6/13/08 Meeting Notes
After a half hour set aside for registration, light refreshment, and saying hello to one another, Cynthia Callsen welcomed the group of 40 and thanked those who made the meeting possible including those who were participating that evening. She especially thanked Robert Lee, with whom she trained for two years, for his vision of Projects. It was this part of her training that made possible the vision for NY Metro Focusing. She expressed her deep appreciation.
We also wish to thank Helen Theodorou who made a generous contribution to cover the cost of our refreshments for the evening.
Cynthia then turned the meeting over to Judith Cobb who was the facilitator for the evening. Jude introduced Joan Lavender as one of the earliest New York focusers, having met and studied with Gene Gendlin 30 years ago. From her early career as a dance therapist, Joan became a psychologist and is now in private practice in NYC and a faculty member in the Relational Focusing Oriented Psychotherapy Program directed by Lynn Preston. Joan guided the group in a lovely attunement. She gave a brief explanation for newcomers of a focusing attitude as a way of listening to yourself. She said that focusing has a built-in safety: you always ask your felt sense if an issue feels okay to spend time with, and you respect its response. She also said that from her personal observation felt senses “need” our attention in order to form themselves. She then used focusing questions to guide the group on a pathway to presence for the meeting.
After this lead-in Jude introduced Robert Lee. She noted that his introduction to focusing was about 30 years ago when he responded to a sign in a window in Burlington, VT for a focusing session for $10. In the early 80s, while working on his Ph.D. in Psychology, he read Gendlin’s focusing book and heard him speak. Over the next many years in Boston, Robert was a leader in establishing Changes groups and introducing focusing-oriented psychotherapy. He began developing his Domain Focusing Model for teaching focusing, which grows ever richer. Several years ago, Robert moved to Costa Rica, where he has worked to develop a fertile focusing community. And he has been traveling to NYC every 2 months to spend 1 week offering training in his Domain Focusing model. Many of us here have been enriched by our involvement in his training programs. Jude noted that she has worked with Robert for several years, as a participant and as a coach in his training programs.
In editing these notes Jude added something that she left out in her introduction: “Knowing Robert is to be in wonderment—he is a person who lives in such a deeply intuitive, creative and fertile space, while staying so related. He is always on the excited edge of new discovery. Getting an email from Robert usually has an ‘I’ve been thinking and feeling excited about this new possibility for …’ ”
Robert Lee began his presentation with words about Eugene Gendlin’s philosophy. Robert’s thesis is that HOPE is intrinsic to Focusing. Life has a reaching forward, moving toward what it needs. And in focusing we look for an implying of what is needed to help this process move forward. This implying brings an occurring, a forward step. When something moves forward, there is an insight, and new possibilities emerge. When that new possibility happens, there is a groundedness with hope, or a hope with groundedness. Shifting is the core process of focusing, it is the purpose of focusing, and with it comes grounded hope. It is the crux of focusing.
He identifies micro shifting – those shifts that we experience more easily and more frequently, and macro shifts – those things which shift with great difficulty. One is about finding simple hope, and the other about finding a more complicated hope. He then points to working in an in-between place – working with difficult feelings such as anger.
He explained his three domains – or logics. The first is the thinking domain, the second is the felt sensing, and the third is the loving, or self-empathy, domain.
He then led the group in a guided focusing exercise. He guided us slowly through a number of steps designed to bring a shift. For many this exercise was very gratifying. He then took newcomers to focusing to a separate discussion area to talk with him about their experience and ask questions, while the rest of us shared with someone sitting close by our experience in partnership. Many of us experienced even further shifts as this process unfolded, and in the experience recognized the grounded hope that Robert identified as the crux of the focusing experience.
After a break with networking and good food, Jude introduced our all-new MARKETPLACE - inviting people to share their focusing projects, workshops, trainings, and interests. Joan Lavender shared her experience in a focusing community in which people could announce anything like “I’ve got four tires I want to get rid of”. A lively exchange took place, which included many wonderful focusing offerings, a sharing of interests to connect with other people, and a couple of items to give away.
