MetaMinds
®
Playing with Words
Combining Inner Relationship Focusing with Creative Writing
6-Week, Live Online Course via Zoom
Writing can be playful but somehow all our years of schooling may have caused us to experience writing has dull
Writing can be fun, so often we think of writing as a cognitive process.
Join me for a six week course where you'll learn an empowering, self-guided process which fosters a ready-to-go resilience from within so you can act with greater agency and meet what comes your way with more clarity, confidence and ease.
In The Body Keeps the Score, Bessel van der Kolk M.D. writes,"Neuroscience research shows that the only way we can change the way we feel is by becoming aware of our inner experience and learning to befriend what is going on inside ourselves."
Inner Relationship Focusing (IRF) is an empowering, body-oriented process rooted in just that - becoming aware of your inner experience and building a respectful, honoring and allowing kind of relationship with what you feel so that you can have your feelings without being them or being driven by them.
In other words, taking risks and being vulnerable won't feel as threatening, because you'll have a way of tending to whatever arises should you encounter surprising setbacks or disappointments. You'll feel less triggered and more steady when encountering unexpected change or challenges. You'll be able to trust yourself when making decisions because you'll have developed an inner sense of I-know-what-feels-right-and-what-doesn't. It's even possible for harmful habits and persistent patterns to begin untangling.
"American culture adulates people who project an unflaggingly positive, cheerful, 'can-do' spirit. But mental health doesn't mean being happy all the time. It's about being resilient, knowing how to heal and recover from losses and difficulties, being flexible rather than brittle. Allowing your feelings, not suppressing them, helps you do this."
- Helene G. Brenner, Ph.D., I Know I'm in There Somewhere
Over the course of the six weeks you’ll learn …
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how to pause in the midst of stressful moments so you can find your footing before continuing
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how to cultivate an inner environment that’s curious, respectful and welcoming of what comes into awareness
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why trying to change or fix how you feel doesn’t work and what does
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how to relate to Inner Critics who have your best interests at heart despite what they're saying (or screaming!)
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what the research has to say in support of creating real, lasting change
Class Structure...
Each class will meet weekly for two hours over six weeks. This is an experiential course, which will involve a mix of teaching, brief reading assignments, Focusing exercises and Focusing partnerships. Since what we practice grows stronger, Focusing partnerships will help you exercise and strengthen this life-changing skill both inside and outside of class.
What’s a Focusing Partnership?
Each week in class and outside of class* you’ll practice that week’s resilience-building exercise with a peer from your class. It’s not a counseling session. You’re not trying to fix your partner, nor is your partner trying to fix you. There is no fixing, no advice giving, and no discussion of any content that emerged in your time together.
Inner Relationship Focusing provides a unique space where you can show up as you are and feel what you feel in the presence of someone who’s completely neutral and welcoming of what is true for you. There's something about being fully seen, heard and understood, which is transformational in and of itself.
* The time commitment for meeting outside of class with your partner is about 30 minutes each week. Typically, each person’s Focusing turn is 10-12 minutes but you and your partner may decide to have a longer session.
Course Details
Stay tuned for fall dates and times!
If you'd like to sign up for notifications when when registration opens up, CLICK HERE and scroll down. You'll be able to sign up for notifications.
Where: Zoom
Fee: $385
Payment Options: Venmo, Zelle or PayPal
What's included in this course?
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A 50-minute, one-to-one Focusing session with me prior to the start of the course, which will be scheduled once you enroll
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12 hours of class time
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Carefully created exercise sheets to support you as you develop this new skill
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Access to audio recordings of each class
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Informative & supportive articles
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Access to me should you have any questions and/or need support between class meetings.
What's not included in the course fee?
You will need to purchase your own pdf copy of The Focusing Student’s and Companion’s Manual, which costs $23. I’ll provide additional details on how to do that once you’re enrolled.
Still wondering if this course is right for you?
Then, let's schedule a 20-minute call where I can answer any questions you might have. Feel free to email me here or reach out directly, lauren@metamindsnyc.com