Text in Spanish – Japanese – Click here to read in English

Focusing International Conference in Cambridge (United Kingdom) in July 2016 continues to bear fruit.

Today I have the honor to present the translation of my article “Combining Focusing and Nonviolent Communication. Reflecting deeper implications for” (appeared in 2014 in The Folio. A Journal for Focusing and Experiential Therapy) Japanese, with the suggestive title “Focusing and non-violent communication intersection of - towards the deeper implications tell-back -“.

Con Madoka Kawahara (Kawahara circle).

Cambridge had the pleasure to meet Madoka Kawahara (Kawahara circle), Focusing training psychotherapist who had initiated the translation of the article a while back, already Mako Hikasa (Mako Hikasa), Focusing renowned Coordinator, which joined the project in its final phase translation. Our discussions from that meeting made the project proceed, and now there is this careful translation is available on the website Focusing Japanese Association (Japan Focusing Association), and I reproduce here with his permission.

From here I want to express my deep appreciation for their efforts and dedication (there have been many emails back and forth to clarify concepts and terms) so you can know this aspect of Focusing among many practitioners and professionals Focusing Japan.

In deep appreciation,

Xavier

Japanese

Cambridge 27th International Focusing Conference, which was held in (the UK)It is、It has brought a more abundant achievements。

now、I、paper"Intersection of the focusing and the non-violent communication - deeper implications toward tell-back -"（"Journal for focusing and experiencing therapy"The Folio. A Journal for Focusing and Experiential TherapyVol. 25, No. 1、2014I am honored to be posted on the year) has been translated into Japanese。

Madoka Kawahara

In Cambridge、Mr. counselor Madoka Kawahara undergoing focusing training Ya、There was a happy encounter with renowned certification focusing Coordinator Mako Hikasa。Because、And Ms. Madoka Kawahara is already working on this translation、And in the final stage of the project、Mako HikasaIt has been added。After the International Conference、Keep in touch us towards the translation completed、Then now、The exact Japanese translation has been completed。this is、Japan focusing association's Web siteYou can read in。Than the association、We received the authorization of the link posted。

To me is a certain enthusiasm and their interest effort、Deeply Thank you。In order to clarify the concepts and nuances、It was frequently exchanged e-mail。Many of certified Focusing trainers and practitioners of Japan、Because becomes an opportunity to get to know this aspect of focusing。

Gratitude

Javier

English text

The International Focusing Conference 2016 in Cambridge (United Kingdom) keeps bringing more fruits.

Now I have the honor of presenting my article “Crossing Focusing and Nonviolent Communication: Reflecting for Deeper Implications”, that appeared in The Folio. A Journal for Focusing and Experiential Therapy in 2014, translated into Japanese with the title “Focusing and non-violent communication intersection of - towards the deeper implications tell-back -“.

With Madoka Kawahara (Kawahara circle).

In Cambridge I had the pleasure of meeting Madoka Kawahara (Kawahara circle), a psychotherapist trained in Focusing who had already started the translation some time ago, and Mako Hikasa (Mako Hikasa), a renowned Focusing Coordinator that joined the project in its final stages. The conversations we had after that encounter have brought the work to its completion, and now we have this precise translation, that is available on the website of the Japan Focusing Association (Japan Focusing Association), reproduced here with permission.

I want to express my profound gratitude for their interest and hard work –there have been lots of e-mails to clarify concepts and nuances– to make possible that this aspect of Focusing might be known among the numerous Focusing professionals and practitioners in Japan.

In gratitude,

Xavier

Today I want to share this video posted by the International Focusing Institute (The International Focusing Institute) de Gene Gendlin, the father of Focusing, in which he talks about how “we are different when we interact with different people”. In this short but rich recording, Gendlin explica (with Spanish subtitles, that can be turned on and off) that this has the consequence that by sharing something of ours with another person, the very act of being with the other person facilitates the change.

A suggestive and inspiring video. Hope you enjoy the.

Xavier

With great joy I announce the appearance of Focusing Centro, the new draft comprehensive training in Focusing in which I participate as an outsource partner.

After months of preparation, finally sees the light of this new initiative. They have undertaken a Focusing team with extensive experience: Isabel Gascón, Ema Lucia, Carlos Gonzalez and Beatriz Cazurro, and we support external collaborations with other trainers Focusing among whom I include myself.

