Back to courses & events

Kay Hoffmann

This comprehensive foundation course is a combination of 16 online group sessions and one long-weekend residential retreat. It is suitable for beginners and anyone wishing to refresh or deepen their focusing and companioning. No prior experience of focusing is required. I will offer a 1-1 taster session to participants who are new to it.

Focusing is a fresh, life-enhancing means of re-connecting with ourselves, one another and the world around us. In the words of my course assistant, Gonçalo Moreira:

“Focusing is the natural process of listening to the felt sense of a situation or particular aspects of that situation. When we have a felt sense of something, we have a feel of its overall quality. We sense it as a whole. We know it intuitively, even though we may not have words for it. By allowing our felt senses to speak through words, images or gestures, our lives move forward in ways our logical minds couldn’t fathom. We are giving voice to our bodily wisdom. This process is helped be an attitude of acceptance, gentleness and curiosity towards our felt experience and the compassionate presence of another person.”

The course aims to provide a friendly environment in which you can experience and refine this deeply accepting, nourishing way of being together and give precious attention to your inner world and current life issues.

Course format

The course is divided into five sections: four blocks of four zoom sessions (16 in total), between January and June, plus a residential retreat on April 21 – 23 at the Purley Chase Centre – a rural venue with lovely grounds, en-suite rooms and delicious food, near Atherstone in Warwickshire: www.purleychasecentre.org.uk

The residential weekend adds an opportunity to focus in-person and in nature. Extra zoom sessions will be arranged for participants who are unable to attend the retreat.

Each 2.5 hour zoom session will include new content, focusing in pairs or triads and a short break.

The main themes of the five course sections are:

• An introduction to focusing and companioning
• The nature of the felt sense and how to receive your own and others’ experience skilfully and sensitively
• The gifts of the body in focusing and companioning
• Offering suggestions in the listening role, and how to be with complex areas of inner experience
• Self-criticism, ‘exile’ and felt-sensing in everyday life

By the end of the course you will be equipped to use focusing whenever you need it, both alone and in peer exchanges, and to be a relaxed, spacious focusing companion. On completion of the whole course you will receive a BFA Focusing Skills certificate.

You are welcome to attend the introductory block of four zoom sessions without committing upfront to the whole course if you wish.

Dates and times

Blocks 1, 2, 4 and 5 are online (four zoom sessions per block) on Wednesdays at 6 – 8.30pm UK time:

• Block 1: Jan 25, Feb 1, 8, 15
• Block 2:  March 8, 15, 22, 29
• Residential weekend:  Apr 21 – 23 (alternative zoom dates tbc)
• Block 4:  May 3, 10, 17, 24
• Block 5: June 7, 14, 21, 28

Costs

Zoom sessions              –  £160 per block of 4 sessions

Residential weekend   –  £140 plus donation to venue for accommodation, meals and refreshments: guideline rate £158 for 2 nights

Total course fee (excluding accommodation)  –   £780 pay-as-you-go / £750 if paying upfront

I am committed to making my courses affordable for all so please get in touch if these rates are beyond your means.

Please email Kay for further details and booking form. I look forward to hearing from you!

Back to courses & events