\u00a0Perhaps there is no more important place for the use of Empathic Listening and Experiential Focusing skills than in love relationships.<\/strong><\/p>\n When we \u201cfall in love,\u201d we are drawn to something in the Other that intrigues and fascinates us.<\/strong>\u00a0 Unfortunately, as time goes by, the stresses of day-to-day living and, perhaps, specific areas of conflict with our partner, wear away that romantic, in-love feeling.\u00a0 We can even come to \u201cforget\u201d whatever drew us to this other person in the first place, and our sexual feelings for the other can become submerged as well!!<\/p>\n \u00a0Exchanging Listening\/Focusing Turns with our beloved, significant other can be a way of recovering the feelings of love which initially drew us together.<\/strong>\u00a0 In Listening\/Focusing turns, each person can drop the defensive layers that hide the true, inner Self from the other.\u00a0 When that inner Self stands exposed, that vulnerable Inner Child becomes visible, we \u201cfall in love\u201d all over again, remembering who it is that really lives inside of your partner. Then, it becomes much more simple to work out the more superficial, behavior-level problems that irritate or cross us in every day life. Read more about Inner Child Empathy<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hopefully, we all have some friends whom we can lean on when things get hard, friends who are good listeners, who just let us have our say and don\u2019t judge or criticize us when we are down.<\/strong> In these times, we don\u2019t really want someone to try to fix us or to give us advice or opinions. We just want them to listen and support us. It is just this non-judgmental listening and total, unconditional acceptance that makes the most solid and fulfilling friendships.<\/p>\n It is just such friends who could form the basis of your own Listening\/Focusing Community.<\/strong><\/p>\n Furthermore, if you have stresses or misunderstandings with any of your friends, you can also use the Listening\/Focusing skills to work out these conflicts and end up even closer, using the Interpersonal Focusing <\/a>method. <\/strong>See Focusing Friendships<\/u> <\/a>for more on incorporating Creative Edge Focusing into your friendship network.<\/p>\n The other main way of finding a Listening\/Focusing Partnership or starting a Listening\/Focusing Support Group is to participate in a Listening\/Focusing Training Class or Workshop in your area.<\/strong> Then, hopefully, you can carry on in a self-help way with other participants you have met at the workshop, or join an existing Changes Group<\/a><\/u> <\/strong>in your geographical area. Again, go to Free Resources <\/strong>to learn about all the available options. Find additional classes and workshops internationally at www.focusing.org<\/a> .<\/p>\n Read more about Conscious Relationship<\/font><\/a>, including the First Ten Steps to bring Listening\/Focusing into your relationships.<\/strong><\/p>\n Order our Self-Help Package<\/font><\/a>\u00a0and join our Creative Edge Practice E-Group<\/font><\/a>\u00a0for hands-on demonstrations and practice of Listening and Focusing self-help skills.<\/strong><\/p>\n Subscribe<\/font><\/a> to our Instant \u201cAhah\u201ds E-Newsletter and immediately download our Instant \u201cAhah!\u201ds Mini-Manual (Ajas Instantaneos en espanol), ten self-help practices to add to your life at home and work.<\/strong><\/p>\n Explore\u00a0using\u00a0Interpersonal Focusing sessions<\/font><\/a> by phone with Dr. McGuire to practice listening\/focusing in sorting through relationship difficulties.<\/strong><\/p>\n Find links to free articles, personality tests, multi-media\u00a0Self-Help training, Classes and workshops<\/font><\/a><\/strong><\/strong>Dr. Kathy McGuire<\/font><\/a>, Director<\/p>\nFriendships As A Way To Grow<\/h3>\n
From Focusing Class To Focusing Support Group<\/h3>\n