It appears on the website, Focusing Centro is a team of professionals certified by the International Institute Focusing born with the commitment and enthusiasm to provide customized training, and rigorous quality. Focusing Center since it firmly believes in the body's self-healing ability we all possess and we want to spread and teach this technique and this philosophy with a personalized training, and rigorous quality. comprehensive training plan is offered and also the possibility that people who are now in training to end his career.

For more information, it is best that you use the possibilities offered in the contact page directly, which is where they are centralizing all information. If however you want to ask me something specific, I can inform you also contact the usual way.

With enthusiasm and hope,

Xavier

Picking up the thread entries with brushstrokes of the International Conference Focusing which it took place in Cambridge (United Kingdom) of 20 to the 24 July 2016, Interest Group Community Wellness Focusing (Focusing the Community Wellness) It was for me one of the points destados. It was an experience of creating a community of shared manner by listen out, the translation, our previous communities and the Focusing attitude.

It's been a few months, and I've been writing about my experiences (All entries appear in the final index this entry), and it arises me a warm and tender feeling when I remember to this Group. Each morning of the conference participants a whole we joined one of the fifteen Stakeholders. These were groups that wanted to be an open space to share personal and professional points of view on focusing in specific areas. To me they tempted me many titles (There was even a “No Specific Interest Group Interest”, although the joke sounds better in English). I am very satisfied with my choice, while I regret not being able to divide myself for being able to attend many others…

Interest Group Community Wellness Focusing on the International Conference Cambridge (RU), julio de 2016.

The Interest Group Community Wellness Focusing (Focusing the Community Wellness) It was coordinated by Nina Joy Lawrence, Pat Omidian and Heidrun Essler, who created the container space so that we could participate and, as they had already anticipated, for “introduce the skills and attitudes Focusing on our daily lives and community groups” even in our own group of interest-. Thank you!

The first element was the listen out. We were sixteen participants from six different countries (Afghanistan, Germany, China, Spain, United States and United Kingdom), and not everyone was fluent in English, so the first step in building our community was to ensure that everyone could express themselves and understand anything we said: That meant just using three different working languages (English, Chinese and Spanish). What it could have been a burden (translate, for example, what a Chinese participant said English, and then to Spanish, and then answer in English, and then translate the answer into Chinese and Spanish, etc) It became a precious gift: the ability to listen to each person from a profound attitude of Focusing, even before they had translated the words. So we cultivate a way of being in company with a leisurely pace, a space in which each person was listening to others who spoke foreign languages ​​and, somehow, in the end, we begin to understand the experiences of those who spoke before translation.

The second experience, which it was especially poignant for me, was the translation In herself. I've been in different situations and translating between different languages ​​more than two decades, and very often in professional environments (for example, forming translating foreign Focusing here in Spain). But for me translate a conversation Focusing always a special effort, to be aware of translating both the words and the implicit experience in these words chosen.

That led me to another level: the fact of being translated (between English and Spanish, in both ways) in a group I felt like a community reminded me of my translations of immigrant adolescents to build a partnership group that no longer exists. When I shared this double experience, on the one hand, satisfaction of being able to translate in a community setting and, for another, mourning the defunct association, other group members also shared on communities that had lost their part-and how our previous communities They were present and had a room in what we were creando-.

During those four sessions talk, We tried exercises, commented… As I shared in the final round closing, I had come to the group with the main objective to get ideas, techniques and exercises to create a community that uses the Focusing. However, I take a very different: a Focusing attitude which favors the presence, It is allowing the group and each of its members to pay attention to a quality other than be feeling, a connection that remains from the body.

Here are some lessons that will stay with me for a long time (in fact, I have already visited Focusing Initiatives International, the organization that helps spread the Community Wellness Focusing, and I've subscribed to Community Wellness Focusing Discussion List, mailing list that reports this current, English), like deep gratitude to our host and each member of the group. now it “carry forward” all these experiences by creating communities that have these attitudes Focusing.

I wish you read to me many profound experiences of community building like this.

F. Javier Romeo Biedma

Note: The image is published with the permission of the group members. No names are given out of respect for your privacy, except those of the host-moderator who publicly offered Interest Group.

Read this post in English.