Many, many thanks to Colleen Franca who meticulously compiled a list of the sharing (below) with all appropriate contact information and weblinks. When we develop our NYMF web site, we will include these among others – all in the spirit of developing an active, thriving community.
The meeting ended about 9:15 p.m.with Katya Salkinder’s closing words to refocus and center us as we left the gathering.
Focusing Workshops
Brush up your Focusing
Larry Hurst
917-595-6884
Larry.hurst@focusing-in-touch.com
New York City: Sunday Evening Focusing Changes Group
(Generally meets on 1st Sunday Evening of the month)
Next Meeting: Sunday: July 6th
Moira Brennan
917-587-4479
Visual Experiencing and Self-Discovery: Developing Your Creativity
Robin Kappy and Janet Pfunder
Sunday, June 29th, 1:00-5:00pm (POSTPONED TILL THE FALL)
Robinkappylcsw@verizon.net
Janetpfunder@yahoo.com
Small Group Applied Focusing Ten Month Course
Domain Focusing:the 3 Logics of Growth
Robert L. Lee, Ph.D
Robert@focusingnow.com
Professional Services
Focusing and the Arts- Piano Lessons
Justin Jacobs
Justinw_j@yahoo.com
Professional Writers
Ellen Kirsch
Ekirsch72@gmail.com
Massage for Health
Bill Zarick, Licensed Massage Therapist
Billzarik@hotmail.com
Envyologist (Issues with Living Life Alone)
Joan Lavender
Joan@joanlavender.com
Body Centered Psychotherapy
Katya Salkinder, Psychotherapist
Katyas@mindspring.com
Specializing in Issues with Clutter
Toby Nona Bloomfield, C.S.W.
212-633-9510
Babies & Breastfeeding
Ina Bransome
www.clearbirth.com
ina@clearbirth.com
Women’s Health Issues - acupuncture
Lara Rosenthal
Lara@lararosenthal.com
Free Stuff
Lara Rosenthal- Free Drafting table
Large Beveled mirrors- nelliebright@yahoo.com
Prepared by Cynthia Callsen
with generous input from Colleen Franca, Judith Cobb, Joan Lavender, Robert Lee, and Larry Hurst
After a half hour set aside for registration, light refreshment, and saying hello to one another, Cynthia Callsen welcomed the group of 40 and thanked those who made the meeting possible including those who were participating that evening. She especially thanked Robert Lee, with whom she trained for two years, for his vision of Projects. It was this part of her training that made possible the vision for NY Metro Focusing. She expressed her deep appreciation.
We also wish to thank Helen Theodorou who made a generous contribution to cover the cost of our refreshments for the evening.
Cynthia then turned the meeting over to Judith Cobb who was the facilitator for the evening. Jude introduced Joan Lavender as one of the earliest New York focusers, having met and studied with Gene Gendlin 30 years ago. From her early career as a dance therapist, Joan became a psychologist and is now in private practice in NYC and a faculty member in the Relational Focusing Oriented Psychotherapy Program directed by Lynn Preston. Joan guided the group in a lovely attunement. She gave a brief explanation for newcomers of a focusing attitude as a way of listening to yourself. She said that focusing has a built-in safety: you always ask your felt sense if an issue feels okay to spend time with, and you respect its response. She also said that from her personal observation felt senses “need” our attention in order to form themselves. She then used focusing questions to guide the group on a pathway to presence for the meeting.
After this lead-in Jude introduced Robert Lee. She noted that his introduction to focusing was about 30 years ago when he responded to a sign in a window in Burlington, VT for a focusing session for $10. In the early 80s, while working on his Ph.D. in Psychology, he read Gendlin’s focusing book and heard him speak. Over the next many years in Boston, Robert was a leader in establishing Changes groups and introducing focusing-oriented psychotherapy. He began developing his Domain Focusing Model for teaching focusing, which grows ever richer. Several years ago, Robert moved to Costa Rica, where he has worked to develop a fertile focusing community. And he has been traveling to NYC every 2 months to spend 1 week offering training in his Domain Focusing model. Many of us here have been enriched by our involvement in his training programs. Jude noted that she has worked with Robert for several years, as a participant and as a coach in his training programs.
