Board of Directors

Nelle Moffett	Darryl Commings	Veronica S. Urioste
Evelyn Fendler-Lee	Florentina Sassoli	Eveline Moor Züllig
Patrick Duffy (Advisory)

Board Member Details >

Statement on Diversity of Approaches

(approved by the Board of Directors December 2021)

Focusing and Thinking at the Edge always honor what arises freshly in the moment. Frozen structures are antithetical to the ethic of felt sensing. Focusing and Thinking at the Edge and how they are taught by our certified teachers will not be standardized. It is a core value of TIFI that diversity of approaches will be protected. Constructive critiques are welcome among our teachers or between TIFI and individuals presenting or applying practices which arise from Gendlin’s philosophy of the implicit. These should be offered by means of open, respectful communication. TIFI itself will seek to honor the value of diversity of approaches in its offerings.

Statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

(approved by the Board of Directors December 2022)

This statement was written by the Board of Directors of The International Focusing Institute (TIFI), with input from our members. It is a statement intended to cover the governance and operations of TIFI. While it is not binding on our members, the Board hopes that all members of the community will join us in the spirit of this statement.

It is inherent to Focusing to respect all persons as individual human beings. The heart of experiential listening is to put aside assumptions and pre-conceived ideas as much as possible, in order to respect a person for who they are. Each person is influenced by their various identities, situations and communities but never defined by them. Historically and to this day, there are many groups and individuals that are discriminated against. Some of the significant ones include those based on sexual orientation and gender, age, race and ethnicity, national origin, economic status or caste, religious affiliation and beliefs, appearance, and physical ability or disability. We recognize that none of us is immune to biases which make us elevate one group above another. Therefore, we strive to be ever more conscious of our individual and group prejudices.

TIFI is an international non-profit organization with members in more than 50 countries. We are richly diverse internationally. We aspire to be still more diverse, equitable and inclusive, and to make our operations, governance and programming ever more open to all people. Rigid social structures that do not honor the breadth of human diversity are antithetical to our work.

Our efforts include:

Seeing diversity, equity and inclusion as ongoing processes, and remaining open to what might be more fitting to the moment, endeavoring afresh as new understandings emerge
Being willing to stay with the discomfort that can arise when we are confronted with our failure to be diverse, equitable and inclusive
Navigating through any tensions which arise in a compassionate way, using our tools of Focusing and Thinking at the Edge
Seeing diversity, equity and inclusion as connected to our mission “to keep Focusing alive and available to everyone”
Intentionally expanding offerings to meet the needs of underrepresented constituents
Reducing barriers to participation for those living on low incomes and those with disabilities
Learning to become more aware of biases, unquestioned assumptions and habits which may create unwelcoming or unsafe spaces

DEI Scholarship Fund

The Board of The International Focusing Institute is proud to announce a new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Scholarship Fund.

This new fund is a concrete means by which the Board is expressing its aspiration for TIFI to be “still more diverse, equitable and inclusive, and to make our operations, governance and programming ever more open to all people.”

The Focusing world is very diverse in terms of its international character; we have people of many cultures, languages and backgrounds represented. This is one of the things that makes being part of the Focusing community so enriching and delightful. There are some countries and demographic groups, however, where we have noticeably fewer people.

As our DEI statement indicates: “Historically and to this day, there are many groups and individuals that are discriminated against. Some of the significant ones include those based on sexual orientation and gender, age, race and ethnicity, national origin, economic status or caste, religious affiliation and beliefs, appearance, and physical ability or disability.” It is important to us that the wonderful benefits of Focusing and felt sensing be available to all, and that we eliminate those traditional barriers as much as we can.

People from any underrepresented group will be eligible for this new scholarship. At this time, the Board is especially committed to ensuring that young people (age 30 and younger) and members of the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) community feel welcome to participate in all aspects of TIFI’s programming, and so we will be making special efforts to encourage those in these groups to apply.

We ask that you join us in this commitment to diversity by making a donation of any amount to this new DEI Scholarship Fund. Thank you!

By-Laws

The By-Laws of The International Focusing Institute - December 2022 (PDF)

Nominating Process:

Policies

Conflict of Interest Policy
Board Policy on Sponsorship of Events
Selection of Officers
Nominating Committee Policy
Policy on the Gendlin Center
Policy on Whistleblower
Policy on Paying Teachers
Document Retention and Destruction Policy
Board Advisory Member

Board Minutes

For minutes prior to January 2022, please see the board minutes archive

September - no meeting
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022

TIFI Board Articles

News from the Board (July 2023)
News from the Board (April 2023)
News from the Board (February 2023)
Board Advisory Members & Experiential Focusing(December 2022)
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (October 2022)
Members, click here to watch videos of the board meeting with members (October 2022)
Board Update on Coordinators, the Nominating Committee and SWOT (June 2022)
An Interview with Board Member Florentina Sassoli by Beatrice Blake (May 2022)
Adopting and Listening on the Board (April 2022)
Board Update (March 2022)
Getting to Know Board Member Daryl Commings (March 2022)
Building a Framework for 2022 (December 2021)
Comments From the Board on the Special Board Meetings with TIFI Members (November 2021)
Board Welcomes Two New Members (June 2021)
Letter from the Board President, Nelle Moffet (March 2021)
Board Update (January 2021)
Note from the Board (December 2020)
Note from the Board (November 2020)
Board/ILC Switch (October 2020)