Embodiment that inspires…

resilience, creativity and leadership.

How can we be more embodied? Focusing practice!

Being embodied is key to processing stress and growing resilience. When we are in our bodies we can access awesome creativity and the courage to be better leaders. The best way that I know to strengthen access to this inner knowing or intuition is with Focusing practice. Similar to mindfulness practice, we notice what is happening in the body and say hello. But then rather than letting that go, we welcome “it” to tell us what it wants us to know. This beautiful evidence-based practice was discovered by philosopher Eugene Gendlin during research in the 1950s and 60s. We teach Gendlin’s classic six steps of Focusing, that can be learned to access our body-felt knowing. The practice is best done in partnership, which is why most of our offerings are for live group workshops, classes as well as community practice called Changes Groups. Focusing can also be done alone. The beautiful thing about Focusing, in my experience, is that the more you practice, the more intuitive you become!

Upcoming Focusing Courses, Workshops & Changes Group

Learn and practice Focusing with our groups, workshops and courses that each create the safety for change!

Testimonials

Are you wanting transformation?

Wanting to be embodied? More resilient? To have a safe space for change? Or perhaps you’re needing more creative or sustainable ideas? Or the courage to achieve the ones you’ve already got. I can show you where to look: in your body!

I work with individuals in group settings via courses and workshops, and one-to-one via coaching (please see buttons here). I also work with teams (for more on that, please read on below).

Picture of Focusing teacher Annette Dubreuil

Hi, I’m Annette.

I help leaders and their teams tap into their creativity, so they can innovate and transform.

Let me show you how to listen to your intuitive knowing—anytime you need! Hint: it’s whispering to you in your body.

As a Focusing teacher, I teach people how to quickly and directly access insights that come from our body intelligence. You don’t have to wait until you’re away from work—e.g. taking a walk, exercising, or while driving—to have really creative ideas! When we learn to dip into our inner knowing with our colleagues, we can get and share ideas immediately, which allows them to be built upon, resulting in far more productive meetings. You’ll be delighted by how much your team can achieve by adding a few well placed pauses to listen to your intuition. And the transformative ideas that result.

Blog

Embodied creativity tools

Photo by fizkes/iStock / Getty Images - Focusing at work

Focusing

Gene Gendlin, a philosopher, developed the practice of Experiential Focusing to teach people how to deeply listen to their bodily wisdom. Focusing gives us access to creative ideas that normally come to us while in the shower, exercising or driving. As such, it is a powerful tool to get transformative ideas on demand.

Photo credit: Presencing.org. Group stuck

Theory U

Theory U is an awareness-based system change process created by Otto Scharmer from MIT. Pivotal to the process is the use of Social Presencing Theatre, an embodiment technique created by Arawana Hayashi. SPT allows us to map and shift complex systems. I cross them both into Focusing teaching and facilitation.

Open Space Technology facilitation

Facilitation

There are many ways to use deep collaboration to help groups co-create. These create safety for the bodily knowing or intuition of participants to emerge. They include: Dynamic Facilitation, Thinking at the Edge (TAE), Unconferences/Open Space Technology, and 4D Mapping.

The PUPA process

Creates a safe cocoon for transformative ideas:

  • Pause and sink deeply into your body, to get centered and grounded

  • Understand from a broader perspective, in a whole-brain and embodied way

  • Permutation: felt shift in the body, followed by a paradigm shift in the mind

  • Prepare to take action (planning, positive psychology, prototyping)

  • Act with courage and authenticity

“Unless change occurs unmistakably in the body, it does not, in my opinion, occur at all.”

—Eugene Gendlin

Try Focusing and see if it’s right for you or your team.