Participatory Existence. Greg Madison in conversation with Mia Leijssen on The Living Process. E24

AI and the process of thinking with Donata Schoeller. The Living Process with Greg Madison. Episode 32. This, 5th conversation with Donata, tackles the huge topic of AI - artificial intelligence, something that has now exploded into almost every area of human life. In our conversation, Donata stresses the importance of the process of thinking not just the outcome of thinking. Below are some points that feel most important and a link at the bottom to a document Donata offers as a summary. We both used chatGPT to help generate the points and the document and then refined what was produced so that it resonated with what we wanted to say, an instance of the use of AI that Donata is advocating! * AI discussions often compare it to human intelligence, but we need to improve our understanding of human thinking to use AI for our benefit.* Education should focus on understanding the process of thinking, not just output.* Teachers need to create assignments that imply real engagement and can’t be easily done by AI, encouraging students to think. But how?* Thinking is often seen as vague and hard, making AI a handy tool to avoid it.* Eugene Gendlin’s methods show a grounded, embodied way of thinking that connects with real experiences.* Hannah Arendt's political thinking stresses the need to use real experiences for clarity, encouraging engagement with life’s complexities, including emotions.* Developing inclusive thinking needs courage and openness, with Gendlin’s methods helping with this.* Joint attention and embodied resonance are key for cognitive growth, making thinking more inclusive, joyful, and trustworthy.* Embodied thinkers are connected to the earth and other living processes, a concept educators should promote.Episode 32. AI and the process of thinking, with Donata Schoeller: https://youtu.be/rBMkUm1hO_kDr Donata Schoeller is a philosopher who teaches internationally at various universities and is the academic director of the program "Training in Embodied Critical Thinking. In addition to her extensive work on Gendlin’s philosophy, Donata has also published on Gendlin’s philosophy and was involved in translating Gendlin’s text A Process Model into German. She teaches Thinking at the Edge and is a Focusing trainer offering courses in Switzerland, internationally, and online.https://www.donataschoeller.comThe Living Process - all episodes and podcast links:https://www.londonfocusing.com/the-living-process/Living Process on the FOT Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx3FqA70kQWuHCHmEiZnkn1VcrRIPbcvkDonata's document is here:http://youtube.com/post/Ugkx1VV5L6mVxdVZa61ybP3wQijRBa071O_4?si=DiFoqe-SA8aFgDhq#focusing #AI #thinking #Gendlin #The Living Process #Embodied #Philosophy of Embodied Critical Thinking

We Are Nature. Focusing and Ecotherapy with guest Adrian Harris and host Greg Madison. Episode 31In this episode, Adrian and I share an intriguing conversation about how the body is our connection to the other-than-human and how this embodiment can lead to a deep form of eco-appreciation and activism. Adrian describes what he means by ecopaganism, ecopsychology and lists the 3 keys to ecotherapy self-practice. We also touch on the question of how therapy might expand if it is practiced in nature rather than within four walls. Adrian’s work compliments Gendlin’s statement, ‘In sensing ourselves, our bodies sense our physical environment and our inter-human situations’ (Gendlin, 2003. p.101).Episode 31 with Adrian Harris: https://youtu.be/0xu6x9u0bl4?si=ruRtFeGq9iQ1m_lSThe Living Process - all episodes and podcast links:https://www.londonfocusing.com/the-living-process/TLP YouTube video channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC0TgN6iVu3n9d9q2l43z1xBMYY3p9FQLThe Living Process on the FOT Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx3FqA70kQWuHCHmEiZnkn1VcrRIPbcvkDr Adrian Harris is based in Exeter, UK, and works as a person-centred, FOT and Ecotherapist in person and online. He also has a blog, Bodymind Place and the podcast Embodied Pathways. He has worked as a psychedelic retreat facilitator, lead editor of The European Journal of Ecopsychology and has published numerous academic and popular articles. His PhD research was on The Wisdom of the Body: Embodied Knowing in Eco-Paganism and the Embodiment Resources website has more information on his academic work and his website below has information on courses and offerings. https://adrianharris.orgHarris, Adrian. 