The Focusing WhatsApp Group

The purpose of this friendly group is to help people find a Focusing partner at short notice. Anyone who has experience of Focusing and Companioning is warmly invited to join. At present there are about 100 members, mostly in the UK but also in Europe, USA and Australia.

Please note: This is an unmoderated group, so we all share responsibility for the smooth running of the group and our partnerships. Have a read of the group agreements below to see if it’s a good fit.

Group Agreements
• Whatever we share with one another remains confidential – within and outside the Focusing context. We’ll never refer to the content of another person’s Focusing after their session.
• We don’t offer unsolicited advice, solutions or opinions. If you feel you have something important to tell someone about their life or an issue, ask them if they would like to hear it and let them decline if they wish.

How does the group work?
Any member can send a message to the whole group at any time, to ask for a Focusing swap.

E.g. “Hi, this is Sarah. Does anyone want to do a Focusing swap (20-30 mins each) between 7-9pm today (UK time)?”

Any member can respond with a Yes – if and when that feels right. There is never any obligation to accept a request.

Remember: Include your name in your message as it doesn’t always show up automatically.

How to respond to requests:
1. Only respond if you can accept the request, and nobody else has responded first. The first person who accepts the request replies to the whole group so that everyone can see the request has been met and needs no further response.

E.g.
“Hi Sarah, Yes I’d like to. I’ll private message you now to arrange. Annie”

2. All further messages between the two people should be sent using the “Reply Privately” option so that the rest of the group don’t receive unnecessary notifications.

How to Conduct the Focusing Session
Conduct the session as you would a regular Focusing session: eg. Shall we take a minute or two to settle together?”, “Do you want to Focus or listen first?” The listener might offer to give a lead-in if they want, or the focuser could ask for one.
For a reminder about how focusing partnerships work you can read more here:
https://www.focusing.org.uk/guide-to-focusing-partnerships
https://focusing.org/partnership-network/frequently-asked-questions-about-
focusing-partnerships

IMPORTANT: Please only use this group for the purpose of finding a short-notice Focusing partner so as not to SPAM the rest of the group. This prevents swap requests getting lost among other messages, or people being disturbed by too many pings so they end up leaving. For other Focusing-related discussion, sharing or promotional materials use the Facebook Focusing Forum: https://www.facebook.com/groups/206601209671323/ or the Focusing Events, Connections and Collaborations WhatsApp group (see below).

Also, please don’t send unsolicited direct messages to other members unless you already know them.

How to Join
You’ll need a smart phone and a WhatsApp account. Send an email to Sarah at: . Let her know how much Focusing experience you have, as well as your phone number so that she can add you.

FAQ

What if nobody responds to my request for a session?
It can’t be guaranteed that someone will be available. You are welcome to try again another day. If you change your mind, just delete your post.

What if I want a break from receiving messages from the group?
No problem! You can mute any WhatApp group by swiping left on the group name in your Chats list and selecting “More”.

How do I leave? Just press “Exit Group” at the bottom of the Group Info page on WhatsApp. If you want to share your reasons we would love to hear from you. Message Sarah Paul (see email below).

I’ve joined but why can’t I see the names of the other people?
In WhatsApp groups you only see the names of people who have sent messages to the group while you have been a member. When you join, others will see your number (and your status and profile picture, if you have one) but not the name on your WhatsApp account – until you send a group message.

Can my friend join?
Yes, if they know Focusing and listening. You can share this webpage page with them, and they can take it from there.

All Other Questions
Email Sarah Paul :

The Focusing Events, Connections and Collaborations Group (UK-based) Group

This WhatsApp group has been set up for people to share Focusing events, find collaborations or shared interests, and anything that might be related to focusing. Contact: Naomi Silverly on for details.