A Short Guide for the Focusing 'Coach' - Tips for The Focusing Coach

Written by Ilan Shalif, Ph.D.

• Explain to the trainee how this flooding of the subsystem, which creates and analyzes the sensations, affect it.

  Postponing the explanations has two purposes: first, to provide him with a surprising success which will surely boost his morale lowered as a result of the previous unsuccessful encounters with the sensation. Second, to prevent a suspicion by both trainee and coach, that the alleviation of the suffering was the result of a hypnotic suggestion.

  Even if the coach is proficient in the use of hypnosis it is better to refrain from using it at this stage. The experience of self-control and self-management are vital for the building of the group of supra-programs which constitute the trainee's habit of using the general sensate focusing technique. At this stage, the use of short cuts is bound to lengthen the distance to the target or even prevent its attainment.

  As the said sensation starts to fade, it is worth recommending the trainee to use this tactic whenever the felt sensations are extremely unpleasant or when he wishes to change the felt sensation available for focusing. It is worth taking into consideration and stressing to the trainee that the contribution of the palm rubbing to the amendment of programs is scant, as it merely floods the relevant subsystems with surplus input. However, it is useful as a methodological aid and as a means of quickly changing the emotional climate if one wishes to do so.

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  When one uses this tactic against unbearable felt sensations which are also stubborn, it sometimes takes a few repetitions with short pauses of a minute or two between them. Till now, none of the reluctant felt sensations, or any other sensation of a "pure" physiological origin, have succeeded in defying this weapon. It always achieves an alleviation in the felt sensation of the moment, even if it is only a partial and fleeting one.

Summary of the first session

Usually, in the first session, it is better to stay within the confines of the six steps for the beginner. Even with trainees who have preliminary experience with focusing, expediting the training does not pay. The first session starts the building of mutual trust and partnership between coach and trainee.

Therefore, it is better not to go too far before consolidating them. For the same reason it is recommended to look at the end of this session for a convenient "preliminary contract" for these relations. In the same mood it is important to discuss the gap between the trainee's expectations of the first session and what really occurred.

The end of the session is the best time for discussing "democratically" the possible "homework" the trainee can do before the second session. At the end of the session, it is recommended to tell the trainee that if he does his part, which is focusing between sessions on 15% to 30% of the potential felt sensations entering the center of his awareness, he is going to have a significant break through.

It is recommended to tell him (again) at the end of this and the next few sessions about the firm connection between this kind of focusing, and the three promised occurrences of a breakthrough i.e. those of the first, second and third months.

It is also recommended giving the trainee a printout (or photocopy) of chapter five of this book. Suggest he read and practice the relevant parts whenever not engaged in other activities. Though most of the trainees do not comply with this suggestion, it is still worth trying as it serves both those who comply and those who do not.

The resistance to complying, the discussion about it in the following sessions and the leniency of the coach will contribute their share to the establishment of a relationship in which the trainee is an autonomous agent. The assurance you will give the "truant" trainee, on the second session, that not complying was not a "major crime" will contribute to the democratization of the coach-trainee relations.

The following sessions

General routines

At the beginning of each session, it is recommended to start by the trainee's listing of his felt sensations of the moment. Then suggest he briefly focuses on one or a few of them in a row, till a shift occurs. Then comes the vital part of reviewing the "homework" done between sessions.

It has been found that with many trainees, both the spontaneous talkers and those who do not talk much, a review of those focusing and the main felt sensations occurring since the previous session is the best tactic.

This habit provides the unstructured procedure of the focusing session with a rudimentary structure to fall back on when needed. The coach can draw from the narration of the trainee ideas for future homework and projects, provocations and other recycling tactics for use both in the session and out of it, various tactics and even a strategy.

Sometimes, the coach may rely on his or the trainee's free associations arising from the content of the narration, to decide on focusing targets. They can even rely on psychological knowledge and creativity as a means to this end.

And as usual, some of the trainees tend to get into a power struggle with the coach about the schedule of work during the session. Others, may be very excited and anxious to share the experiences or problems of the week, immediately at the beginning of the session. As with other cases of breach of schedule, compromises are preferred. Go along with the trainee, but make short interruptions, breaks and pauses in his narration with suggestions to focus briefly on the most important felt sensations or provocations suggested by you.