2013. ‘Gendlin and ecopsychology: focusing in nature' in Person-Centered & Experiential Psychotherapies Volume 12, Issue 4, 2013.Fisher, A., 2002. 'Radical Ecopsychology: Psychology in the Service of Life'. State University of New York Press, Albany.Ecopsychology: restoring the earth, healing the mind, 1995, edited by Theodore Roszak, Mary E. Gomes, and Allen D. Kanner. Sierra Club Books. San Francisco, CA.This book includes Robert Greenway's chapter: ’The Wilderness Effect and Ecopsychology'  and Chellis Glendinning on 'Technology trauma and the wild'.Ollagnier-Beldame, M., (2025) 'Experiencing life and belonging to nature with Focusing', European Journal of Ecopsychology:https://ecopsychology-journal.eu/v9/EJE_v9_Ollagnier-Beldame.pdf'The Embodied Pathways of Connection' is Adrian’s ongoing overview project:https://embodiedpathways.org/

Awakening to Embodied Living on The Living ProcessIn this episode Russell and I share a heartfelt discussion about the importance of the ‘physical body’ and of going ‘beyond’ it.  Russell talks of the development of his teacher Moshe Feldenkrais, his method and how ‘freedom’ was his main goal. Russell emphasised the important of ‘not-knowing’ and how this helps to navigate the edge between Guided Inquiry, Feldenkrais, Zen meditation and their integration into the practice of The Embodied Life. This is a learning programme offered by Russell and his wife Linda, influenced by over 50 years of immersion in these practices and his direct relationship with Feldenkrais, Gendlin and principle teachers in the Zen tradition. Episode 30, The Living Process with guest Russell DelmanThe Living Process - all episodes and podcast links:https://www.londonfocusing.com/the-living-process/YouTube video channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC0TgN6iVu3n9d9q2l43z1xBMYY3p9FQLThe Living Process on the FOT Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx3FqA70kQWuHCHmEiZnkn1VcrRIPbcvkRussell DelmanRussell Delman is a well-known and valued teacher within the disciplines of Zen Buddhist meditation and Feldenkrais. He is also known in the Focusing world as a unique embodiment practitioner who integrates all three of these practices in his international training of The Embodied Life. He and Gene Gendlin also shared a warm friendship and Focusing partnership for many years.  Russell’s exploration of the crucial importance of awareness in body/mind perspectives and psychology began in 1970 .His subsequent journey included gestalt, yoga, the first Feldenkrais trainings, work at The Esalen Institute, Focusing, and many mind-body experiences and teachings. Russell and his wife Linda introduced Feldenkrais method to India where they worked with Mother Teresa and brain-injured children at her Mission in Kolkata. Russell says his life learnings are greatly enhanced by his long and loving relationship with Linda his wife and their journey as parents to their daughter, Liliana. For more information on Russell’s extensive training programmes see The Embodied Life: https://theembodiedlife.org

Focusing during wartime with Dan Schachter on The Living Process with Greg Madison. E29 Welcome to this episode of The Living Process, following quite soon on the last episode because of the topical nature of my conversation with Dan.  In our conversation, we speak mainly about the experience of living within the conflict between Israel and Palestine. We also talk about Dan’s gradual transition from psychoanalysis to experiential therapy back in the early 1990s. Dan has trained in Somatic Experiencing and EMDR and works in a trauma clinic as well as privately.  We touched on what it is like to work as a clinical psychologist with clients who might have a very different perspective on the war going on around them. What it is like to be living in a society that is undergoing such a deep crisis which all clients and therapists are affected by on a daily basis? Dan talks about how crucial felt sensing, TAE, and Gendlin’s underlying experiential philosophy have been as a resource in his attempts to navigate the complexity of feelings and attitudes amongst Israelis. We acknowledge how difficult it is to hold the tension between one’s own truth and wanting to remain open to the nuances of other opinions with an awareness that even in this podcast we are inevitably stepping into this minefield of judgment and criticism. Dan mentions his participation in PsychoActive, a mental health group for human rights opposed to the occupation of Palestinian territory, and how taking such a stance does not close him to being curious about other ways of experiencing all that is happening in his region of the world.   