Interactive Focusing: One Way to Learn and Teach Empathy and Compassion

Thursday, May 18, 2023 from 12:00pm to 2:00pm New York time

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Class will be recorded for all registrants and available for viewing for one month.

Why Interactive Focusing? For our presenter, Barbara Dickinson, Interactive Focusing (IF) is the “way in” to learn and teach compassion and empathy in a practical, safe, structured, and effective environment and methodology.

In this Highlight, you will have an opportunity to learn about, or refresh your understanding of, the history of “Interactive Focusing” (IF), as developed by Drs. Janet Klein and Mary McGuire. Barbara will demonstrate, explain, and provide experiential exercises that will give newcomers to this practice enough to decide if you want more.

You will observe a full (short) session of IF, including “Focuser as Storyteller”, “Double Empathic Moment”, and “Relationship Check”, and participate if you like in the exercise of forming an empathic essence (“Double Empathic Moment”).

Resources will be shared to support furthering your experience and understanding of IF, and discussion will be invited about any experiences or observations about IF, especially for those already familiar with the practice.

This session is designed primarily for people who are already familiar with the practice of Focusing, who would like to know more, or share what they know about Interactive Focusing (IF). Experience with IF is not necessary; however, all levels of familiarity with IF are welcome.

Format

We use Zoom videoconferencing for our online classes. In this webinar format, you will see the presenter and host, but you will not be seen. You will be able to ask questions during the webinar by typing them. Highlights presenters may at times invite a small number of participants to unmute or to join them onscreen during the webinar (optional).

You will need to have a computer/mobile device. Calling in by phone is also possible but not preferred. All registered participants will be sent a link to the video recording approximately two weeks following the class. So if you are unable to attend the live webinar, you will still be able to view it for one month.

Bio

For the past decade, after a long career in the U.S. Federal Reserve, Barbara Dickinson has worked on a variety of Focusing-oriented consulting projects, based in part on her work with Dr. Eugene Gendlin in 2011-2012. She offers consulting services and presentations about Focusing “and…”. Currently, she is working on two projects: one, making Interactive Focusing (IF) more broadly available, and two, making Focusing and IF available to educators in her home state of New Jersey. She is a Certified Focusing Professional, Interactive Focusing Teacher, and an enthusiastic advocate of these methods, as well as Thinking at the Edge.