Hi! I’m a focusing oriented therapist, just thought I’d respond as I’m curious about your question and would like to see if I can offer some guidance. Is your question around how to “sit” reactions/thoughts/emotions? The technique we use in focusing is to see if we can stay with that thing which pops up by saying to ourselves or out loud to your companion or therapist you’re sitting with “I’m noticing something in me that feels… x”. By saying this you are acknowledging the thing and giving it a bit more space to exist, like offering it a seat at your table, or approaching it like a small animal coming out of the bushes. You might not even know what it is exactly yet but playing around with words or images to describe it is a way to check to see if that feels right with it and then you may be amazed at what more it can tell you once it feels listened to… or “sat” with as you’ve seen demonstrated in this video. I hope that helps, and often times this might be hard to conceptualise until you’ve experienced it personally. I recommend giving it a go right now by simply closing your eyes and asking, what am I noticing inside right now… waiting… then saying the phrase “I’m noticing something in me that feels/looks/is saying/is showing me an image of”…. And then asking it if that word you described it as feels right or if there is more there, if there is, stay with it and see if you can describe it even more.

@stephaniesomebunny5193 Thanks for clearing up my question. Sounds like it is going beneath the surface of the first thought/ reaction that comes to mind and then taking the essence of its quality and trying to describe it, checking if the description is right, and then unraveling it more. I think what you said about the feeling being listened to could be the goal, finding what resonates. Very helpful!

@@christahindman5068 Wow, well done, I couldn’t have said it better myself. Yes you’ve got it. Going beneath to see what more is there sounds very right to me and I believe is even how Eugene Gendlin explains it in his book too. The person who taught me refers to it as an “unraveling” also. Yep, listening with interested curiosity is the goal and slowing down is the key to be able to give the thing that’s coming up your full attention. Good luck to you on your journey!

@@stephaniesomebunny5193 Hi, I just want to add that the noticing something inside and sitting with it is the key thing. The "I'm noticing *something in me* that feels..." is characteristic of Inner Relationship Focusing. It's not necessary to the focusing practice to think of things as being parts of us. Just a note, not to correct but to expand because the way I learned focusing didn't use parts language.

A crucial point.

Of course! Glad you liked it. =)

Hi, unfortunately we don't have a demo video with the permission to release publicly, but I would love to hear what part you're most curious about. =)

Hey Joel, sometimes we get a little too excited about what we're talking about and that reflects in us wanting to spin up more. We want these conversations to be more conversational and less rigid, but that also means that we get a little too into conversational modes of talking and speaking over one another. Hope that's not too distracting!

@@thinkbeyondhealing1829 oh ok I think it was mostly at the beginning. I like Focusing so that is how I found you guys.

Hey Bill, thanks for commenting and glad you like it! If you haven't already, check out our podcast "Notice That" for more EMDR content.

Hey Sarah! Of course you can! Our desire to push out more content is probably equal to your thirst for knowledge, and I promise we are doing our best. We've had a couple jams in our production (we are all full time counselors as well so scheduling can get a bit tricky), but we will have a series of videos coming in the next several weeks that will hopefully satiate your thirst for more! =) So glad you like the videos and are a listener of Notice That! If you haven't be sure to check out our other podcasts "Beyond Trauma" and "Evidence Based Therapist" for more content.

Jordyn, that you for sharing your experience! Ann and Annie are amazing, and we were so excited they agreed to be on our show--so much good information that we could talk to them for days! Thanks for watching and supporting.

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!

Thanks for listening, Mercedes!

Spot on! We were just having another conversation today about the need for some space around the question, "what do I do?" while also validating the wisdom of your body that answers, "I've never stopped doing!" It's such a delicate and tricky balance. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and watching!

Yes, Bobbie! I (Caleb) have reflected on that tiny moments on many occasions! And to think--it came from something as simple as tuning into some neck pain in the presence of a caring friend! The body is amazing!