Dan Schachter,  Is originally from Norway and has lived in Israel for many years, speaking English, Hebrew, and Norwegian fluently. Dan is a Focusing coordinator, a Focusing Oriented Therapist, and a clinical psychologist in private practice. He teaches Focusing, TAE (Thinking at the Edge) and the philosophy of the implicit and is well known in the Focusing community for his contributions to various projects including the International Focusing Institute Certification Weeklong core faculty. You can contact Dan at: [email protected]  Episode 29 of The Living Process with guest, Dan Schachter. Focusing during wartime:  https://youtu.be/-jOAy_vYgPE The Living Process - all episodes and podcast links: https://www.londonfocusing.com/the-living-process/ Greg’s YouTube video channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC0TgN6iVu3n9d9q2l43z1xBMYY3p9FQL The Living Process on the FOT Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx3FqA70kQWuHCHmEiZnkn1VcrRIPbcvk #somaticexperience  #trauma  #Focusing  #Gendlin  #Bodytherapy  #warzone #israel #gaza #existentialism   #Experientialpractice  #bodymind   #thelivingprocess #psychotherapy #mindfulness

Focusing and Self-Discovery with Jeffrey Morrison on The Living Process with Greg Madison. Episode 28 In this episode, I welcome Jeffrey Morrison who is well-known in our community as a Focusing Oriented Therapist and Teacher of Focusing. Jeffrey and I outline his interesting journey from philosophy and theology through existential-phenomenological therapy into the world of Focusing and Gendlin’s philosophy. We discuss the importance of structure when teaching a natural process, as well as psychedelics and the role of death awareness in developing spirituality. We touch on Jeffrey’s interest in trauma, neuroscience, the role of the physical body, and also how Focusing can help us avoid joining the polarised conflicts that are plaguing our world. Jeffrey studied philosophy, and religion before concentrating on psychology after being exposed to Focusing. He has worked in various settings with adolescents, parents, and teachers. He has trained in Family System Therapy, Adlerian Psychology, meditation, aspects of Feldenkrais, Zen, and recently co-wrote a chapter on Polyvagal Theory and trauma. He operates his clinical practice as well as offering certifying courses in FOT in Seattle and Vashon Island, Washington, as well as online. He is a Certifying Coordinator with The International Focusing Institute. Episode 28, The Living Process with guest Jeffrey Morrison https://youtu.be/l9eLZ6pfg3k The Living Process - all episodes and podcast links: https://www.londonfocusing.com/the-living-process/ YouTube video channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC0TgN6iVu3n9d9q2l43z1xBMYY3p9FQL The Living Process on the FOT Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx3FqA70kQWuHCHmEiZnkn1VcrRIPbcvk For more information on Jeffrey and his work: Seattle Focusing https://seattlefocusing.org Morrison Therapy https://morrisontherapy.com Focusing-Oriented Therapy for the Treatment of Trauma (Jeffrey Morrison and Riley Patterson) in the edited book Experiential Therapies for Treating Trauma (Eds. Senreich, Straussner, Dann, Routledge 2025). #somaticexperience#trauma#Focusing#Gendlin#Bodytherapy#Zen#Experientialpractice#bodymind #thelivingprocess#buddhist #psychotherapy#mindfulness #spiritualawakening #experientialpractice #thelivingprocess