The Community Wellness Focusing Interest Group was for me one of the highlights of the International Focusing Conference in Cambridge (UK) July 20th-27th 2016. It was an experience of co-creating a community through listening, translation, our previous communities and Focusing attitude.

Some months have passed, and I have been writing about my experiences at the Conference (all posts indexed in this post in Spanish), and a warm and tender feeling comes to me when I remember this Group. Every morning during the Conference all participants joined one of the 15 Interest Groups. These were groups intended to be an open space to share personal and professional perspectives about Focusing in specific domains. I was tempted by many of the titles (there was even a “No-interest Interest Group”!) and I am very happy about my choice, while I regret not being able to split myself in order to attend to many others…

Community Wellness Focusing Interest Group at the International Focusing Conference, Cambridge (RU), July 2016.

The Community Wellness Focusing Group was hosted by Nina Joy Lawrence, Pat Omidian and Heidrun Essler, who created a holding space for all of us to participate and, as they advanced, “to bring Focusing skills and attitudes into our daily lives and into community groups” –including our own group. Thank you!

The first element was listening. We were sixteen participants from six different countries (Afghanistan, China, Germany, Spain, UK and USA), and not everybody was fluent in English, so the first step to build our community was to ensure that everyone could express themselves and understand anything that was said: that meant that we ended using three different working languages (English, Chinese and Spanish). What could have been a burden (translating, for example, what a Chinese participant said to English, and then to Spanish, and then replying in English, and then translating to Chinese and to Spanish, and so on) became a precious gift: the possibility to listen to each other from a deep Focusing attitude, even before the words were translated. So we cultivated a slow-paced way of being together, a space where everyone was listening to people speaking in foreign languages and, somehow, at the end, we were starting to understand each other’s experience before translation.

A second experience that was very moving for me was translation itself. I have been translating in different settings and from different languages for over two decades, and very usually in professional settings (for example, translating foreign Focusing trainers here in Spain). But for me translating a Focusing conversation always brings a special effort, how to translate both the words and the implicit experience in those words.

That took me to a different level: the fact that I was translating (English and Spanish, both ways) in a group that felt like a community reminded me of how I used to translate immigrant teenagers for group-building in an association that no longer exists. When I shared that experience of both satisfaction about being able to translate in a community setting and grief about the disappeared association, other fellow members shared about the communities they had lost too –and how our previous communities were present and had a space in what we were creating.

During those four sessions we talked, tried exercises, commented, discussed… As I shared in the final row, I had arrived to the group with the main goal of getting ideas, techniques and exercises to create a community that uses Focusing. However, I have taken away something very different: a Focusing attitude that fosters presence, that allows the group and each of its members to attend to a different quality of feeling, a connection that is kept in the body.

Those are some learnings that will stay for me (in fact I have visited Focusing Initiatives International, the organization that helps spread Community Wellness Focusing, and I have joined the Community Wellness Focusing Discussion List), as well as a deep gratitude toward our hosts and every member of the group. Now is the time to carry all these experiences forward creating communities with this Focusing attitude.

I wish for those of you who read me deep experiences of community-building like this.

F. Javier Romeo-Biedma

Note: Picture posted with the permission of the members. No personal names are given in respect for their privacy, apart from the hosts that publicly offered the Interest Group.

Read this entry in Spanish.

Gratitude, admiration and humility - these feelings stand out among all others after having participated in the last course with Gene Gendlin and Ann Weiser Cornell on Focusing, the Philosophy of the Implicit and Gendlin's work in general.

I am deeply grateful for having had the opportunity to attend “Conversations from the Edge with Gene and Ann” (“Conversations at the Edge with Gene and Ann”) during these last weeks of September and October 2016. Ann Weiser Cornell has been organizing these for a long time “Conversations from the Edge with Gene and Ann” several times a year through its platform, Focusing Resources, in the format of a phone course (or by computer, but only with voice) by Gene Gendlin and herself in which those of us who participated could ask for whatever we wanted: Gene Gendlin's answers to our questions, ideas for our proposals, and even that Gendlin himself accompanied us in a process of Focusing.

Gratitude, admiration, humility… I had already heard Gene Gendlin on audio and video recordings, and it had been very inspiring. But talking directly to him on the phone is something profoundly different.. Even though I didn't dare to ask anything during the first three sessions, hearing him interact live with other people has a very special quality. Your presence, its openness and its clarity move me, and Gene shares his wisdom in little pearls and especially with his attention.

