Therapist Roundtable: What is Focusing-Oriented Therapy Anyway? - An exploration of how we experience the meaning and practice of FOT

Wednesday, March 27, 2024  from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Eastern Time

Live attendance required - no recording.

Times worldwide: convert to your time zone

This Therapist Circle Roundtable is planned especially for members who work in therapeutic settings. It is led by the Membership Committee of The International Focusing Institute to build community and foster growth. If you are not a member, please join at this link and then return to this page to register.

Program Description

TIFI recently held a Focusing-Oriented Therapist Conference which brought together therapists from all over the world to explore various aspects of Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy. Among the questions explicitly or implicitly addressed was, “What is Focusing Oriented Therapy”? We want this Roundtable to provide a forum in which to continue this conversation. We will start with our personal, professional work as FOTs, and we will listen and interact with each other. We are excited about the creation of meaning that we hope will come from being together and interacting with this topic.

This Roundtable is an opportunity to share our thoughts, feelings, and experiences about being an FOT. There are many questions that might come, and all are welcome. We hope for a discussion among peers along three lines of thought:

• What does FOT mean to each of us? What about FOT compels me? What sustains me?
• What is the essence of FOT?
• What does FOT look like in our practices?

We will take a personal look at how we experience the meaning of FOT and what is happening in our practices. We will also make room for other questions such as, how do we convey its essence to others?

We look forward to a rich conversation among peers.

We also invite you to watch a special interview on this topic between Steve Moscovitch and Lynn Preston at this link. It may stimulate your own reflections!

Who might be interested in attending this Roundtable?

Those who use, or intend to use Focusing to enrich their therapeutic work, whether in the past, present or future, will be interested. Current, former, and aspiring therapists are welcome, including psychotherapists, counselors, coaches, somatic practitioners, spiritual directors, occupational, physical therapists, social workers, and the like.

These conversations are not supervision sessions, but rather a place to share ideas and experiences with like-minded professionals. All therapists hold ethical and professional accountabilities and share in the responsibility for healing and growth in our clients. In this understanding, we explore challenges and opportunities of bringing a Focusing orientation to our work.

If you have an area of interest, curiosity, or passion that you would like to explore in a future Roundtable, please let us know.

CONNECTION>CONVERSATION>COMMUNITY

What to expect from Therapist Roundtables  

Roundtables promote informal peer-to-peer conversation. The hosts do not show up as experts, but to facilitate conversation. We encourage all to share and explore topics from the participants’ own perspectives, and the program is not recorded. All sharing is welcome and valuable, no matter what level of experience or knowledge a person has. After the Roundtable we hope that participants will find new ways to connect with each other.

About your hosts:

Susan Lennox, PhD, CPC, is a psychotherapist and certified professional coach in private practice in Westminster, Colorado. She is a Focusing Coordinator and has been a Certified Focusing Professional since 2000. Susan integrates Focusing and Internal Family Systems into her work with her clients. 

Julie Ramsey, LICSW, FOT, is a Focusing Coordinator and psychotherapist in private practice in Massachusetts. She works with adolescents and adults in individual and couples therapy. She also teaches Focusing in small groups and enjoys bringing Focusing to all aspects of her work and life.

Mary Anne Schleinich, MPS, BScOT is a counselling body psychotherapist in private practice in Calgary. She is certified with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association and The International Focusing Institute as an FOT. She integrates 14 years of work as an Occupational Therapist in palliative care into somatic psychotherapy.

Randi Love, MA, LMHC, is a Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapist who maintains a private online practice. In addition, she teaches, coaches and mentors students at the Seattle Focusing Institute.