Find a Focusing Professional - Sandy Jahmi Burg

Most of our world cultures encourage fast responses. As much as I naturally prefer a slower pace and more space, I've also found myself easily swept along juggling life's daily demands best I can.

For much of my life, when my fast juggles crashed, I would first find a friend to chat with. This was helpful, like a temporary bandaid. Ultimately, I would find ways to spend time alone, processing my experiences, holding space for all the parts within me to find peace and a sense of my next step.

During those years, I carried an understanding that this aspect of life, my inner world, was mine to walk alone. All of my personal growth and spiritual studies confirmed this. And yet, something in me was sad and longed for someone to take my hand and say‚ "I'll go too". Possibly, that longing is part of how I found my way to Focusing.

We are not alone here. We are in it together. We learn not only to accompany our own process, also how to hold space for each other. With this understanding, I approach what I do here as personal empowerment and community building, together, as one.

I offer introductory talks and classes, year-long basic skills training and an ongoing Learning Community for Mastery in Guiding Change. This ongoing community is for advanced Focusers who support others in change processes. It also can be a path to certification for you as a Focusing Professional with The International Focusing Institute.

I have at least three goals in teaching:

1- Self-empowerment in your daily life by incorporating the power of the pause into your natural way of being. In slowing down how we live, we access more of our capabilities as a human being, with numerous mental and physical longterm health benefits.

2- We are here to connect and grow. Inner Relationship Focusing training is ingenious in that we unlearn social-emotional patterns that do not work first in order to build healthier authentic relationships with ourselves and others. The benefits of a regular partnership practice develop here.

3- Understanding Gendlin's concept of crossing. I personally crossed Focusing with emerging neuroscience in developing Smartview Stories as a way to bring Focusing into schools and other educational settings. The Learning Community is intentionally designed to encourage all of us to cross Focusing concepts with other life experiences we have and then, bring what we learn to share with others in the community. We are all valued here.

I also weave passions for families, local community, health, well-being and spirituality into what I do here. I work mostly from home and enjoy a simple life, with garden time galore, pet play, and nature walks.

I am the author of a series of family books on using Focusing in daily life. Three are published, and I am now writing a Facilitator Guide for Teachers, Parents, Therapists, Coaches and Group Coordinators that supports using the first 3 books as teaching curriculum. The stories illustrate both what is going on outside of us as well as inside of us via three Inner Companions based on neuroscience concepts. Each Smartview Stories book includes 3 short stories about the lives of a fictional intentional Focusing community as well as a 4th story about how the Inner Companions will be supporting their people with 'this' life challenge. I am offering regular workshops called Creating Space for Community to explore concepts around inner/outer community building/belonging/thriving based on the books. Once the Guide is published, I have plans to expand the Smartview Stories project in many ways and would love to connect with others who resonate. 

Barbara Dickinson, also a Certified Focusing Professional, and I are partnering in several ways. She and I both believe Focusing Belongs in Schools and are working toward that goal. Barbara also has training in Interactive Focusing and I am supporting her in making that more accessible to the greater Focusing community. 

Reach out if you'd like to connect around something here.