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Mary Louise Morris

London

  • Meditation
  • Creativity
  • Inner relationship Focusing
  • Bodywork
  • Children Focusing

Introduction

I am a Mindfulness teacher and Focusing practitioner who works with adults, children and teenagers. Through Focusing I have learnt to listen to and trust my body's wisdom, and have developed confidence that in any situation, something in me knows the next right step.

What services do I offer?

I combine Focusing with elements of mindfulness and art therapy. Im particularly interested in the use of images to facilitate Focusing, both internal images, and also in creating images.

1:1 focusing for adults
1:1 focusing for children/teenagers
focusing combined with art therapy techniques for both adults and children
Webinars and courses to introduce focusing to adults.

My background in Focusing

I first came across focusing in 2012 when I met Kay Hoffman at a yoga workshop. I was immediately intrigued when Kay talked about Focusing. In my first session with her, I was completely taken, it felt like a coming home for me. The gentle and non invasive presence of another person, enabled me to come into relationship with parts of me that were too tricky to feel or allow when alone, and the lack of any obvious technique other than listening to myself felt entirely trustworthy. I started the practitioner training in 2018 at a time when my life was particularly challenging, and I felt in a very stuck situation in my life.
Through learning Focusing, I came to trust my innate and natural way of finding a way forward by dropping beneath the thoughts and trusting my bodies wisdom. I developed a confidence that a way forward is always possible, and there is something in me which knows what it is. For me Focusing goes beyond emotional healing and touches on aspects of being, which go into a spiritual dimension putting me in touch with my place in nature, and in the wider scheme of things.

Qualifications

BA Hons in French University College London
MA in Design for Interactive Media Middlesex University.

Trainings I have done:

Focusing Skill Course With Kay Hoffman 2018
1 day. Wholebody workshops with Kay Hoffman
4 days intensive Children Focusing training 2020 with Rene Veugelers
Working with Challenges and Accessing our Body's Creative Wisdom Course with FOAT (Focusing Oriented Art Therapy) 2021


Mental Health First Aid Training for young people. 2017

Designated Safeguarding Lead Training. 2016

Teacher Training in 'dot-be' Foundations with Mindfulness for Schools. 2015

Teacher Training in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, at The Centre for Mindfulness, Research and Practice, University of Bangor. 2013

Accredited teacher of the Mindfulness In Schools Programme (MISP). 2012

Accredited teacher of Creative Relaxation The Girasol Foundation. 2008

Certificate in Integrated Arts in Therapy and Education. Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education. 2007

Yoga Advanced Teacher Training Sivananda Organisation Bahamas. 2006

Yoga Teacher Training Sivananda Organisation India. 2004

How do I practice?

  • In person
  • Phone
  • Online

Testimonials

A series of five one-hour sessions with Mary-Lou helped me transition through a time of anxiety and ill-health. Her empathic, instinctual and holistic approach using a combination of focusing and guided meditation helped me to fully experience that illusive mind/body connection with the result that I've been able to reach a place of greater understanding and acceptance. Thank you, Mary-Lou.

I found my online focusing sessions with Mary Louise very valuable, and a great introduction to the process. Mary Louise took an interest in finding out what I wanted from Focusing, and helped me to understand how it was different from other practices, like meditation and therapy. She created a warm and welcoming container for our sessions, always giving me space to find my own way, while guiding me to look for the felt sense. I would very much recommend Mary Louise's guidance to anyone interested in Focusing.

I experienced several sessions of Focusing with Marylou during a stressful period. I am quite sceptical about these kinds of techniques; however, I was surprised that each time I tried it that it worked for me. I took time to turn within, and I got answers. I thought wow it worked! In my daily life I feel like I am running all the time, it’s hard to find time to meditate, and I found the Focusing sessions were a good alternative to meditation, allowing me to pause, slow down and focus on one question or issue at a time. After the sessions there was a sense of relief, and I felt more peaceful and serene. I am very curious now to try it again.

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