As a certified Coordinator for the Focusing Institute, I offer certification training for people who wish to become the Focusing Institute Trainers.
At this stage I feel that it is important for people who wish to teach Focusing to others, to have a thorough view of many different ways of taking focusing into society and into the world. If possible I meet (or communicate in some other way) with each individual who wants to take this training and together, we explore what is involved.
I want to know the candidate's background - previous training, experience, interests and so on. I am also interested to know how a candidate intends to bring focusing into society. We explore interests, work situation possibilities and other befitting associations. We spend some time exchanging focusing and listening to each other.
I explain the procedure for the training, what is involved, the cost, the duration ... Below is a sample of my title page of the training manual:
Becoming Certified: What you need to know
Certification training is a celebration of your transition into being a teacher of Focusing and a representative to the larger world. It is also a setting where you can gain confidence and skills in facilitating and teaching Focusing.
To become certified you need to:
- Join the Focusing Institute as a Trainer - in - Training, from the beginning of your training.
The Focusing Institute is a supportive matrix whose purpose is to help the human community integrate Focusing into its many ways of living and working, and to see the continued thriving and evolution of Focusing and Focusing teaching beyond all the lived of us all.
- Follow the recommended curriculum (prepared by Nada).
- Maintain contact with Nada in ways you agree are the most supportive, fruitful, and favorable.
- Upon completion of your training you need to be recommended for certification by your Certifying Coordinator. You have a choice to go to New York for a certification weeklong at the Focusing Institute, or to pay a approved fee to the Focusing Institute in lieu of the weeklong training. The Focusing Institute receives a fee (either directly or from the weeklong workshop) for your Certification. The weeklong workshop is also a valuable experience, both professionally and personally. This workshop is given usually once a year, in November.
In the past, certification was only possible by traveling to the Focusing Institute in person, for a weeklong workshop. Working with a "Certifying Coordinator" (usually about a 1 -2 years) and paying the fee to the Focusing Institute is now an alternative to going to New York.
The Certifying Coordinator charges a fee for working with you through your training.
What Certification Means
When this process is complete, including the certification weeklong in New York or payment of the fee of $*** to the Focusing Institute, you may call yourself a Certified Focusing Trainer
You will be listed in the Directory published by the Focusing Institute, as long as you remain a member in good standing. The Focusing Institute will refer interested people to you for Focusing training. To maintain yourcertification on an annual basis, you will need to remain a member in good standing of the Focusing Institute at the Trainer rate.
Your Internship with Nada
If the candidate lives in my vicinity, we plan meetings. If they live further away, we plan how to communicate (e-mail, phone, meetings with other local contacts/possible local small study groups or partnerships). I ensure that each trainee has a certain number of meetings with me during their training. If there are several trainees in the same vicinity, I travel to the area and arrange meetings and training sessions for short, condensed periods of time.
I designed my Certification Training program in 5 Units:
Felt Sense,
Listening,
Clearing the Space,
Focusing Steps/Ingredients,
Application.
I suggest Unit # 2 - Listening as the starting point, but Trainees can chose which Unit they feel most comfortable to start with.
The "curriculum" for each of these Units is designed in such a way that the trainee is exposed to as many focusing teachers, styles, texts, books and videotapes as possible. I chose certain chapters of a Focusing related book, I photocopy and enclose articles from such books (with the permission of the author), indicate parts of the many video tapes that give examples and show other focusing teachers at work and so on. The Trainee (hopefully in partnership with another trainee or a group of trainees) reads, discusses, practices and reviews these materials. They communicate with me, ask questions, request explanations and share their experience in using certain movements they learned about.
I include materials from : Gene Gendlin, Ed McMahon & Pete Campbell, Elfie Hinterkopf, Kathleen McGuire, Mary McGuire, Janet Klein, Ann Weiser-Cornell & Barbara McGavin, Neil Friedman, Robert Lee, Akira Ikemi, Mia Leijssen, Jim Iberg, Doralee Grindler-Katonah.
I recommend a trainee for Certification when we both feel and agree that they are competent and confident to carry this work forward to others. In your training package you will find details of the curriculum for the recommended topics in each Unit.
1. Practice personal focusing alone or with a partner; practice to the point of feeling at ease with your own focusing, and with focusing with a partner.
Practice being a companion/partner who is able to listen empathically so that the Focusing process is enhanced, not interrupted (in the judgment of the Focuser)
When guiding, knowing how to take back (get out of the way) any suggestions which do not fit for the Focuser and help the Focuser get back to their experiential process.
2. Read and view recommended materials
3. 15 - 20 hours per unit of practical
work (on the topic)
a. Focusing alone
b. Focusing with a partner
4. Establish regular meetings for supportive discussion/sharing with fellow trainees. If there is a Certified Trainer in your area, establish Mentorship.
5. Teaching/presenting
a. prepare a lesson plan
b. introduce the topic to an experienced/fellow trainee focuser
c. introduce it to the group with whom you are being trained
d. introduce it to a new focuser
e. introduce it to a group of new focusers
6. Connect with Nada often, but not less than in 3-5 week cycle for discussion, questions, problems, suggestions, further explanations and support. Supervision and observation sessions are planned in accordance with the progress of the training. For "Distance training", regular e-mail and phone contacts are established. When Nada comes to your area, meetings, supervision and observations are scheduled.
7. Keep a log of all your activities
8. Fees
Tuition / Training fee for each Unit is $ *** payable to Nada Lou. Please discuss payment procedure / methods / arrangements with Nada.
Suggested Optional activities:
Design a flyer
Make projects for teaching focusing in different areas -school, prison, business...
Assist Focusing workshops/classes (at a beginning level) with your fellow trainees
when ready.
For inquires please contact Nada
at:
(Canada) 450-692-9339
E-mail: nadalou@nadalou.com
Internet: www.nadalou.com