Focusing for Beginners—for advanced listeners (4 weeks)

In this four-week beginner Focusing course for advanced listeners, we delve into each of the 6 steps of Eugene Gendlin’s practice.

Each week, we learn about one or two steps, as well as an aspect of listening:

1. Clearing a Space and the Focusing Attitude (Receiving) + Saying Back (Mirroring)

2. Finding the Felt Sense + Reflecting with Our Own Words (Active Listening)

3. Getting a Handle and Resonating + Helping your Focuser with prompts (Experiential Listening Part 1)

4. Asking + Helping your Focuser deepen their experience (Experiential Listening Part 2)

We gradually grow our Focusing skills while adapting our listening skills for the practice: first by learning to say back the words shared especially the felt/emotional words (week 1), reflecting in our own words when it feels right and asking simple questions such as “Where do you carry that in your body?” (week 2). Then we learn to take our Focuser through most of the steps and ask guiding questions such as “Can you get a handle for that?” (week 3). We finish by learning the variety of ways we can use Asking questions (week 4), to unfold the problem or find solutions with guiding questions like “What’s the worst about that?” or “What would it feel like if it as all better?”

Each class includes a centering, teaching of step(s) and listening skills, a small experiential guided by me, a demonstration and then breakout room practice (groups of two or three).

To further your practice, it is encouraged to also form a Focusing partnership with another participant. This involves meeting between classes to practice, in an exchange of Focusing and listening. You can also opt to be assessed for the Proficiency in Focusing Partnership Award provided through TIFI.

Timing and other details

Next Groups:

• Tuesdays, 2:30-4:30 pm Eastern, April 2-23–4 spots left

• Upcoming classes - dates to be determined. Please email me at annette@pupa.ca to let me know your interest and when you would be available for this training. You can also join the 8-week version of this course which takes more time to introduce the material, and has more time for practice and demos. Hence while it is designed for the general public/non-practitioners or beginner listeners, it is a wonderful experience for practitioners as well.

Group size: each group is capped at 12 people—4 spots left

Who is this course for? The course is best suited to Focusing beginners who have some prior listening experience (for example coaches, therapists, other healing practitioners), or intermediate and experienced Focusers interested in a refresh. If you are new to both Focusing and listening, then it is recommended you begin with the 8-week beginner course.

Course location: Zoom

Sliding scale pricing: This course has sliding scale pricing, offering multiple price points to make the course more accessible and reduce financial barriers for people with different levels of income. Please view the sliding scale fees page for details and codes.

• Full fee: US$240

• 25% off: US$180

• 50% off: US$120

• 70% off: US$72

• 80% off: US$48

• 90% off: US$24

Notes:

• You can take this class as a stand alone experience, continue on with the whole PUPA journey, or whatever course or courses resonate with you.

• Consisting of five courses, the journey covers learning Focusing (this course), learning about who you are, discovering who you want to be and what you want to bring into the world with TAE, transforming a large block using the 8Cs of self-leadership, and finally a course on taking action with embodied leadership.

• The journey can also be extended to the PUPA Focusing Certification Program, which includes additional requirements to become a Certified Focusing Professional with The International Focusing Institute.