Checklist Form for making a Coordinator-in-Training (CiT)
Checklist Form for Recommending a CiT as New Coordinator
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THE PROCESS
Becoming a Coordinator in Training (CiT):
To be considered as a CiT, one must first be an active member of TIFI as a Certified Focusing Professional certified by TIFI. The prospective CiT should have been a certified member for at least two years prior to being considered for becoming a CiT.
The process begins when a Coordinator identifies a Certified Focusing Professional as a good candidate to be a CiT. It is also possible for the Certified Focusing Professional to initiate the process by expressing their interest to a Coordinator. A CFP who wishes to become a Coordinator-in-Training is welcome approach the ILC or the Executive Director to request assistance in finding a Coordinator who might want to mentor them.
The Coordinator who agrees to mentor the new Coordinator-in-Training is referred to as the Mentoring Coordinator (MC).
Once a relationship has formed between a Mentoring Coordinator and a potential Coordinator-in-Training, the MC initiates the process by notifying TIFI that the MC is now recommending the CFP to be a CiT. Please use the “Checklist Form for making a CiT” to notifiyTIFI of a new CiT.
To become a Coordinator-in-Training, the entire Support Team of three Coordinators (or more) must be in place, with one of the three being identified as the Mentoring Coordinator (MC).
The expectation is that a person needs at least two years of training as a CiT. This will generally be a minimum, but of course what matters is what happens during that time, and how prepared the person is as they enter their process as a CiT.
To summarize: Someone is named as a CiT two years (or more) after having received their certification, and then spends at least another two years as a CiT before becoming a Coordinator. It often takes longer, but these are generally the minimum that an individual needs to grow into the role of Coordinator.
ANNOUNCING THE NEW CiT: As soon as possible after TIFI receiving the necessary information to make someone into a CiT, TIFI will put an announcement in its In Focus newsletter announcing them as a CiT. The Mentoring Coordinator is welcome to make an announcement on the Coordinators’ email list after checking on the website (under “Find a Focusing Professional”) to see whether the person is marked as a CiT in TIFI's database. (If not, contact the office to see why not.) Once the MC has confirmed the person's CiT status in the TIFI database, they do not have to wait until it appears in the In Focus newsletter; it is OK for their email to come first.
OPTIONAL:
The Mentoring Coordinator and the Coordinator-in-Training should consider co-creating a written agreement that is clear, yet also open and flexible. The document can be very short, and need be only as detailed and specific as the two individuals agree upon. The idea is to have a moment in time, captured in writing, where the MC and the CiT agree on a plan. The MC might want to articulate what qualities and skills a Coordinator needs (please see below for the basics) and what he or she believes will be required to complete the process for this individual. The purpose is to ensure clarity to help guide the process forward. This can be submitted to TIFI's office and/or the ILC if desired. This is advised but it is not required.
The Support Team:
The MC and the CiT together create a Support Team for the CiT before the individual is entered as a CiT in TIFI's database. The names of the Support Team are sent to the TIFI office. The MC is always a member of the Support Team. The Support Team is usually comprised of 3 members (including the MC), but can be larger. We encourage a Support Team with a variety of Coordinators, to help the CiT gain knowledge in a wide breadth and depth of Focusing practices and theories. The MC remains the primary leader of the CiT's process, but to name the CiT as a Coordinator, all members of the Support Team must approve the CiT to be named as a Coordinator. Therefore, all members of the Support Team should be comfortable with the process that the CiT is undertaking. Members of the Support Team will interact with the CiT individually or as a group. The Support Team may refer the CiT to available resources, based on its assessments of the needs and interests of the CiT. While the MC is normally paid by the CiT, other members of the Support Team are not paid for being on the Support Team. Of course, if members of the Support Team give specific trainings to the CiT, they should receive their normal fee.
To inform the TIFI office that a new CiT is being named, the MC submits the form “Checklist Form for making a CiT,” which can be found in the Trainer and Coordinator Resources page on www.focusing.org.
Later, when the CiT is ready to be recommended as a new Coordinator, the MC submits the form “Checklist Form for Recommending a CiT as New Coordinator,” which can be found in the Trainer and Coordinator Resources page on www.focusing.org.
FOR COORDINATORS WHO TRAIN PEOPLE FOR CERTIFICATION:
The Coordinator-in-Training needs to have worked out a full training program that takes people all the way through from beginning to Certification. This needs to be in writing (e.g. workshops, partnering, reading materials used, and individual mentoring sessions). The program is designed by the CiT and can replicate an existing program or it can reflect their own style and interests. Every Coordinator has a different program and we value this diversity.
