For the fourth year in a row, a generous donor has given a challenge grant, to match your donations up to $10,000 during December! They keep doing it because you keep responding! Please help us meet this $10,000 challenge! Every donation, great or small, makes a difference. ALL of our achievements can be attributed to YOUR support, whether through donations, participation in courses and events, volunteering to teach classes or manage the tech, sharing on social media as well as being out in the world teaching your own classes or working with clients in a Focusing way. The world needs Focusing and the Focusing Institute needs you! Please give now, during our matching period!
"Espiritualidad y el borde turbio"
The Felt Sense Conference began in 2018 to honor the legacy of Gene Gendlin by exploring the many facets of felt sensing. The image for the conference is a bridge as a reminder that when we honor the felt sense, it carries us forward to new territory. We explore together the next bridges to cross, from where we are now to the next right place to go.
Join us this year as we explore Spirituality and the Murky Edge.
The Eugene T. Gendlin Center for Research in Experiential Philosophy and Psychology (Gendlin Research Center for short) is delighted to announce a new prize for young scholars in philosophy.
The Gendlin Research Center is a division of The International Focusing Institute. Its purpose is to encourage high level academic research based in the work of Dr. Gendlin. Eugene Gendlin received his PhD in Philosophy from the University of Chicago in 1958 and served as an associate professor in the departments of Philosophy and Comparative Human Development at the University of Chicago from 1964 until 1995.
The Gendlin Philosophy Prize of $500 will be awarded to the best paper regarding any aspect of Gendlin’s philosophy or writings.
The paper should be a maximum of 2,500 words, exclusive of citations (approximately 20 minutes when read).
The winner will present their paper at the online Gendlin Symposium, scheduled for September 28 – October 1, 2023. Runners-up may also be invited to present their papers.
The paper must substantially address Gendlin’s philosophy. An exhaustive listing of his works can be found at the Gendlin Online Library on the website of The International Focusing Institute.
The purpose of the award is to help generate interest in Gendlin’s philosophy among young scholars. Therefore, the author of the paper must be a current graduate student or have received their Ph.D. in philosophy within the past 4 years.
We are open to your questions and happy to advise you. Please contact us with questions at [email protected].
Papers are due by June 1, 2023 and must be delivered as both a Word document and a pdf and emailed to [email protected] with the words “Philosophy Paper Submission” in the subject line. Decisions will be made by August 1, 2023.
Register by December 31 and Save!
The Planning Committee
The Planning Committee Focusing comes to children naturally, with unique simplicity! We invite you to join us and share the precious moments when Focusing invokes the presence of wonder.
This conference is designed for anyone interested in learning and deepening their Focusing wisdom. Whether you are experienced with the crossing of Children and Focusing or are simply curious to learn what others are doing. Also for professionals working with children and young people of all ages from toddlers to teenagers. And of course open to parents, grandparents, caregivers, and to anyone interested in learning more about how Children & Focusing cross. Most importantly it’s available for YOU!
Una Entrevista con Verónica Toescu
por Beatrice Blake
Beatrice Blake: Hola Verónica, esperaba con ansias esta entrevista sobre tu nuevo puesto en la Junta Directiva del Instituto Internacional de Focusing. Siempre comienzo preguntando ¿cómo llegaste al Focusing?
Verónica Toescu: Me formé como psicoterapeuta humanista centrada en la persona. Como parte del entrenamiento hubo una mención muy breve de Gendlin por lo que tenía mucha curiosidad al respecto. Cuando terminé mi formación asistí a un taller introductorio como parte de mi desarrollo profesional continuo. ¡Simplemente tenía mucho sentido... mucho sentido! Me encontré con el libro de Focusing de Gendlin. Luego, un año después de terminar mi maestría, el Instituto de Focusing de Londres estaba comenzando un nuevo curso dirigido por Greg Madison sobre Terapia Orientada al Focusing. Sentí que había llegado al lugar correcto en el momento correcto y me inscribí.
Siempre digo que aprendí qué hacer con las enseñanzas de Carl Rogers, pero es con las enseñanzas de Gendlin que descubrí cómo hacerlo. Realmente, el curso fue bastante transformador. El Focusing me ayudó a navegar lo que estaba pasando en mi vida personal en ese momento. Gradualmente, a través del tiempo, el Focusing me ha permitido integrar bastantes elementos de mi vida. Esa es la experiencia que resultó de tener compañeros de Focusing.