And I would like to share some of the ideas that I have enjoyed the most.:

• The concept of “Cross”, summarized by Gene: “[The process of] crossing makes it possible to say something and understand it in a new way by expressing it from a new system, saying ‘How is it (or it could be) this an example of that other?'”. We can always say something by expressing it from another point of view. Metaphors consist of saying one thing in terms of another (“A is, in some way, B”).
• A fascinating conversation between Gene and a person on how to define Focusing, and Gendlin's objection to definitively defining the conditions “necessary and sufficient” to say that something is Focusing. One of the many ideas that appeared in that “Focusing is being with an 'it', even when no relief has yet occurred”.
• Focusing as a way of listening to our internal movements: “There is much within us that wants to be heard and that has not yet been heard. What is it in me that wants to be heard?”.
• A message full of hope: “Focusing does not require confidence in the process beforehand”, with the sense that we can begin a process of focusing even when we distrust something inside ourselves, and throughout the process we will come to trust it.
• Gene sharing what is considered “very biased in favor of keeping the good things and leaving aside the bad”, meaning that you prefer to focus on the enjoyable aspects of each process and not insist on trying “understand” (from the head) the painful aspects once the process has resolved them: “You don't need to go in there”, He said.
• “Focusing is a technique, but it's not just a technique”.
• Focusing is always an internal process, even when focusing on external objects (trees, landscapes, paintings…): there is always a bodily sensation.
• Formulation “We will spend a minute with that“, allowing the word “that” contains all meanings, no specific words, so when words appear, are new and fresh.
• Talking about how a culture can shape a person's experiences, Gene said: “Every human being is always much more than his culture”.
• “The felt sense is always more reliable than emotion or logic or reason alone”.

And I have a special memory of talking to Gene about how I approach finding a foothold for violence with Focusing, so that we can detect and prevent it, just as I usually teach in my training to Child Protection professionals (of Social Work, Psychology, Education…) and families. A memory of your interest and of receiving your support and encouragement to continue exploring.

There were also many other interactions full of interesting ideas and experiences., with the presence of Gene and Ann. I keep them warm, and in private.

So i feel gratitude, admiration and humility for having spent these hours listening to Gene Gendlin live, with its warmth, its opening, your curiosity, their deep interest in what each participant wanted to ask or share. A real lesson. An inspiration. And a celebration.

From here I send my gratitude to Gene for being available and to Ann for making it possible at all levels.

With gratitude, admiration and humility,

F. Javier Romeo

Click here to read this post in English.

Gratitude, awe and humbleness – those feelings stand up among all the rest after attending the latest course with Gene Gendlin and Ann Weiser Cornell about Focusing, the Philosophy of the Implicit and Gendlin’s work.

I am deeply grateful for having had the opportunity to join “Conversations at the Edge with Gene and Ann” during these past weeks of September and October 2016. Ann Weiser Cornell has been organizing these “Conversations at the Edge with Gene and Ann” several times a year through her platform Focusing Resources as a phone course by Gene Gendlin and herself in which participants can ask whatever they want: questions for Gene Gendlin, requests for ideas and even to be accompanied through a Focusing process by Gendlin himself.

Gratitude, awe, humbleness… I had already listened to audio and video files of Gene Gendlin, and I have found them very inspirational. But being with him in a conversation over the phone is something profoundly different. Even if I did not dare to ask anything during the first three sessions, listening to him interacting live with other people has a special quality. His presence, his openness, his clarity are very moving, and he shares his wisdom with some pearls of his knowledge and his attention.

And I want to share some of the ideas that I enjoyed the most:

• The concept of crossing, summarized by Gene: “Crossing makes it possible to say anything and be understood in some new way by saying it in a new system, saying ‘How is this (or can be) an instance of that?'” We can always say anything by expressing it from another point of view. A metaphor is possible by saying one thing in function of another: “A is, in a certain sense, B.”
• A fascinating discussion between Gene and a participant about how to define Focusing, and his objection about defining the necessary and sufficient for something to be Focusing. One of the many ideas is that “Focusing is staying with ‘that’, even when there is no relief yet.”
• Focusing as a way to listen to our inner movements: “There is a lot in us that wants to be heard and has not been heard yet. What is in me that wants to be heard?”
• A bright message of hope: “Focusing does not need trust [in the process] in advance,” meaning that we can start a Focusing process even distrusting something in us, and through the process we will arrive to trust it.
• Gene sharing that he considers himself “very biased in favour of keeping the good things and leaving the bad things apart,” meaning that he prefers to stay with the pleasant aspects of each process and not insisting and trying to “understand” (in the head) the painful aspects, once the process has solved them: “You do not need to go there,” he said.
• “Focusing is a technique, but not only a technique.”
• Focusing is always an inner process, even when we are Focusing on external objects (trees, landscapes, paintings…): there is always a body feeling.
• The formulation “Let’s stay a minute with that,” letting the word “that” contain all the meanings, without specific words, so when words come, they will be new and fresh.
• Talking about how a culture can configure a person’s experiences, Gene said: “Every human being is always more than their culture.”
• “The felt-sense is always more reliable than emotion or logic/reason alone.”

And I have a special memory of talking with Gene about my approach to find a handle for violence with Focusing, so we can all detect and prevent it, as I usually teach in my trainings for Child Protection professionals (social workers, psychologists, educators, teachers…) and families, and feeling his interest and receiving his support and encouragement.

There were many other interactions plenty of interesting ideas and experiences, with the presence of Gene and Ann. I keep them with care, and private.

So I feel gratitude, awe and humbleness for having spent these hours listening to Gene Gendlin live, with his warmth, his openness, his curiosity, his deep interest in what each participant had to ask or share. A true lesson. An inspiration. And a celebration.

I send from here my gratitude to Gene for being available and to Ann for making it possible at all levels.

With gratitude, awe and humbleness,

F. Javier Romeo

Click here to read this post in Spanish.

Continuing in the line of the previous entry, and closely related to her, is my appointment as a member of International Relations within the Board of Directors of the Spanish Institute of Focusing, one more element of the calls to action that have emerged from my participation in the International Conference on Focusing in Cambridge (United Kingdom) last july 2016.

As commented in that entrance, in the Focusing Spanish Institute we understand that, as well as the action of teaching and accompaniment with Focusing is mostly individual, each with his style and sensitivity, and always within the publicly agreed criteria and competencies, However, all organizational and participation action must come from collegiate structures.

Therefore, when they invited me to participate in the International Focusing Institute Membership Committee based in New York (The International Focusing Institute), I put this position at the disposal of the Spanish Institute of Focusing, to be occupied by anyone as representation from Spain. What would be my surprise when I was invited to assume a vowel linked to International Relations within the Board of Directors and to accept that same international position. I accepted the proposal, the appropriate steps contemplated in the statutes have been taken and I have recently been appointed a member.

I am very excited to be able to contribute to the Focusing community in Spain, from which I have received so much. Since the beginning of my training in 2009, the National Days, Summer School, the supervisions, the Diploma and titles of Certified Trainer and Certified Focusing Guided Psychotherapist and all contacts and growth contexts, I have definitely been set up as a Focusing professional (and as a person).

And in this series of invitations to action (as it says Isabel Gascón, my referral coordinator, the “seventh step” de Focusing: “And what does all this invite you to?”), It seems to me that it is time to also contribute from this position, as long as my work is useful and constructive. It is a challenge to work with and at the service of so many people I know, with riches inside that place me in a situation of humility and learning.

So also from this new position I am at your service, hoping to contribute to the international knowledge of the richness of the Focusing that we do around here, and also to contribute ideas and suggestions from other places that come from this condition of international relations.

F. Javier Romeo

As I already commented in another entry, have participated in the Focusing International Conference in Cambridge (United Kingdom) last july 2016 has meant many new openings, new ways, new ways to incorporate Focusing into my life and to share it. Consciousness, and also calls to action.

It has been very surprising for me to have been invited to be part of the Membership Committee (Membership Committee) of International Focusing Institute based in New York (The International Focusing Institute). This committee is a merely advisory body (does not make decisions) and basically made up of volunteers, that advises the governing bodies on all matters that have to do with being a member of the Institute: how to favor membership, how to make its value visible, how to facilitate participation between members. Their task is to look at the members and discover emerging needs and spaces for collaboration.. It is a very international committee, with videoconference meetings and specific work teams. It is such a new group that it still does not have its own section in the Institute website. And me, that I have enjoyed the benefits of membership since 2010, first as a Trainer in Training, and later as a Certified Trainer (2012) and as a Certified Focusing Guidance Psychotherapist (2014), I receive as an honor to be able to contribute to other people and to the structure of the Institute.

