Focusing: A way to deepen experiencing for more effective psychotherapy
In the mid 1960s, a philosophy student named Eugene Gendlin started asking some hard questions about the process of psychotherapy: “Why doesn’t therapy succeed more often?… When it does succeed, what is it that those patients and therapists do? What is it that the majority fail to do?”
Over the next 15 years, Gendlin and his colleagues at the University of Chicago (including founder of the client-centered school of therapy, Carl Rogers) conducted a series of studies that concluded something surprising about psychotherapy: the key element to success is not the skill of the therapist, nor their methodology, but the therapy client’s own inner process.
read moreWomen and Depression
For ten years, Gina suffered in silence with an illness that affects one in four women during the course of a lifetime. The illness affected her eating and sleeping habits, her ability to concentrate, her sense of self-worth, her sex drive and her ability to enjoy life. She felt tired all the time, and while she managed to keep up with her work duties, nothing was accomplished without tremendous effort. At times Gina’s illness was so severe, she felt like killing herself.
read moreDreamwork
Why do we dream?
Theories abound, but no one is sure. We do know that everybody dreams, even animals, and that if we are deprived of the sleep we need for dreaming, we quickly lose our sanity. So dreaming may be a necessary bodily function, whether we choose to work with our dreams or not. However, if we do delve more deeply into the fascinating world of our dreams, we are often rewarded.
read moreIntroductory Focusing Courses Now Available
Leslie Ellis will once again be offering her popular introductory course in the fundamentals of focusing. The next Introduction to Focusing takes place Oct. 1 and 2, 2012 in Vancouver.
There is also a slate of advanced courses for those who have taken the introductory workshop or who are proficient in focusing-oriented therapy. Topics covered include working with complex trauma, dreams and deepening your practice of focusing.
For more information, go to Learning Focusing.
read moreDepression…What You Can Do About It (plenty)
Depression is a frustrating illness because it doesn’t always get better by itself. In fact, the symptoms that come with depression, such as low self esteem and lack of energy or motivation, are the very things that can make it both seem and get worse. And if you’re depressed, you’re not likely to be optimistic, so you may see taking any action as pointless. DO IT ANYWAY! YOU’LL FEEL BETTER FOR IT!
read moreTherapy by Skype
You can now do focusing oriented therapy sessions from the comfort of your home.
Leslie Ellis now offers sessions via phone or Skype, an environmentally-friendly alternative to meeting in person. While in-person sessions are usually preferable, phone sessions are a valuable and effective alternative for those clients who cannot travel because of bad weather or illness. Technology is now making it possible to have sessions with clients around the world.
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Leslie Ellis, MA, RCC,
Leslie Ellis, MA, RCC, is a registered clinical counsellor, teacher and writer who lives and works in beautiful Deep Cove, British Columbia. Featured Posts
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All photographs on these pages were taken by Leslie Ellis herself. To view more of Leslie's photos, visit the site's photo gallery here.