Los acompañamientos son un elemento clave porque el Focusing abre mucho más cuando te escuchan adecuadamente. Gradualmente, comencé a confiar más y más en mi experiencia. Entonces, a partir de cómo fue para mí, ha tenido un efecto transformador en mi práctica el permitir dar mucho más espacio para que la persona evolucione. Esa persona allí realmente sabe cuál es la mejor manera de seguir y eso necesita de espacio para poder desplegarse. A veces, simplemente me río y digo ¡no sé cómo la gente puede vivir sin Focusing!
Beatrice: ¿Qué viene a tu mente como un ejemplo de cambio significativo en tu vida diaria con Focusing?
Verónica: En mis relaciones hay una calidad muy diferente. Hay mucha más mutualidad, reciprocidad, comprensión, apertura hacia otras perspectivas que no necesariamente son las mías. Realmente, veo una diferencia en mi relación con mis hermanos. Con mis hijos, ambos adultos y bastante independientes, tenemos muy buena comunicación. Por eso, no separo hacer Focusing o no hacer Focusing. En el centro, hay mucho respeto por el otro.
Algo que continúa evolucionando es realmente escuchar esa voz interior que todos tenemos, la voz interior constructiva. También, tenemos una voz crítica interna, pero en realidad esa se ha calmado mucho más. Hay confianza y seguridad de que hay otro lugar desde donde se puede hablar. Es bastante doloroso observar cuando a veces sale la voz crítica diciendo ¿Por qué dices eso? Pero en esos momentos puedo decir Ok, todavía tenemos que trabajar con eso. Focusing me ha enseñado cómo interactuar conmigo misma y eso me ha ayudado a interactuar con los demás. Y eso en sí mismo continúa ayudándome a interactuar conmigo. Es como un baile, un baile muy hermoso.
Beatrice: En tu nuevo rol como miembro de la Junta Directiva de TIFI, ¿cuál es tu sueño? ¿Qué quieres traer? ¿Qué quieres ver que haga la Junta Directiva?
Verónica: Me conmovió mucho que me invitaran a formar parte de la Junta Directiva. Catherine sabe que me sorprendió bastante. En general, tomo las cosas en consideración antes de decir sí o no porque es muy importante para mí estar realmente presente en lo que estoy haciendo.
Beatrice Blake se especializa en la enseñanza de Pensando desde el Borde (TAE) a no filósofos. También, enseña a entrenadores clases de "Escuchando Para que los Pasos del Cambio Puedan Ocurrir" elegible para los 18 CCE de la Federación Internacional de Coaching. Es miembro del equipo de Facilitación para la Semana de Focusing Avanzado y Certificación del 25 al 30 de junio de 2023 en Dublín, Irlanda y en línea. Pueden contactar a Beatrice en https://possibility-space.com/contact-beatrice-blake/ https://possibility-space.
Kaleidoscoping into the Implicit:
Gene Gendlin's Philosophy
A Pre-Recorded Offering
Perhaps you’ve been curious about the philosophy behind Focusing, The Philosophy of the Implicit, but never quite dipped inside. Perhaps you’ve taken a dive into Gene’s writing, but seek greater clarity.
TIFI announces the lecture series, "Kaleidoscoping into the Implicit: Gene Gendlin's Philosophy." a series of lectures celebrating the publication of A Process Model, and offering a learning possibility of Gendlin’s philosophy from diverse teachers and perspectives.
This pre-recorded series of eight lectures was hosted by Dana Ganihar and Dan Schachter in 2018 and is being made available to registrants through February 28, 2023. Click below for full details and to register.
Board Advisory Members & Experiential Focusing
The TIFI Board invited new Coordinator, Julie Ramsey, and long-time Coordinator, Rene Veugelers, to introduce themselves at the start of the December Board meeting.
Following up on the Board’s November approval of the concept of “Adjunct Board Members,” the Board approved official language for the policy, including changing the name to “Board Advisory Member.” The policy reads:
At its discretion, the Board of Directors may seek to appoint a non-voting Board Advisory Member for a term of one year to fulfill special needs of the Board, for example a person who: 1. represents a missing demographic to the Board, especially (though not exclusively) from one of the groups listed in our DEI statement as being from a group traditionally excluded, 2. is outside the Focusing community, who brings particular skills in non-profit governance, 3. lacks relevant board experience and wants to gain some experience, 4. would otherwise be of interest as a board member but is unable to commit the required time at this point.
In addition, the Board formally approved the new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) statement which will be posted on the TIFI website. The Board is grateful for all of the input received from Coordinators and others, regarding the wording of this statement. The Board also discussed the recent feedback from many Coordinators regarding the Board’s proposal for using “Experiential Focusing” instead of “Focusing” on the TIFI website and other English language electronic communications, and decided to delay any action until the Board has had time to process all of the feedback that we received.
