Focusing Method of Psychotherapy

[Mustang]

Hi there, i haven't written in awhile, however i enjoyed the Mindfulness threads on this site. However i haven't been able to find any information or articles concerning the Focusing Method.

The Focusing method was developed in the early 1960's as Eugene Gendlin studied therapy sessions, involving different school's of methodologies, and he found that those clients who had an successful outcome spoke from "gut" experiences (bodily sensations), so he developed the Focusing method for Therapy. His method is similar to Mindfulness, which has gotten popular in recent years, but his method is different and was started in the '60s

As i was trying to say i haven't been able to read anything about this method on this site, has it fallen out of usefulness in clinical practice?.

Here's a link to the focusing site The Focusing Institute

 

[forgetmenot]

This sounds interesting similar to what my doctor say the body remembers and the book the body knows. You get in touch with a feeling an emotion and go from there I think that is what my doctor does in my therapy some times. It is hard to keep the emotion though because of fear or the pain it brings.

 

[Mustang]

Hi Violet, i'am glad you find it interesting. As far as keeping touch with the...if i remember right is that "it" may feel threatened of being "hurt" again, which is a normal part of this therapy.
I could recommend a couple of books, but i don't know about this site's policy on book recommendation, although i would ask your Doctor more about of this question if your curious about exploring this more.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I could recommend a couple of books, but i don't know about this site's policy on book recommendation

If there are books that you've found helpful, feel free to list them.

 

[Mustang]

Thanx David, wasn't sure of the policy here. There are two books i have, the first is FOCUSING, Eugene T. Gendlin, PH.D., Bernard Geis Associates / Bantam New Age. (Mine was Published in 1981, so i'am not sure if it's still in print, might check Amazon).

The second book, a practical handbook is The Power of Focusing: A Practical Guide to Emotional Self-Healing, Ann Weiser Cornell, Ph.D.; Published by MJF Books, 1996. I'd recommend reading this book if your going to buy one,

This is printed ont the back of Eugene's Gendlin's book as stated above:

What Is Focusing
Based on research at the University of Chicago, focusing is a new technique of self therapy that teaches you to identify and change the way your personal problems concretely exist in your body.

Focusing consists of steps of felt change. Unlike methods that stress "getting touch with your feelings," there is a built in test: each focusing step, when done correctly, is marked by a physical relief, a profound release of tension.

Focusing guides you to the deepest level of awareness within your body, it is on this level, unfamiliar to most people, that unresolved problems actually exist, and only on this level can they change.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

See also Interview with Ann Weiser Cornell, author of The Power of Focusing: A Practical Guide to Emotional Self-Healing.

 

[Mustang]

Thank you very much David for that link:2thumbs:

 

[Daniel E.]

Coming Home Through Focusing Listening with Eugene Gendlin Ph.D. - YouTube

 

[Daniel E.]

Ann Weiser Cornell:

Self-in-Presence ** We disidentify in order to do Focusing with Ann Weiser Cornell Ph.D. - YouTube