what is
Focusing
Focusing — listening to the body,
a gentle path to emotional healing
Focusing grew out of humanistic psychology. It teaches us to pause, to listen to the subtle felt sense in the body, and to give it space until a natural felt shift brings clarity and quiet. From Eugene Gendlin’s work we learned that the ability to stay with delicate, not-yet-clear sensations is a key to inner change. His student Ann Weiser Cornell emphasized a particularly soft approach when meeting sensitive and wounded parts.
How does it feel in practice?
A short everyday example
Someone who feels stuck at work notices a subtle tightness in the chest. Staying with it patiently, a word arises that shows what truly matters to them. Sometimes this small change — a felt shift — brings relief and clarity about the next step.
Why it works
The body knows far more than our thoughts tell. When we give sensations real space, they change on their own — softening, opening, and leading to new clarity and natural relief. For me, Focusing is first of all a way to be in true contact with ourselves — gently and patiently.