The Board values very much the length of experience and depth of commitment among the Coordinators to provide their perspectives on these issue. For those reading this who might not be familiar with the our structure, Coordinators are the Institute's teachers of teachers and they have a special role in holding the legacy of Gene Gendlin's thought, while carrying it forward. For a couple of years now, we've had one or more new Coordinator greet us at the beginning of each meeting.
Holiday Sale at the TIFI Bookstore!
TIFI's Bookstore is having a 2022 Holiday Sale!
Books * DVD's * The Folio Journals * Gendlin Quote Cards
... and MORE
25% off most of our inventory!
Now through December 31
Please click below to shop our Online Bookstore
by Bill Gayner
I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all the faculty, organizers, volunteers and participants of the first Thinking at the Edge (TAE) Academy, which took place November 10-13, 2022. I feel very grateful that The International Focusing Institute (TIFI) and the TAE community are carrying forward Eugene Gendlin’s and Mary Hendricks-Gendlin’s pioneering work[1] for the Focusing community and larger public on how to reflect deeply on what we know well from our own unique path and explorations, what has been working and what has not, what has been transformative, what we have carried forward from this, how to think for ourselves effectively from our bodies’ deepening participation in the world. TAE is a philosophical method that deepens experiencing and engaging in life, so that our understanding of our path continues to transform as we transform. How fortunate we are that a philosopher of Eugene Gendlin’s unique depth worked so hard to share with us his phenomenological methods that had already provided us with clearing a space and Focusing!
The first workshop in the TAE Academy, Nada Lou’s “Genesis and Taste of Thinking at the Edge” brought home to me what a miracle it was that TAE was developed at all and the pivotal role Mary Hendricks-Gendlin played in this. Nada shared with us how Mary had asked Gene to develop a series of steps that would do for his Philosophy of the Implicit and Life what his Focusing steps had done for therapy and self-help, but he, quite understandably, thought it was impossible. Fortunately, she continued to push him and together they were able to pull this miracle off!
[1] Thinking at the Edge (2000-2004), The Folio, 19 (1); Gendlin, E. & Hendricks, M. (2018). Introduction to Thinking at the Edge. In Saying What We Mean, Casey, E.S. and Schoeller, D.M.
Bill Gayner
Bill is a social worker, psychotherapist, in private practice in the Centre for Psychology and Emotional Health in Toronto and President of Touching the Earth Mindfulness Ontario. He presents internationally on emotion-focused mindfulness therapy and touching the earth. https://mindfulfeeling.
Thank You to Christian Mendenhall
We want to extend a big thank you to Christian Mendenhall for the enormous amount of important work he has done for TIFI. His many hours of volunteer work has contributed greatly to moving us further along toward bringing the Gendlin Online Library onto www.focusing.org (finally!). Thank you, Christian! We are so very grateful!
Volunteer for Gene!
TIFI has recently received 25 documents of Gene’s writings which are mostly scans in the form of pdf’s. To add them to the Gendlin Online Library (GOL), we need them converted to Word documents.
Milestones
We are happy to congratulate the following new Coordinator, Coordinator-in-Training (CiT), Certified Focusing Professionals (including Trainers and Focusing-Oriented Therapists) and Proficiency in Partnership Awards (PFP). Congratulations to each of them on their achievement. We wish them all the very best in their ongoing endeavors!
New Coordinator
Julie Ramsey, USA
Mentoring Coordinator: Joan Klagsbrun
supported by Aaffien de Vries and Jeffrey Morrison
Julie is a psychotherapist and a certified FOT therapist. She works with adolescents and adults in individual, couples, and family therapy. She teachers Focusing in small groups and is a presenter for TIFI’s Therapist Roundtables. She discovered Focusing a decade ago and enjoys bringing Focusing to all aspects of her work and life.
New Coordinator-in-Training
Yanina Blacher, Argentina
Mentoring Coordinator: Analia Zaccai
New Certified Focusing Professionals
| Radu Andrei Botezat-Antonescu, Romania Coordinator: Eleonora Korbei, supported by Florentina Palada, CiT and Georgeta Niculescu, CiT Maurizio Del Nero, Italy Coordinator: Roberto Tecchio Laura Pomatto, Italy Coordinator: Bruna Blandino |
Victoria Sevilla, Argentina Coordinator: Monica Perez Iturraspe Michaela Stumberger, Germany Coordinator: Robert Lee Monika Stutz, Switzerland Coordinator: Eveline Moor Züllig |
Proficiency in Focusing Partnership Awards (PFP)
Judy McKee
Julie Salverian
