Your Hosts
Where & When
After registering, an email will be sent with the confirmation. If you don't see the email please check your Junk/Spam/Promotions folders.
Thursday, September 18, 2025 from 12:00pm to 2:00pm New York time
Class will be recorded for all registrants and available for viewing for one month.
Is your smile somewhere near?
In many professional situations, addressing problems is a common and sometimes only available way to approach working with clients. But what would happen if we follow something else, something distinctly different?
René and Frans have developed an art of getting lost (completely) in order to find possibilities and courage to help us move toward a truer version of ourselves. In this Focusing Highlight they will share discoveries from working with clients and others of all ages – how seemingly small, fresh entrances can be made when working with inner magnetism/gravity, and how listening in a certain way helps people find new, unexpected perspectives in their lives.
They will use the terms and language that Frans developed during his 12 years of Thinking at the Edge-oriented study with Gene Gendlin on what Frans now calls Theory M, the theory of coming to where you are. Participants will be introduced to the practicable characteristics of Following the smiling thought.
Over the last 5 years René and Frans further developed this art of getting lost with the support that comes from their conversations in friendship with Nada Lou. She couldn’t help but to test almost every mentioned Theory M term in everyday life – often in the most challenging situations. As they continue to meet regularly with Nada, her honest, critical yet open way of exploring and sharing her experiences continues to be surprising and touching.
Please join René and Frans, presenters and colleagues who bring much joy, energy and fresh creating to their work and who leave those they interact with... with a smile.
Some experience with Focusing will be helpful though all are welcome to attend.
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 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.
Bios
René Veugelers
René holds a master’s degree in creating an unconditionally unfolding space of wonder—both inside and out. With a rare talent for weaving together all the elements of life, he creates grounded spaces for deep growth and heartfelt laughter. René is fascinated by the edge of not knowing and how nothing can become something, using his interactive body’s richness. In this realm, he is a true free swimmer. https://www.childrenfocusing.org
Frans Sandbergen
Frans masters creating new worlds which then become an entrance. He questions and challenges definitions of reality and has a nose for where a greater space makes itself available. Smiling thought often serves as a clear direction here! How can we find a real world behind an official one? Frans helps to create guilds in working organizations to bring a lighter kind of listening about. This helps people to open up for what he calls ‘it wants’. Frans is informal co-mayor of a once fictitious city in the south of Europe. www.hetwil.nl
Focusing Highlights
The Focusing Highlights series highlights the work of those teaching, practicing and carrying forward Focusing all over the world. Presenters generously donate their time and participants pay what they can. If you are certified through The International Focusing Institute and would like to offer one, please check out this page.
Registration Information and Price
René & Frans are offering this class to support The International Focusing Institute. This live online class is pay-what-you-can. The suggested payment for US residents is $30.
If you need to give less, that's fine, but we do require each participant to give something. Please give extra if you can! Thank you for supporting the Institute.
Refunds: A full refund minus a $15 administrative fee (regardless of the registration fee paid) for cancellations 14 days before the start date. Cancellations less than 14 days before the start date are nonrefundable.
Registration Policies: TIFI reserves the right to cancel, change and alter the program if necessary. The opinions offered by presenters and participants are their own and do not necessarily represent the opinions of TIFI. Participants authorize TIFI to use their name, statements and likeness without charge, for promotional purposes in publications, advertising, video, web, new media, or other formats. Please note that the class will be recorded and may be distributed to a wider audience. By registering for this course with the Institute, and in consideration of the right and opportunity to participate in and contribute to the Institute’s classes, for the purposes of its control of all video and/or audio recordings thereof pertaining to uses serving our purposes and goals, in enrolling in this session you acknowledge and agree to the Institute’s ownership of all rights in such classes, including all rights under copyright therein. In no circumstance shall any portion or clip posted or displayed exceed 3 minutes in duration. If you plan to use, post or display any portion or clips of these recordings, including posting these to a website or to a social media platform or portal, you agree that you will seek and obtain the prior approval of the Institute.
PLEASE NOTE: After registering, an email will be sent with the confirmation. If you don't see the email please check your Junk/Spam/Promotions folders.
Contatto
Questions? [email protected]
Registration Information and Price
This live online class is pay-what-you-can. The suggested payment for US residents is $30. If you need to give less, that's fine, but we do require each participant to give something.