British Focusing Association Certificate in Focusing Skills
Online training
The next course begins in September 2024
Information and Booking / Contact Paula
Focusing is a gentle and yet powerful way of sensing inwards and discovering more about ourselves and our relationships. It supports greater self-awareness and self-acceptance. People in caring professions such as counselling and coaching often find that Focusing enhances their practice.
Once you have learnt the basics you can work with many areas including physical pain, coping with overwhelm, decision making and trauma.
About the training
Accredited by the National Council of Psychotherapsts.
The online programme has been developed over several years. I hope that you will enjoy both the group experience and the learning.
There are five Focusing levels which form the British Focusing Association Certificate in Focusing Skills. Each level is carefully designed to build upon previous learning and includes a combination of theory, practice and group discussion.
To enhance your learning, each time we meet you will receive downloadable 'pages' with PowerPoints, reading suggestions, exercises and spaces for your personal notes.
Level One, Introduction to Focusing
Becoming more bodily aware and noticing signals.that your body gives you, trusting in your body's wisdom. Focusing is very natural and gentle and at the same time you might find that working at this level is powerful and revealing. You will practice Focusing in pairs, taking turns to Focus and companion with a partner.
PART 1 – Sensing Inwards
PART 2 – Self-in-Presence and grounding
PART 3 – Partial selves and trauma
PART 4 – Introduction to Wholebody Focusing
Level Two, Living Forward Energy
Exercises are designed to support working at a deeper level.
PART 1 – Eugene Gendlin’s Six Focusing Movements
PART 2 – Our topic is Focusing with pain and physical ailments
PART 3 – Extending understandings and experiences of the felt sense
PART 4 – Exploring ‘Living Forward Energy’ in a creative way
Level Three, Focusing and Companioning
Exploring the stages of a Focusing session, learning about Focusing language and its benefits at each stage. I will introduce suggestions that can help the Focuser to listen inwards with acceptance, empathy and compassion.
PART 1 – Stages in a Focusing session, paying particular attention to the first stage
PART 2 – The role of the Companion and supportive suggestions which the Companion can offer to the Focuser.
PART 3 – Companioning with delicate parts.
PART 4 – Suggestions that can be helpful at the deepening and ending stages of a Focusing session
Level Four, The Inner Critic
We will explore some challenges which you might encounter as Focuser and Companion.Our topic is about understanding and working with the inner Critic. This is an inner ‘voice’ that tends to criticizes your actions. It may tell.you that you are not capable enough to try something new. We will also look at symbols and images, including Focusing with dreams. You will be invited to work with your own dream in a group exercise.
PART 1 – The Inner critic and what lies beneath its judgmental attitude.
PART 2 – Focusing Challenges
PART 3 – Focusing and Symbols
PART 4 – Focusing with dreams
Level Five, Focusing with Trauma
There are two topics in level five, trauma from a Focusing perspective and working with action blocks. An action block is something inside that prevents you from doing what you want to do. Examples are eating a healthy diet, writing an article or book and changing your job.
As you approach the end of the certificate training we will look at next steps. I will provide information about further training and useful websites. There will be time for each person to review their own process and an opportunity for therapists and counsellors to consider incorporating Focusing within their own practice. This is our final meeting as a group and we will have time for an ending
PARTS 1 and 2 – Over two weeks we will look at trauma from a Focusing perspective including theory and practice.
PART 3 – Working with action blocks
PART 4 – Reviewing your process and next steps
Further Training
After completing the certificate you might want to consider continuing with the Practitioner Training This is a professional BFA qualification that enables you to offer guided Focusing sessions, include Focusing in your private practice and teach Focusing one to one.
Testimonials
'This Focusing training is an excellent way of deepening one's connection to self and others and is structured in a beautifully simple way to allow that to happen.' More Testimonials
You are most welcome to Contact Paula to discuss the training