The Living Process episode 27 with guest Jonathan Foust Energy Flow and The Pathless Path I’m very happy to welcome Jonathan Foust to this episode. Jonathan has a lifetime of spiritual practice to share. He has dedicated his life to yoga practices, Buddhist meditation, mindfulness practice as well as Focusing. In our conversation we touch on how Focusing fits with these various somatic practices and the spiritual understanding of energy flow in the body. Jonathan shares his own personal journey and questions such as what body are we working with and what does it mean to heal? We discuss Focusing as pointing to the pathless path and how close it is to the RAIN model as used by Jonathan and his wife, meditation teacher Tara Brach. We wondered whether therapy really offers much more than these other effective and compassionate approaches. Jonathan offers a weekly talk on his website and is working on guidance for being with physical pain. We end by talking a bit about how to respond to the uncertainties and suffering in contemporary societies.  Jonathan Foust, MA, CSA, is a guiding teacher with the Insight Meditation Community of Washington and a founder of the Meditation Teacher Training Institute in Washington. A senior teacher and former president of Kripalu Center, he leads retreats, trainings and classes around the United States and works individually with those interested in healing and spiritual awakening. He’s trained in a wide range of healing modalities, including Focusing (Certified Trainer), Kripalu Yoga, Trager Work, Cranio-Sacral, Reiki and Polarity Therapies to name a few. He has a Master of Arts in Education and certifications in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Focusing and Dharma practices. He has spent decades in Ashram and spiritual communities and now offers body-centred inquiry on retreats and intensives. For many years he has lived near Washington DC with his wife psychologist and mediation teacher Tara Brach.  Episode 27, The Living Process with guest Jonathan Foust: https://youtu.be/Fz19hg-4oVc The Living Process - all episodes and podcast links: https://www.londonfocusing.com/the-living-process/ Greg’s YouTube video channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC0TgN6iVu3n9d9q2l43z1xBMYY3p9FQL The Living Process on the FOT Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx3FqA70kQWuHCHmEiZnkn1VcrRIPbcvk For more information on Jonathan, his talks and retreats, see his website and YouTube videos available at: https://www.jonathanfoust.com #somaticexperience  #trauma  #Focusing  #Gendlin  #Bodytherapy  #Zen  #Experientialpractice  #bodymind   #thelivingprocess #buddhist  #psychotherapy #mindfulness #jonathanfoust

The Living Process Episode 26 with host Greg Madison  Guest Rob Parker Paradigm Leaping Welcome back to The Living Process. In this episode, Rob talks about his interests in philosophy, especially existentialism, from an early age and it was this interest, combined with his desire to help other young kids like himself, that led him to Gendlin. Rob’s first experience of the Focusing world was a 3-day Thinking at the Edge workshop with Gendlin at Stony Point. Unusually his interest in philosophy was his way into Focusing. We talk about Rob’s interest in ‘meaning’, his journey from the ideas of Gregory Bateson to Maurice Marleau-Ponty and Thomas Kuhn, and how these thinkers brought him to Gendlin and a unique opportunity to drop everything and learn from this new philosopher. In our conversation, we touched on how learning Focusing affected Rob’s therapy practice. He also talks about learning from Mary Hendricks Gendlin how to slow down and work with the felt sense in sessions and we touched upon the political and social implications of The Process Model. Rob mentioned his modification of the EXP scale and his use of Zen and Focusing to work with The Inner Critic.   Rob Parker is well-known in the Focusing world and beyond as a clear thinker representing Gendlin’s A Process Model and Gendlin’s other philosophies to a lay audience. He has a longterm interest in Zen, spirituality, and science. For years Rob was a practicing psychologist, originally in the existential tradition, specialising in psychological trauma. In 2000 Rob found the philosophy of Eugene Gendlin, which he dedicated himself to understanding by meeting Gendlin every week until Gendlin died in 2017.   For information on Rob, his workshops, and his writing on Gendlin’s philosophy, see: www.lifeforward.org Episode 26, The Living Process with guest Rob Parker: https://youtu.be/oAZh5uCe_Yo The Living Process - all episodes and podcast links: https://www.londonfocusing.com/the-living-process/ Greg’s YouTube video channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC0TgN6iVu3n9d9q2l43z1xBMYY3p9FQL The Living Process on the FOT Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx3FqA70kQWuHCHmEiZnkn1VcrRIPbcvk #somaticexperience  #trauma  #Focusing  #Gendlin  #Bodytherapy  #Zen  #Experientialpractice  #bodymind   #thelivingprocess #existentialism #psychotherapy

