[SoupDragon]

Anyone tried focusing as in Gendlin?

I am reading about it (T's recommendation) but am struggling to grasp the whole concept.

[sconnie892]

I had never heard of this until your post, so I had to look it up. It sounds like a very interesting concept from what I read online. The Wikipedia article gave me the basic idea. I may have to read more about this idea.

[WikidPissah]

i'll have to look it up as well...I've never heard of it.

[SoupDragon]

Hey, maybe we can all learn together

[Nelliecat]

I'm going to look it up right this minute - I've never heard of it either.

[Nelliecat]

So this is something we all do anyway to some extent. We just don't realise it or listen to it enough. So it's not the same as feeling a gut instinct though?

[SoupDragon]

Yes I think it is the not lirtening bit. Gendlin says he can tell in the 1st few sessions of psychotherapy who will be successful and he reckons it is down to whether someone naturally does this.

[sconnie892]

Originally Posted by SoupDragon

Yes I think it is the not lirtening bit. Gendlin says he can tell in the 1st few sessions of psychotherapy who will be successful and he reckons it is down to whether someone naturally does this.

As I was reading I was wondering that. I feel like I do this already to some extent.

The Focusing Institute website does a good job of explaining all this. I didn't have time to look at all the links, but will later today: http://www.focusing.org/newcomers.htm

[tooski]

I do this a lot. I didn't realize it had a name!! I spend a lot of time alone, so it's easy to be inner-focused. I'm in therapy now, and lots of times a word or phrase or feeling will appear in my mind and not go away for a couple of days. I write these down and take them to T, and it helps a lot. Truly, we have all the answers inside of us. We just need to learn how to listen, to open up to ourselves. Thanks for bringing this up. I'm going to read up and see if I can get more out of this.

[Perna]

It reminds me of my T "teaching" me to "check my heart". Getting quiet and giving yourself space inside can really bring up some amazing stuff. I love the "Instructions for not following instructions":

http://www.focusing.org/sixsteps.html

[sunrise]

I had a professor for a class last year who does this kind of therapy. He is a very keen observer and helps clients learn focusing. I read some of his papers where he had excerpts of transcripts of therapy sessions. It seems very useful once the client has learned to do it.

When I read the description of Focusing, it sounds like looking inside and listening to what is there. I think I can do that, and it has helped me make progress in therapy, but I'm not sure if it is the same as Focusing or not.

SoupDragon, will you use Focusing in your sessions?

[CantExplain]

Originally Posted by SoupDragon

Gendlin says he can tell in the 1st few sessions of psychotherapy who will be successful and he reckons it is down to whether someone naturally does this.

He says it's something we can learn, yet if we don't do it naturally he can't help us?

I did not do this naturally. It was Good Co-facilitator who taught me.
"Don't know how you feel? Listen to what your body is telling you!"