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All About Coordinators

Coordinators in Buenas Aires, Argentina

What is a Coordinator?

Coordinators are seasoned teachers, named by The International Focusing Institute to be:

  • Leaders in spreading Focusing, Focusing-Oriented Therapies, Thinking at the Edge and/or the Philosophy of the Implicit (different Coordinators will have different emphases)
  • Teachers who are authorized to recommend their students for certification
  • Examples of living the values of Focusing and integrating felt sensing into their lives and their work, maintaining the ethos and spirit of Focusing

If you wish to receive certification in Focusing through The International Focusing Institute, you will need to work with one of our Coordinators.

How to find a list of Coordinators

On our homepage, you'll find the link to Find a Focusing Professional.  Where you see "Coordinator (Can certify through the Institute)?", open the drop-down menu and choose "Can Certify in Focusing."  If you do not limit your search by choosing any other options, you will see the full list of our Coordinators.

  • If you wish to find a Coordinator in a particular country, then choose a country from the drop-down menu.
  • If you wish to find a Coordinator who speaks your language, then choose a language from the drop-down menu (but remember to unselect the country, as some people will speak your language even if they don't live in your country).
  • If you are a psychotherapist (or you are studying to be one) and you wish to receive certification in Focusing-Oriented Therapy, then choose "Practices Focusing-Oriented Therapy" in the appropriate drop-down menu.

*If you get no results or very few results in our Find a Focusing Professional search, try selecting fewer options.*
*Remember that you are entering information about the person you are seeking, not about yourself.*

Coordinators in France 2022

How to get to know which Coordinator to work with

Here are some ways to help you to find a Coordinator to work with:

  • Contact a few of the Coordinators directly by email.  Many of them would be happy to let you know if they are currently taking new students, and if so, they'll let you know how to explore the possibility of studying with them.
  • See if they are teaching a course; sometimes they will teach short introductory workshops where you can get to know a bit about their teaching style.
  • See if they have written any books and whether the topics of those books interest you (we have a link below to books written by Coordinators).  Of course, we encourage you to buy and read their books!
  • Join the Focusing Discussion List and tell the community about what you are looking for; see if they have any suggestions.
  • Take a variety of classes with a variety of teachers and get to know the community.  When you meet people with whom you resonate, find out whom they studied with.
  • Check out the YouTube Channel of The International Focusing Institute.  Many of the videos there feature Coordinators.  There is also an independent group of Focusing-Oriented Therapists who have a YouTube Channel on Focusing-Oriented Therapies.  Many of the videos on that channel also feature Coordinators.
  • If you've tried the above and are still unsure, contact the TIFI office, letting us know about yourself and what you are looking for and we'll see if we can help.

Qualities of a Coordinator

These qualities were agreed upon by the International Leadership Council and can also be found in the document "Process for Naming Coordinators"

  • They demonstrate exceptional skill as a Focuser;
  • They demonstrate excellent skill in communicating and teaching Focusing, the Philosophy of the Implicit and/or TAE;
  • Beyond simple understanding and teaching ability, they should have substantial familiarity with:
    • theory
    • philosophy (Gendlin's philosophical work)
    • research relevant to the aspect(s) of Focusing they specialize in
    • the Experiential use of other methods
  • They have a desire to be active within the Focusing community in various roles/tasks as needed and identified;
  • They have excellent leadership skills;
  • They have a cooperative spirit and build community among peers as well as students;
  • They understand that being a Coordinator creates a reciprocal and direct relationship with TIFI and they will therefore maintain that relationship by actively supporting TIFI.  This includes things such as:
    • Paying dues (or contacting us in the event that this becomes a burden)
    • Having their students become members of TIFI
    • Participating in TIFI-sponsored events every year, perhaps even teaching a class (in their own language as possible)
    • Being familiar with the Policy Clarifications for Coordinators document and the Procedure For Addressing Concerns Regarding Individuals (both found on www.focusing.org under Coordinator & Trainer Resources) as well as other policies as they arise
    • Attending Coordinators' meetings online, and, if possible, in person when they happen
    • Having familiarity with the www.focusing.org, such that they can guide students on how to join TIFI as a member on the website
  • They demonstrate commitment to the ethical dimension of the role of a Coordinator
  • They have a willingness to continuously carry forward their Focusing practice
  • They possess other qualities (as determined by their Mentoring Coordinator and Support Team) which are important for representing TIFI and Focusing to the world
Translating

To maintain status as a Coordinator, one:

  • Maintains one's membership with TIFI (or contacts the office if annual membership is a financial burden).
  • Is in regular (at least annual) contact with TIFI as an organization.  This can be accomplished in any number of ways; the idea is simply that there needs to be an ongoing direct relationship between TIFI and the Coordinator.
  • Acts in keeping with the ethos of Focusing.  We do not have a frozen "ethical code." Rather, if a doubt were to arise about the actions of a Coordinator, we would make use of our "Procedure For Addressing Concerns Regarding Individuals" (found at focusing.org/ilc).  We foresee it as an exceedingly rare event that a Coordinator would ever be removed due to unethical behavior, as we have found that our Coordinators are an outstanding and trustworthy group of people

How does a person become a Coordinator?

First, one becomes certified in Focusing.  After having been certified, one normally does not immediately move onto being a Coordinator, but practices and teaches Focusing, Focusing-Oriented Therapy, Thinking at the Edge and/or studies more of the Philosophy of the Implicit.  Coordinators are seasoned teachers and leaders.  When the time is right, the process to become a Coordinators is described in the document "Process for Naming Coordinators."
 

Here is a list of books by our Coordinators

Here is a list of Certifications by Coordinator 2025

Here is a list of Certifications by Coordinator 2024

Resources for Coordinators and other Certified Focusing Professionals

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