The Living Process Episode 25 Guest Lynn Preston A Group Listening Revolution Welcome back to The Living Process and this episode with my friend Lynn Preston. Lynn had just returned from a Psychoanalytic Self Psychology conference in Rome, having caught covid on the flight back, so you may notice that her voice is a bit husky but only her energy is infectious. In this conversation, we discussed how to translate between her very different therapeutic communities and what she values from Kohut’s psychoanalytic theories of development and the importance of empathy. Lynn mentioned a paper she wrote some time ago which attempts to bridge the different languages of Kohut and Gendlin’s understandings and it went over very well with her psychoanalytic colleagues. The link to that paper, The Edge of Awareness is below. Lynn and I spoke mostly about her Community Empowerment group work. We discussed revolutionary listening and how groups could evolve to allow us to talk about our differences. We mentioned the ‘carrying forward’ of the group process and how we know so little about this but one important principle according to Lynn is that not everyone has to agree. She suggests that we need Revolutionary Talking not just Revolutionary Listening in order to move beyond the dyad model. How can the practice of Focusing be expanded to practices of relating? How can the ‘us’ of the group make the individuals more of themselves rather than less. How can we map the challenges of group interaction in the way that in Focusing we have mapped how to work personally and as a dyad? Is mapping out the group process the next step for us in focusing? Lynn believes this is the year to bring this further development into the world. Episode 25 with Lynn Preston: https://youtu.be/tY0fRybIWcM Lynn Preston is well-known in the Self Psychology community and the Focusing Oriented Therapy community. She has spent years teaching and writing about both forms of therapy and had a long-standing friendship with Eugene Gendlin. Lynn's recent efforts have included her Community Empowerment initiative as well as spearheading the Focusing Therapy Youtube channel. Lynn's contacts: [email protected] http://www.lynnprestonforp.com The link to the paper we mention is here: The Edge of Awareness: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/247527307_The_Edge_of_Awareness_Gendlin's_Contribution_to_Explorations_of_Implicit_Experience Links to all videos and podcasts: https://www.londonfocusing.com/the-living-process/ Focusing Oriented Therapies YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx3FqA70kQWuHCHmEiZnkn1VcrRIPbcvk

This is a different sort of episode of The Living Process where the usual host, Dr Greg Madison, swaps seats with Prof. Mia Leijssen and enters into a conversation about his own passions, experience, and history of Focusing. There were a few interruptions during the conversation which were edited out but referred to again at the end of the discussion, showing the importance of being able to find our way back from distractions to the felt sensing flow of a conversation. And of course, Elliott ensures he makes an appearance! The conversation turns out to be surprisingly personal while also commenting on Focusing oriented therapy and the uncommon integration of Focusing into existential practice. We touch on learning about self-disclosure from working in an acute hospital setting, the hope that listening skills can save our democracies from political polarisation, and the challenge of facing the end of life with awareness and presence. Thank you to Mia for her generosity in reaching out with this idea and her skill in deepening our conversation. Episode 24. Consistent Existence with Greg Madison: https://youtu.be/yke9KJttfFI All episodes of The Living Process: https://www.londonfocusing.com/the-living-process/ FOT Youtueb channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx3FqA70kQWv_jrEOS0luVPVhiS5T1pus Dr Greg Madison is an existential psychologist, an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, Focusing-oriented psychotherapist, and Coordinator for The International Focusing Institute. For some years Greg enjoys creative collaborations as an independent lecturer, contributing to various academic, community, and professional trainings internationally. He has written and co-edited books and articles on Existential Migration, Focusing