Transform Your Life, Learn Focusing, Welcome the Way We Grow
Welcome!
We are delighted to offer these Resources for exploring Interactive Focusing.
We look forward to adding more resources for future generations. These are slippery times! If you have any suggestions or requests for additions to this collection, please use our contact form to get in touch with us.
Developers
We appreciate Janet Klein and Mary McGuire for the numerous Interactive Focusing Resources they gave us!
In the 1980s, Janet Klein was an experienced Focuser, on the road to becoming a PhD psychologist. She wanted to use Focusing to have a better relationship with people -- to become a good empathic listener. She set out to observe Focusing Partnership sessions that had a special quality of closeness, eventually writing her PhD Thesis on observations of the interactions of these partners. It was crucial to her that whatever process developed could be done by anyone, without needing experts.
One very unique aspect of Janet's work is the Relationship Check. This fulfills our nearly universal desire to know what others think of us. By forming the Relationship Check in two parts -- how am I with myself? And how am I with my partner? -- and applying the same equal turns as in Focusing, there is strong support for forward progress in the relationship between the two people. Most Relationship Checks are steeped in a deep appreciation of each other. Even those relationships that are troubled can benefit from pausing and assessing the whole relationship and its many benefits rather than one single instance of discord.
Janet Klein met Dr. Mary McGuire, PsyD, (and former Executive Director of The Focusing Institute), who became her mentor and helped in the development and teaching of IF all over the world. Dr. Janet Klein, PsyD, designated two Master Teachers of IF in Japan before her untimely passing. These are Masumi Maeda and Mieko Ito. There are a few other teachers of IF in the world, and a few more are in progress. That is why we are so excited to establish the “Exploring Interaction” project in the Smartview Community, to help assure this vital practice is sustainable.
Books by Dr. Janet Klein
[Check availability]
"Something is Happening Inside-Me!"
Janet Klein Psy.D. Teacher's combined edition. Volume One: Grades 3-5 and Volume Two: Grades 1-2 The Inside-People Press, 1998 (Revised Feb.2000)
A manual for children and teachers. It has stories that can be read to children to help them focus and exercises and suggestions to teachers.
Watch TIFI's store for future availability.
Interactive Focusing Therapy
Interactive Focusing Therapy
by Janet Klein Psy.D. 126 pages which fully describes Interactive Focusing. Extremely helpful to those who want to learn and teach the process.
Using the power of Focusing within the context of relationship. A new way to experience psychotherapy for both the therapist and the client.
Product Code: FB-20 $25.00
Available at TIFI HERE. 
The Empathic Listening/ Focusing Manual
Empathic Felt Sense Listening and Focusing Manual
by Janet Klein, Psy.D.;
A softcover manual - 105 pages
Section One: Empathic Felt Sense Listening and Focusing Description
Introduction
The Five Levels and Modules
Focusing and the Healthy Organism
Focusing as an Ongoing Process
A Felt Sense Exercise with a Partner
Why Do We Call It the Focusing Attitude?
Discerning Exercises from the Felt Sense
Focusing
Focusing: Gendlin's Six Steps in Brief
Listening
Empathic Felt Sense Listening for the 'More'
Process Suggestions
Teaching
The Coached Model
The Focuser-as-teacher Model
The Focuser-as teacher Exercise
Can the Focuser Teach the Listener to Listen Empathically?
Section Two: Interactive Focusing
Interactive Focusing (The Folio, Spring 1994)
Interactive Focusing and Empathic Felt Sense Listening (The Folio, Winter 1995)
Interactive Focusing and Empathic Felt Sense Listening: Article Outline
The Empathic Moment
Interactive Focusing: Group Format
Interactive Focusing in the Real World
Coaching Interactive Focusing
The Interactive Focusing Model Short Form
Section Three: Healing the Inner Critic and Strategies for Dealing with the Critic
Healing the Inner Child by Mary McGuire
The Inner Child and the Critic: How to Recognize Them
Listening to the Wounded and for the Healing
The Critic and Strategies for Dealing with It
The Critic: A compassionate Journaling
Outlines of the Critic Articles
Product Code: FB-7 $35.00
Available at TIFI HERE.
