Research has shown that clients successful in therapy have the ability to focus as measured by the Experiencing Scale. Gendlin has developed a method for teaching this skill, and calls it focusing. In this article an alternative program is outlined in which greater specificity is achieved for training focusing. Focusing is broken into specific components that are taught as single units and later integrated into a meaningful whole. "Prefocusing" instructions were added to insure that people have the basic experiential skills necessary to learn focusing. By following the instructions outlined in this article, time and energy are saved for both trainer and student during the training process, and training becomes instrinsically rewarding for the student.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Authier, J.
, Gustafson, K., Guerney, B., & Kasdorf, J.The psychological practitioner as teacher: A theoretical-historical and practical review. The Counseling Psychologist, 1975, 5, 31-50.
2.
Gendlin, E. T.Experiencing and the creation of meaning. New York: The Free Press of Glencoe, 1962.
3.
Gendlin, E. T.A theory of personality change. In P. Worchel & D. Byrne (Eds.), Personality change. New York: Wiley, 1964.
4.
Gendlin, E. T.Research in psychotherapy with schizophrenic patients and the nature of "illness."American Journal of Psychotherapy, 1966, 20, 4-16.
5.
Gendlin, E. T.The experiential response. In E. Hammer (Ed.), Use of interpretation in treatment. New York: Grune & Stratton, 1968.
6.
Gendlin, E. T.Focusing
. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 1969, 6,4-15.
7.
Gendlin, E. T.Client-centered and experiential psychotherapy. In: Innovations in client-centered therapy, Wexler, D. A. and Rice, L. N. (Eds.), New York: Wiley, 1974, 211-246.
8.
Gendlin, E. T.Focusing. New York: Bantam, 1978.
9.
Gendlin, E. T.
& Tomlinson, T. M.A scale for the rating of experiencing. In C. R. Rogers (Ed.), The therapeutic relationship and its impact: A study of psychotherapy with schizophrenics. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1967.
10.
Gendlin, E. T.
, Beebe III, J., Cassens, J. et al. Focusing ability in psychotherapy, personality and creativity. Research in Psychotherapy, 1968, 3, 217-241.
11.
Hinterkopf, E. Integrating an anthropological and an experimental psychology approach: teaching mental patients to use client-centered and experiential therapeutic skills with each other (Doctoral dissertation, Union Graduate School, 1977). Dissertation Abstracts International, 1978, 39: 1 B. (University Microfilms No. 7810308).
12.
Hinterkopf, E.
and Brunswick, L.Promoting interpersonal interaction among mental patients by teaching them therapeutic skills. Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal, 1979, 2.
13.
Ivey, A.Microcounseling: Innovations in interviewing training. Spring-field, IL: C. C. Thomas, 1971.
14.
Ivey, A.
and Authier, J.Microcounseling: Innovations in interviewing, counseling, psychotherapy, and psychoeducation. Springfield, IL: C. C. Thomas, 1978.
15.
Matarazzo, J. D.Psychotherapeutic processes
. Annual Review of Psychol-ogy, 1965, 16, 181-224.
16.
Rogers, C. R.
(Ed.) The therapeutic relationship and its impact: A program of research in psychotherapy with schizophrenics. Madison WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1967.
17.
Tomlinson, T. M. A validation study of a scale for the measurement of the process of personality change in psychotherapy. Unpublished master's thesis, University of Wisconsin, 1959.
18.
Tomlinson, T. M. Three approaches to the study of psychotherapy: Process, outcome, and change. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Wisconsin, 1962.
19.
Tomlinson, T. M.
, & Hart, J. T.A validation of the process scale. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 1962, 26, 74-78.
20.
Truax, C. B.Effective ingredients in psychotherapy
. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1963, 10, 256-263.
21.
Walker, A.
, Rablen, R. A., & Rogers, C. R.Development of a scale to measure process change in psychotherapy. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 1959, 16, 79-85.
