About the Membership Committee
The Membership Committee began in late 2015 under the leadership of then-Board Vice President Susan Lennox. She recognized that The International Focusing Institute was in need of a dedicated group of members who would consider ways to help all members
- feel a greater connection to the Institute
- connect with other members
- articulate why membership in TIFI is important
- feel appreciated and noticed
- get more resources for practicing and teaching Focusing
Susan Lennox took on the Chairpersonship of the committee for its first several years, followed by Mary Jennings and now by Mariana Písula.
Since 2015, the Membership Committee has engaged in many activities, including:
- A series of "Trainer Talks." These are interviews with experienced teachers of Focusing, to share their wisdom about teaching. They can be found on the Members Only page.
- Roundtables. These are free-for-members gatherings on Zoom. They are conversations around topics of interest to members, led by a small group of hosts who lead the conversation. They are listed on our Events listing on this site and happen approximately monthly. There's a lot more about the Roundtables on the Members Only page.
- One on one conversations. When a person becomes a new member, their welcome letter invites them to request a one-on-one conversation with a member of the Membership Committee. Long-time members may also request such a conversation by writing to the Committee.
- Hello Hello. These are Zoom gatherings for students of Focusing who are not yet members. Anyone can attend, but the advertising of these is through Coordinators and other Certified Focusing Professionals who want to encourage their students to connect with TIFI. If you are a Coordinator or other Certified Focusing Professional and would like your students to be able to attend a Hello Hello gathering, please contact the Committee.
- Partnership information. The Membership Committee worked extensively to revise information on the website regarding Focusing Partnerships, the Partnership Network and the Proficiency in Focusing Partnership Award. They worked to make the information clearer for teachers and those learning or practicing Focusing.
- Cafecitos. These are Spanish language gatherings on Zoom, free for members. They typically feature an interview with someone who shares something about their Focusing teaching or practice.
- Mesas Redondas. These are Spanish language Roundtables, free for members. They are led by a small group of volunteer hosts.
The Membership Committee meets monthly to ensure that existing programs are continuing well, and to consider new ways to enhance the experience of membership with TIFI.
To contact the committee, write [email protected]
Current Members of the Committee (in alphabetical order)
Caroline Copestake, Spain
Caroline has a degree in Psychology in University of Barcelona, Spain. She is a Focusing Oriented Psychotherapist and Trainer. She is training in Humanistic Psychotherapy, Carl Rogers and Internal Family System.
She has a degree in Counseling in Loss, bereavement and Trauma by The Institute for Integrative-Relational Psychotherapy in Barcelona Spain.
Tom Larkin, Dublin, Ireland.
Tom is a psychotherapist in private practice in Dublin. He is a Certifying Focusing Coordinator, a Children Focusing trainer and a Forest Therapy Guide.
Christine Le Coutre, Germany
Christine is a Certified Focusing Professional and is training for Coordinator. Speaks English and German. She specialties in adults, business and couples.
Susan Lennox, United States.
Susan is a Certified Focusing Professional, Coordinator, and practices Focusing-Oriented Therapy. She offers individual sessions, group sessions, Online sessions, phone sessions, presentations, and Trainer Training.
She specialties are adults, Body Psychotherapy, business, creative process, Inner Relationship Focusing and Trauma.
Monika Lindner, Germany
Monika is a certified Focusing Trainer and currently a Coordinator in Training. As an Experiential Concept Coach/Trainer (ECC) she specializes in teaching "Thinking At the Edge" (TAE). She teaches the application of the 14 steps for individual processes, for use in groups, and for creating an innovative (corporate) culture.
Wendi Maurer, United States
Wendi is a Coordinator in Training. She is a psychologist in private practice and proud to be Certified as a Focusing Oriented Psychologist.
She also teaches classes and has therapy groups in Focusing skills and Philosophy, Thinking At the Edge; Pregnancy: It's My Life; Living with Hearing Loss; Compassion Fatigue; Disaster Response Preparedness at home and on the job and Critical Incident Debriefing in the work place.
Georgeta Niculescu, Romanian
Georgeta is a Certified Focusing Professional and Coordinator under Supervision, offers individual sessions, group sessions, couples’ sessions, online sessions.
She is a Clinical Psychotherapist.
Ghada Radwan, Palestine
Ghada has a Master of Educational Psychology. She achieved her certificate as a first certified trainer in focusing therapy in Palestine. She offers Individual Sessions, Group Sessions, Online Sessions, Phone Sessions, Presentations, and Research
Mariana Písula, Argentina
Mariana is the Chair of the Membership Committee. She is a Certified Focusing Professional and works as a Counselor in grief. She offers individual sessions and workshops.
Eveline Moor Züllig, Switzerland (Board Liaison)
As a Certifying Coordinator she teaches all levels of Focusing in her own institute “The School for Focusing Eveline Moor” and others.
Eveline is a Focusing oriented counsellor, coach and supervisor having a private practice.
Works primarily with people living in all kinds of stressful situations and dealing with exhaustion, fatigue and burnout risk.