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Helen Dillon

Live and lead from the inside out

NB Course dates have changed.

A course designed for women in their 50s and beyond, who want to move through life with more clarity, presence, and self-connection. Build practical Focusing skills while exploring the experiences, strengths, and challenges unique to this stage of life.

For women who want to deepen self-understanding and self-leadership through Focusing while exploring the experience of later life. This course of 8 live classes over 10 weeks covers Levels 1 and 2 of the British Focusing Association skills framework, combining guided Focusing practice with reflective exercises, partnership work, and group discussion.

Designed for women navigating the transitions of midlife and beyond, the course addresses the unique challenges older women face, including societal ageism, changing roles, and reclaiming presence and agency.

“We forget that there’s joy and freedom in being you at every age. And whether society or people have stereotypes about older women, the best we can do is not stereotype ourselves. Helen held the space with such kindness, curiosity, and care and it gave me a gentle nudge I didn’t know I needed.” (participant in pilot programme)

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Over 8 classes, we weave together:

Radical Self-Appreciation

Alongside foundational Focusing skills, participants explore:

• Reconnecting with your body as a guide
  Shift the relationship with your body from battle to ally. Rather than striving against ageing or appearance, you’ll notice and appreciate the ways your body knows and supports you at every stage.
• Learning to hear your inner wisdom
  Develop the ability to tune into the quiet, sometimes hesitant voice within that already knows what you need. This skill supports clearer decision-making and deeper self-trust across all areas of life.
• Recognising and claiming your unique contributions
  Explore the value and perspective you bring as an older woman. Move beyond societal expectations and define your own role and impact in the world today.
• Practice being a facilitative listener
  Through Focusing partnership exercises, build listening skills that help others access their own inner knowing. These abilities can enhance personal, professional, and community relationships.
• Meeting shadow parts with curiosity
  Discover insight and energy in the aspects of yourself you may have judged or suppressed. Learn language and approaches from Inner Relationship Focusing that invite inner friendliness and peace.
• Drawing on archetypal strength
  Engage with the Crone, Witch, Harpy, and Hag archetypes as sources of authority, wisdom, and creative power, reclaiming roles society often dismisses.
• Appreciating the woman you are becoming
  Experience and cultivate a grounded appreciation for your full self – wise, wild, inconvenient, and still evolving – without needing to prove, package, or justify your life experience.

Through structured Focusing practice and group support, participants learn to listen to their inner knowing, develop powerful listening skills, and integrate these insights into daily life.

“I joined Helen’s OWSAS Course last year mainly because I recognised that I was an older woman but I’d also recognised some things about myself and I wanted the chance to explore these observations and speak to others in a similar situation. Helen is a wonderful facilitator and created a space of reflection and positive challenge.  A space that allowed me some time to think about this next chapter for me.  I’d highly recommend the course to anyone considering it.” (Pilot course participant)

This course is suitable for Focusing beginners and those wishing to refresh their existing skills, offering an embodied, reflective, and community-based path to personal growth.

All classes are on Saturdays and run from 2pm to 4pm UK time, with breaks.

Begins Saturday 14th February 2026 – Saturday 18th April 2025

(FREE INTRODUCTORY CLASS 11th DECEMBER 2025 – SEE WEBSITE FOR JOINING LINK)

We’ll keep things lively by mixing teaching, class discussion, guided practices, breakout exercises, and helpful handouts. We’ll also play with movement and crayons/drawing. There will also be short teaching videos to deepen your understanding available outwith the live classes.

Classes will be recorded (apart from breakout rooms).

Live Sessions are on Saturdays at 14:00-16:00GMT (09:00-11:00EST)

• Feb 14th
• Feb 21st
• Feb 28th
• Mar 7th
• then integration week (no class) on 14th Mar,
• Mar 21st
• Mar 28th
• no class 4th Apr (Easter)
• Apr 11th
• Apr 18th

About Helen

I’ve been guiding women through career and life transitions for over 20 years as a coach, drawing on the person-centred approach, humanist psychology, archetypes, the Divine Feminine, feminist thought, and the wisdom that comes from lived experience. I first came across Focusing when training as a person-centred counsellor in the 1990s and formally qualified as a Focusing Practitioner in 2020. As well as integrating Focusing into my coaching practice, I now bring it into my work with groups of women. I see teaching Focusing as a rebellious act, helping midlife and older women connect and align with their inner wise woman in a world that wants us to hide our wisdom and dim our light.

Hop over to my website for further information, access to the free introductory class, and booking.

Booking link (offsite)

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