A Coordinator-in-Training who will be training people for certification needs to have taken at least two people all the way through their program in conjunction with their Mentoring Coordinator (and their Support Team if appropriate). These Trainees need to be recommended by the Mentoring Coordinator and the CiT for certification. (The certificate will have the names of both Mentoring Coordinator and the CiT, and other members of the Support Team if requested.) The Mentoring Coordinator should work out with the CiT how this co-training will take place. The arrangement needs to satisfy the Mentoring Coordinator that the CiT is offering a high quality of training.
FOR COORDINATORS WHO DO NOT TRAIN PEOPLE FOR CERTIFICATION
The MC and/or the CiT must submit a clear explanation of the ways in which the CiT will promote not only Focusing but TIFI as well. What is the work they are doing and plan to do which makes them appropriate to become a Coordinator? How will they bring members or other resources to TIFI, such that it would be meaningful for them to be Coordinators of TIFI? Please look at the requirements in the paragraph above for Coordinators who plan to certify, and consider what would be equivalent in this person’s case. All members of the CiT's Support Team should endorse the explanation of the CiT's appropriateness to be a Coordinator.
Qualities of a Coordinator
The MC and Support Team should assure that those seeking to be named as Coordinators have the following skills and qualities:
- 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 the MC and Support Team) which are important for representing TIFI and Focusing to the world
If certain qualities need to be advanced prior to a CiT being named as a Coordinator, the Support Team will interact with the CiT to discuss how these qualities can be further advanced as needed.
Means of assessment
TIFI protects diversity by not setting standard criteria on how to evaluate a CiT with regards to the qualities outlined above. The MC and the Support Team should come to an agreement on how these qualities can be assessed for the particular CiT.
The following is a list of documents which might be helpful for assessment, depending on the individual CiT:
- A resume showing the CiT’s experience in teaching and co-teaching Focusing, TAE and/or the Philosophy of the Implicit workshops/sessions;
- The CiT’s approach to training in Focusing, TAE or the Philosophy of the Implicit;
- Articles that the CiT has written;
- (For those planning to certify) A list of Certified Focusing Professionals that the CiT has certified through TIFI, under the MC's supervision;
- Translations made by the CiT of substantial articles or books about Focusing, TAE, the Philosophy of the Implicit;
- Other documentation of relevant activities.
- These documents are suggestions, not requirements.
Moving from being a Coordinator-in-Training (CiT) to being a Coordinator
When the MC and the rest of the Support Team agree that the CiT is ready, the Support Team will recommend that the CiT be named as a Coordinator. This is done by the MC submitting the form “Checklist Form for Recommending a CiT as New Coordinator,” which can be found in the Trainer and Coordinator Resources on www.focusing.org. In a situation in which the Support Team cannot agree, or in which the CiT has been unsuccessful, the ILC with the Executive Director offer themselves as resources to help resolve the conflict.
ALL MEMBERS OF THE SUPPORT TEAM MUST DIRECTLY CONTACT TIFI: In order for the CiT to be named a Coordinator, all members of the Support Team must be in agreement about the CiT’s readiness. Notification only by the MC is not sufficient for a CiT to be named as a Coordinator. TIFI must receive explicit agreement from all members of the Support Team that the CiT is ready to be named a Coordinator before that change takes effect.
SPECIAL NOTE TO THOSE WHO INTEND TO OFFER CERTIFICATION IN FOT
If the Coordinator-in-Training intends to offer certification to others in Focusing Oriented Therapy, then these are the requirements:
- The CiT must have certification in Focusing Oriented Therapy from TIFI
- The CiT must be a psychotherapist who is legally able to practice in their country
- At least two of the three members of the Support Team must have certification in FOT
- The training to become a Coordinator must be focused on development of the CiT as an FOT
Please note that being a Coordinator and being a psychotherapist are not enough; any Coordinator who wishes to offer FOT certification with TIFI must also have an FOT certification. Please contact the TIFI office with any questions, to ensure that you will be qualified to offer an FOT certification to your students.
Other specializations
There are certain other pre-existing specialized certifications, where the Coordinator must have the qualification to offer that specialization, such as Focusing-Oriented Arts Therapy (FOAT) and Wholebody Focusing. (There are others, these are two examples; please see this document for all certifications offered by TIFI.) The Coordinator-in-Training should take care to ensure that their MC has the proper certification from TIFI; we encourage CiTs to contact the TIFI office with any questions. We are happy to help.
As all Coordinators have the right to certify, we have generally stopped using the term "Certifying Coordinator," although it is not incorrect for those who wish to use it.
Changing a member of the Support Team
Upon occasion, we have been asked whether it possible for a member of the Support Team to be changed. The short answer is Yes. A Coordinator-in-Training can change any member of their Support Team, and can even change their Mentoring Coordinator. Those who are considering changing their MC or a member of the Support Team, please reach out to the TIFI office or the ILC.
Maintaining Status as a Coordinator
To remain 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." 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