For me it is essential to follow the line of work of the Focusing Spanish Institute, in which we work in training, accompaniment or other fields of Focusing on an individual level, but in which relations with other groups and entities are decided collectively. Thus, I sent the invitation to the Board of Directors of the Instituto Español de Focusing and recently I have also been appointed vowel for International Relations, to be able to assume the position in the Membership Committee.

So that, I have already started reading the materials (a lot has been generated in just over a year of existence) and I have participated in a meeting. I hope to continue contributing to the world of Focusing in this way. And if you have recommendations or suggestions regarding membership of the International Institute of Focusing, I will be happy to hear them.

At your service in a new way,

F. Javier Romeo

This summer I had the pleasure of participating in the 27ª International Conference on Focusing of 2016 Cambridge (United Kingdom), organized by the British Focusing Association, and open to members of the International Focusing Institute (The International Focusing Institute) of all the world, an experience that has marked me for several reasons.

Overview of the International Conference on Focusing Photo Collection 2016. In general they include the most playful aspects, but they also reveal the moments of depth. And a magnificent photo appears that Blanca Ruiz has taken of me, from Spain, and that I have adopted for my profile (thanks, Blanca!).

To give some figures: we have been more than 250 participants of 30 countries at Robinson College, almost entirely dedicated to the Conference. Except in plenary meetings, where most of us were, during the workshop time we divided (each according to his choice) in more than fifteen simultaneous activities. And all orchestrated by a dedicated organizing team (of British Focusing Association,) what, before trying to solve my problems, first they listened to me, with typical focusing attention.

So the first experience has been to discover people and create community., in a very Focusing environment. I have met people who were participating for the first time in an international event like this, just like me. I have also put face, voice tone, relationship… to people I knew from references (their books, your articles, your web pages, your messages on the Focusing lists, the recommendations you had received…). Y, to my surprise, I have also been recognized by the Japanese psychotherapist Madoka Kawahara (Kawahara circle) who had read my article with great interest “Combining Focusing and Nonviolent Communication”, What a find! [And finally here it is translated into Japanese with the suggestive title Intersection of the focusing and the non-violent communication, thank you very much, Madoka!].

Anyway, what struck me the most was the kindness and fluidity of the treatment, both in group activities and in more individual interaction, at meals, in the breaks, in other activities. And the feeling of continuing to discover new and interesting people every time I began to have the feeling that “we had already seen everyone”. On a deeper level, now that a few weeks have passed, the first experience that I want to preserve is the sense of community within differences (And there were many differences, I assure!). Is to feel that we are working, doing research, suffering and enjoying to develop each our understanding of Focusing, and how to share it with other people.

The second experience, linked to the previous, has been experience creative connections with a lot of people. For our common interests. For understanding Focusing in a similar way or, Unlike, for understanding it in such different ways that they are complementary. For our areas of action. By simple connection personally. Now it's time to carry out the famous Aristotle quote, “the desire for friendship arises quickly, but friendship itself takes time”. I am already in contact with some people, I have others in my long list of pending contacts, but the intention to continue cultivating new ways for Focusing is there. It will be a bit like the relationships I already have in the Focusing community in Spain, but internationally.

The third experience has been an invitation to action. An invitation to action that arises both from within and without. Possible projects, collaborations to explore, new reading list, exercises to delve into, areas to discover… For the moment, things are lending to movement, and I'm flowing with them. I will talk about these and other things in other posts.

With the commitment to tell you more in future entries I leave you, with the recommendation that you visit the official website of the Conference while it is active, because it has many resources to explore (English).

Xavier

Upgrades (subsequent entries related to this):

Inside calls to action:

• My appointment to the Membership Committee of the International Institute of Focusing.
• And my appointment as a member for International Relations at the Spanish Institute of Focusing.

Other experiences:

• brush strokes (2) International Conference Focusing: the interest group Community Wellness Focusing.
• The Community Wellness Focusing Interest Group at the Focusing Conference in Cambridge (UK) 2016.