Articles
“What is Interactive Focusing” by Dr. Janet Klein
“A Brief History and Hallmarks of the Interactive” by Dr. Janet Klein
“The Empathic Moment and the Empathic Response” by Dr. Janet Klein
Seminar Papers by Dr. Janet Klein
“Interactive Focusing”, published in “The Focusing Connection, May 2002
YouTube Videos of the Developers
1 min. The Interactive Focusing Process with Dr. Mary McGuire and Dr. Janet Klein is incorporating Focusing into the building of relationships. Through the Interactive Focusing Process, we are able to develop empathy and compassion as well as self-empathy and self-compassion. This video is featured at the top of this page.
Introduction to Interactive Focusing with Janet Klein and Mary McGuire
Jun 18, 2009
6 min. Dr Janet Klein and Dr Mary McGuire introduce Interactive Focusing. From the dvd 'The Interactive Focusing Process' shot in 1997, with music by Goran Petrovic, and produced by Nada Lou.4 min. The Interactive Focusing Process is a forward moving edge of Focusing, incorporating Focusing into the building of relationships. Through the Interactive Focusing Process, we are able to develop empathy and compassion as well as self-empathy and self-compassion. We finally have a "how to" teach empathy and compassion using the Interactive Focusing Process.
Interactive Focusing - Safety with Janet Klein and Mary McGuire
9 min. Dr Janet Klein and Dr Mary McGuire introduce and discuss Safety (1 of 4 Building Blocks) in Interactive Focusing. From the dvd 'The Interactive Focusing Process' shot in 1997, with music by Goran Petrovic, and produced by Nada Lou.
Interactive Focusing - Storyteller as teacher with Janet Klein and Mary McGuire
6 min. Dr Janet Klein and Dr Mary McGuire introduce and discuss Storyteller as Teacher (4 of 4 Building Blocks) in Interactive Focusing. From the dvd 'The Interactive Focusing Process' shot in 1997, with music by Goran Petrovic, and produced by Nada Lou.
The Interactive Focusing DVD - Clip
3 min. A clip from The Interactive Focusing Process created by Dr. Mary McGuire and Dr. Janet Klein. Excerpt from DVD 112 min produced by Nada Lou Focusing in Focus productions
The Interactive Focusing DVD
1 DVD 112 minutes. The Interactive Focusing Process is a forward moving edge of Focusing, incorporating Focusing into the building of relationships. Through the Interactive Focusing Process, we are able to develop empathy and compassion as well as self-empathy and self-compassion. We finally have a "how to" teach empathy and compassion using the Interactive Focusing Process.
Available for Sale through Nada Lou:
and at TIFI's store.
Interactive Focusing Moves
Like Traditional Focusing, Interactive Focusing has two partners, each taking equal turns (Dr. Janet Klein called them two “Single Wings”, together forming a “Double Wing”.)
Each turn, or “wing”, includes the Focuser as Storyteller and Teacher, first telling some of the story, and then sensing inside for the bodysense of the story, expression to the Listener what is important to say.
Each Listener reflects what they hear as the Focuser (as Teacher) asks them to reflect. When the Focuser as Storyteller comes to a resting place, the Listener then begins the Double Empathic Moment, taking in the essence of how it is for the Focuser, holding that essence with their own bodysense, forming a symbol of thow that is inside the Listener, and sharing that symbol with the Focuser. Once the Focuser takes in the symbol and senses freshly how the whole thing is now for them, the Single Wing is complete.
With the Interactive Response, the Listener becomes the Focuser and the second turn or “wing” begins. The second wing is completed the same as the first wing, omitting only the Interactive Response at the end of the turn.
Once the two wings are complete, the partners begin the Relationship Check, taking turns in the same order as their Interactive Focusing turns, or “wings”. At the end of the Relationship Check, the Interactive Focusing session is complete.
These are the concepts that participants will learn and practice in the 8-week Course:
- Focuser as “Storyteller” sharing some of the background situation -- crucial to developing understanding between partners.
- “Focuser as Teacher” concept to encourage the Focuser to request exactly what is needed of listening, reflecting, empathizing.
- Double Empathic Moment, in which the Listener takes in how it is for the Focuser.
- Storyteller’s Essence, which is what the Listener takes in.
- Listener’s Bodysense, what the Listener checks as they hold the Focuser/Storyteller’s Essence.
- Symbolic Expression, what forms with the Listener’s Bodysense and the Listener gives to the Focuser/Storyteller.
- The Format of IF sessions is grounded in establishing and maintaining safety for both partners.
Exploring Interaction, Let's Do It!
We're ready for the great unknown here.
We look forward to meeting you somewhere 'out there' as we explore new frontiers in interaction.