Oriented Psychotherapy, Existential Therapy, and contemporary topics related to psychology and society. He is the founder of The London Focusing Institute, and maintains a client practice, teaching commitments, writing, and hosts The Living Process podcast. https://www.gregmadison.net https://www.londonfocusing.com Professor Mia Leijssen is the academic director of the massive Open Online Course: Existential Well-being Counseling: A Person-centered Experiential Approach. You can discover more about this course and contact Mia at these addresses: https://focusing.org/resources/mia-leijssen-fot-2023 www.existentieelwelzijn.be https://existentialwellbeing.com #focusing #gendlin #somaticexperience #existentialism #psychotherapy #existentialtherapy #experiential #gregmadison #thelivingprocess #death #focusingtherapy #personalgrowth

Delighted to welcome Judy and Nikos to this, episode 23 of The Living Process. Our guests are well known for their achievement of editing Senses of Focusing Volume 1 and 2, two fantastic resources featuring new writing and diverse perspectives on Focusing and FOT. In this episode, we discuss critiques of focusing, what is coming next for them both, and positive developments they would like to see happen in therapy generally and in the Focusing world. In our 3-way conversation, we touch on the way that other approaches like the person-centered approach, Internal Family Systems, or Emotion Focus Therapy might incorporate focusing as a technique without fully integrating the fundamental importance of the experiential response, felt sensing, and carrying forward. We touched on different words and understandings for theories of the body, for eg the Ancient Greek terms like 'pathos' and the difference it offers if we allow ancient philosophy to be experienced freshly. We raised questions regarding what we can do to be better understood by other traditions and to translate some of our discoveries so that therapists from other orientations can think further with them. How do we in FOT deal with abrupt or cathartic changes? How do we engage with theories? How can we build bridges with other therapeutic communities and philosophies? What is our view of the person? Is there a spiritual context for our understanding of human being? Can we stay open to other ways of thinking so that they stay open to us? What is the future of FOT and therapy? How to keep developing FOT ourselves after the work of Gendlin… In response to this Judy and Nikos are planning a series of seminars or a symposium to welcome critical thinking and deeper exploration of Focusing, FOT and our relationship to other ways of understanding. Nikolaos Kypriotakis has studied Physics and has been trained in Person-Centred & Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy, Person-Centred Supervision and Children Focusing. He works as an FOT therapist and Focusing Trainer for the Hellenic Focusing Center and he is a Certifying Coordinator with The International Focusing Institute, New York. Together with Judy Moore he edited the collective work Senses of Focusing, Vol. I & II and has translated into Greek the book Focusing by Eugene T. Gendlin. He was the editor-in-chief of the magazine Εποχή-Epoché (Phenomenological Psychotherapies), for the issues n.1 to n.16. Judy Moore was originally trained in the classical Person-Centred Approach on the first PCA professional training in the UK. She taught on the postgraduate Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling at the University of East Anglia (UEA) throughout the 1990s before, thanks to the work of her colleague, Campbell Purton, finally discovering the extent of Gendlin’s contribution to the development of Client-Centred/ Person-Centred Therapy. As Director of the Centre for Counselling Studies at UEA she worked with Campbell to develop Focusing and FOT training at UEA in the early 2000s. UEA also hosted several conferences, including colloquiums on Gendlin’s philosophy. Judy is a Certifying Coordinator of The International Focusing Institute, working in private practice and as a freelance trainer and consultant. In 2021 she co-edited (with Nikolaos Kypriotakis) the two volumes of Senses of Focusing. https://sensesoffocusing.weebly.com Focusing book in Greek translation: https://bit.ly/3Y9BtwM #bodytherapy #focusing #gendlin #experientialpractice #somaticexperience #psychotherapy #counseling #psychology #personalgrowth #rodgers