The Power of Focusing: A Practical Guide to Emotional Self-Healing

I am a longtime Focuser. Gendlin's original 6 step instructions (Focusing 1978) work well. I used them for decades. But this book by Cornell, was written by compiling many years of experience in teaching it to many types of folk and her discussions with other experienced Focusing teachers. It presents the process more organically and more simply. Gendlin's book, Focusing, is still important and presents the process with a little more background and more explanation in terms of its relationship to other ways of knowing the world. What neither book does however, is place Focusing in its broader relationship to Alfred North Whitehead's process philosophy. While Gendlin's later book, A Process Model, does some of this, I am still looking for a clearer discussion of how Gendlin's unique work is founded on the holistic, process philosophy of Whitehead - especially Whitehead's brilliant phenomenology of "concresence." While the felt sense and felt shift are applicable to just about every human project, it would be helpful if someone would write the book that makes these connections. As it stands now, you can discover those connections by delving deep into Gendlin's other essays and Whitehead's own exceedingly dense philosophical system. Felt sense knowing is so much broader in application than just within psychology.

this is a rare book that you can actually get some healing just from reading it. the title says it all. ann weiser cornell writes in a style that helps you pay attention inside yourself as you are reading it and feel what she is talking about, if you pay close enough attention to yourself as you read it. it is not like most other self help books where you go to the end of the chapter and do some exercises which i personally don't like to do. it takes too much time. this book is very effective. just by reading it you experience what she is describing. for me, focusing is an easy and very effective technique to learn to understand your self and your feelings better. it is a very easy to read, practical. and very short length book. i think you will enjoy it and get great value from it. i know i did. i have had a lot of trauma from childhood that has really made it difficult for me to access feelings and this is one of the best techniques i have found.

I looked into Focusing at one point in time. It looked promising, but difficult, and too good to be true. I picked up Gendlin's book and was unimpressed. I was turned off by these absurd assumptions he made. Such as how Focusing will soon make psychotherapy obsolete. And how it was sold too much as a self-help technique, and brief therapy. And what I saw as an overly high focus on grand experiences and releases. It seemed like that same fallacy I see when some thinker finds something new, and suddenly takes it too far, as if they have THE answer. I have to say that this book has none of the above flaws or dumb assumptions. This author seems to have thought long and hard about teaching Focusing effectively. It is a short self-help book. But the author emphasizes how Focusing can be used in conjunction with therapy, or other life events that require looking into oneself. It is accessible without being cheezy or shallow. The tips and descriptions help very much to clarify the subtle process of Focusing. Many practices talk themselves up as if it all you need, such as this or that meditative path, or this or that therapy. Focusing is very flexible and can be used with the contemplative and psychological methods of inner change, very effectively. This book is highly recommended. Forget Gendlin's book.

This is an excellent book which teaches you how to focus on your inner life ie feelings, sensations and thoughts and realign them so that you experience a shift in consciousness.

Learned about this concept from a family member. Read the book - succinct and helpful. Lovely tone to the writing too.

I was familiar with focusing before I read this book, having read Gendlin’s work and taken classes on focusing. Nonetheless, I consider this book extremely valuable for my own understanding of focusing—and would advise anyone new to focusing to start with this book before tackling Gendlin.

Ms. Cornell describes the "Focusing" techniques discovered by Eugene Gendlin in language that is simple to understand for a broad audience, both those trained in the mental health and healing professions and those who are not. Readers are introduced to the topic in a logical and practical way, and can gain confidence in their understanding and practice as they learn to trust their own senses and gain new and better acceptance of what their inner senses are trying to communicate. Therapists can also learn from the book how to apply the suggestions to the needs of individual clients, making it a tool for the professional who wants to incorporate Focusing techniques into their treatment plans.

This book is exactly what I've been looking for! It brings together the skills I've learned as a Life Coach with a form of Energy Psychology that is inspiring, easy to follow, applicable to all of life's challenges, and deeply compassionate. I'm writing this review at the end of 2008 and have to say: THIS IS THE BEST BOOK I'VE READ THIS YEAR! Never before have I come across a self help book that has delivered on its promises so fully. After writing this review, I intend to begin pursuing training in this wonderful set of skills so that I can use it in my coaching practice. Kudos to the author. Very well done.

This book was recommended to me as a good introduction to the practice of Focusing. The cover design put me off as it seemed quite dated but it well worth the purchase. he structure and content are excellent. Chapters are easy to read and set out to help prepare you also before you start the practice. The tone is balanced and pragmatic. For anyone interested in wanting to reconnect or relearn how to connect with emotions and feelings as part of wider self development or coaching, I'd recommend it as an easy to digest introduction.

Questo libro, unico nel suo genere, insegna ad accedere all'origine dei traumi e liberarsene con la tecnica della focalizzazione sugli aspetti psicosomatici dei problemi. Utilizzando anche la IFS e' possibile risolvere in modo veloce e da autodidatta molti problemi psicologici.

Excellent resource for people seeking real insight. This is how to do it.

This short and well-written book is an excellent guide to the Focusing practice. Nothing missing, nothing extra. I just love it.

I am a psychotherapist, and also a focusing teacher, and this book is the clearest and most easy to understand book on the subject that I have come across. Ann Weiser Cornell, is an expert communicator, and conveys with wonderful clarity, what focusing is, how to focus, and how focusing can help with a whole range of life issues. Focusing as a skill represents the best way of achieving healing of our hurting feelings, as well an interpreting dreams and making decisions When teaching focusing I always recommend this book,for students to read. I also recomend my psychotherapy clients to read it and access the profound wisdom in these pages. Buy - read - and heal, and maybe supplement it by going on a Focusing course as well ! I also use focusing for my own self development, and have also successfully taught focusing to my counselling clients. Read this book if you want to discover who you really are, how you really feel,make better decisions,interpret dreams, or simply become more grounded as a person. This book is a masterpeace,and well worth buying and using ! John T