In editing these notes Jude added something that she left out in her introduction: “Knowing Robert is to be in wonderment—he is a person who lives in such a deeply intuitive, creative and fertile space, while staying so related. He is always on the excited edge of new discovery. Getting an email from Robert usually has an ‘I’ve been thinking and feeling excited about this new possibility for …’ ”
Robert Lee began his presentation with words about Eugene Gendlin’s philosophy. Robert’s thesis is that HOPE is intrinsic to Focusing. Life has a reaching forward, moving toward what it needs. And in focusing we look for an implying of what is needed to help this process move forward. This implying brings an occurring, a forward step. When something moves forward, there is an insight, and new possibilities emerge. When that new possibility happens, there is a groundedness with hope, or a hope with groundedness. Shifting is the core process of focusing, it is the purpose of focusing, and with it comes grounded hope. It is the crux of focusing.
He identifies micro shifting – those shifts that we experience more easily and more frequently, and macro shifts – those things which shift with great difficulty. One is about finding simple hope, and the other about finding a more complicated hope. He then points to working in an in-between place – working with difficult feelings such as anger.
He explained his three domains – or logics. The first is the thinking domain, the second is the felt sensing, and the third is the loving, or self-empathy, domain.
He then led the group in a guided focusing exercise. He guided us slowly through a number of steps designed to bring a shift. For many this exercise was very gratifying. He then took newcomers to focusing to a separate discussion area to talk with him about their experience and ask questions, while the rest of us shared with someone sitting close by our experience in partnership. Many of us experienced even further shifts as this process unfolded, and in the experience recognized the grounded hope that Robert identified as the crux of the focusing experience.
After a break with networking and good food, Jude introduced our all-new MARKETPLACE - inviting people to share their focusing projects, workshops, trainings, and interests. Joan Lavender shared her experience in a focusing community in which people could announce anything like “I’ve got four tires I want to get rid of”. A lively exchange took place, which included many wonderful focusing offerings, a sharing of interests to connect with other people, and a couple of items to give away.
Many, many thanks to Colleen Franca who meticulously compiled a list of the sharing (below) with all appropriate contact information and weblinks. When we develop our NYMF web site, we will include these among others – all in the spirit of developing an active, thriving community.
The meeting ended about 9:15 p.m.with Katya Salkinder’s closing words to refocus and center us as we left the gathering.
Focusing Workshops
Brush up your Focusing
Larry Hurst
917-595-6884
Larry.hurst@focusing-in-touch.com
New York City: Sunday Evening Focusing Changes Group
(Generally meets on 1st Sunday Evening of the month)
Next Meeting: Sunday: July 6th
Moira Brennan
917-587-4479
Visual Experiencing and Self-Discovery: Developing Your Creativity
Robin Kappy and Janet Pfunder
Sunday, June 29th, 1:00-5:00pm (POSTPONED TILL THE FALL)
Robinkappylcsw@verizon.net
Janetpfunder@yahoo.com
Small Group Applied Focusing Ten Month Course
Domain Focusing:the 3 Logics of Growth
Robert L. Lee, Ph.D
Robert@focusingnow.com
Professional Services
Focusing and the Arts- Piano Lessons
Justin Jacobs
Justinw_j@yahoo.com
Professional Writers
Ellen Kirsch
Ekirsch72@gmail.com
Massage for Health
Bill Zarick, Licensed Massage Therapist
Billzarik@hotmail.com
Envyologist (Issues with Living Life Alone)
Joan Lavender
Joan@joanlavender.com
Body Centered Psychotherapy
Katya Salkinder, Psychotherapist
Katyas@mindspring.com
Specializing in Issues with Clutter
Toby Nona Bloomfield, C.S.W.
212-633-9510
Babies & Breastfeeding
Ina Bransome
www.clearbirth.com
ina@clearbirth.com
Women’s Health Issues - acupuncture
Lara Rosenthal
Lara@lararosenthal.com
Free Stuff
Lara Rosenthal- Free Drafting table
Large Beveled mirrors- nelliebright@yahoo.com
Prepared by Cynthia Callsen
with generous input from Colleen Franca, Judith Cobb, Joan Lavender, Robert Lee, and Larry Hurst