialized training as a Coach for educational and social professions. Fluent in German and English, Tobi also spent three months in 2022 exploring the USA and Mexico to deepen his cultural understanding. His professional approach is strongly influenced by a eight-year Focusing practice, characterized by regular attendance at Focusing "Changes Meetings" and his "Partnership Proficiency" designation awarded by the International Focusing Institute. Most recently, he has served as a Process Facilitator for the Exploring Interaction Video Course Team, collaborating on the production of a specialized video course for interactive focusing. His work blends reflective dialogue with mindfulness-based perspectives and creative methods to support authentic, sustainable living.

Digital Interactive Focusing Course Team:

Barbara Dickinson, Tobias Vieregge, Ashley Hall, Mara Meng Cai