The Living Process. Practices in Experience and Existence

Dana Ganihar & Baruch Brenner on The Living Process with Greg Madison. A holy commitment to the unknown. Episode 043Dana and Baruch offer a reflective process to get beyond the paradigm that might still be implicit in our Focusing jargon. Their process guides us into what it actually is to be a human being; living on the edge of ‘co-creation’.
Their work crosses the insights and distinctions of A Process Model with the ancient wisdom of Kabbalah. Dana and Baruch are the founders of Shakio Institute, where they explore how Art, Focusing and Prayer can open us to the flow and wisdom of life beyond categories and perceptions.
They have been leading TAE workshops and Questions at the Edge in Israel and internationally, with an emphasis on working with artists, researchers and creators from varied backgrounds.Episode 43 - A Holy Commitment to the Unknown with Dana Ganihar & Baruch Brenner on The Living Process. Episode 43: https://youtu.be/EJg98Aw4Lv8The Living Process - all episodes and podcast links: https://www.londonfocusing.com/the-living-process/TLP YouTube video channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC0TgN6iVu3n9d9q2l43z1xBMYY3p9FQLDana Ganihar, M.Sc. is a Focusing Coordinator since 2007. Over the last couple decades she has taught Gendlin’s work and initiated cooperative research exploring the impact of Focusing and TAE on diverse fields at various universities.
Baruch Brenner is an Israeli theater director, actor, singer, teacher, focusing trainer and an ordained Orthodox Rabbi. He is a leading innovator integrating spiritual practices with experiential work in theater, movement and vocal arts. He facilitates workshops exploring religious and mystical traditions, with an emphasis on Jewish mysticism - Kabbalah and Hasidic philosophy - making them accessible to the general public.Their courses and teachings can be found at: https://shakio.org/en/focusing/
#focusing, #gendlin, #kabbalah, #thelivingprocess, #wisdomtraditions, #somatic practice,

Guest Astrid Schillings "The Interaction of Practice and Philosophy" on The Living Process with Greg Madison. Episode E042.
In this episode, I had a lively conversation with Astrid Schillings, a clinical psychologist and person-centred psychotherapist from Cologne, Germany.
Astrid has a rich background in somatic trainings and Buddhist meditation. She’s interested in the overlap of psychology, philosophy, and spirituality, which led her to Focusing in the early 1980s. She developed her own practice, called ‘Focusing from the Whole Body’, which she teaches from her centre in Germany. Astrid also discusses her time with Gene and how their discussions influenced her understanding of the Focusing Process. 
Episode 42 - The Interaction of Practice and Philosophy with Astrid Schillings: https://youtu.be/P7Kz217rsLs
The Living Process - all episodes and podcast links: https://www.londonfocusing.com/the-living-process/
TLP YouTube video channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC0TgN6iVu3n9d9q2l43z1xBMYY3p9FQL

Astrid Schillings: After encountering Focusing in 1981 as a psychology student at Bonn University, Astrid trained with Mary McGuire and Janet Klein in Chicago before meeting with Gendlin, who became a major influence in her Focusing development. Astrid describes Focusing as a philosophical life practice, with psychotherapy as one of many applications. She is trained in psychology, social education, client-centred therapy, somatic experiencing, Feldenkrais and other somatic approaches as well as meditation traditions. As a therapist, she has worked extensively with trauma and works in both English and Deutsch. For more about Astrid’s work and teaching: https://www.focusing-institut.eu/en/focusing-institute/schillings-gb
#focusing
#Gendlin
#thelivingprocess
#mediation
#somatic experiencing

Episode 41 of The Living Process, with guest Sigríður (Sigga) Þorgeirsdóttir
THE BODY THINKS FOR ITSELF. 

In this episode I enjoyed talking with Sigga, who is a professor of philosophy at The University of Iceland and one of the founders of the Embodied Critical Thinking and Freedom to Make Sense projects.
In our conversation, Sigga and I touch on what it’s like to teach embodied reflection to philosophy students, the importance of critical thinking, and the prevalence of the inner critic in academia in the form of ‘the imposter syndrome’.
We also discuss various aspects of Artificial Intelligence and our experiences of using it, comparing it to human thinking and processing. 

The Body Thinks for Itself. Episode 41 with Sigridur Thorgeirsdottir (Sigga): 
https://youtu.be/DzR3oV-8YTE?si=ung8YLPycoa-NUft
The Living Process - all episodes and podcast links: https://www.londonfocusing.com/the-living-process/
TLP YouTube video channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC0TgN6iVu3n9d9q2l43z1xBMYY3p9FQL
Sigridur Thorgeirsdottir (Sigga)
Sigga studied philosophy in Boston and Berlin and has worked at various universities, specialising in the philosophy of embodiment, feminist, and environmental philosophy. She is one of the founders and the first chair of the United Nations University GEST-Programme at the University of Iceland and was also part of the group that ran the Nordic Gender and Philosophy summer schools. Sigga leads an Erasmus+ training program on methodologies of embodied critical thinking and understanding in cooperation with seven European universities (www.trainingect.com). She has published two books on this topic: Embodied and Elemental Thinking for a New Era (Springer 2024, co-edited with L. Škof and Sashinungla) and Practicing Embodied Thinking in Research and Learning (Routledge 2024, co-edited with D. Schoeller and G. Walkerden). This research has developed into “Freedom to make sense: Embodied, experiential and mindful research“. 
She emphasises women’s contributions to philosophy and focuses on transforming the field and discipline of philosophy itself in light of feminist/queer knowledge.
https://english.hi.is/staff/sigrthor

Indigenous Therapy with Focusing, with Shirley Turcotte. The Living Process with Greg Madison
Episode 40 of The Living Process features special guest Shirley Turcotte. Shirley developed and spread a very successful integration of Aboriginal cultural practices and Gendlin's Focusing process.
In our conversation we touch upon the importance of a relational view that includes the ongoing support of relatives and ancestors and the significance of nature and the environment. Shirley introduces the depth of experience of Aboriginal trauma and genocide and how to respectfully work with such immense issues in a therapeutic context. At the end of the conversation we discuss how the IFOTs trainings are totally oversubscribed and Shirley is not available for teaching or contacts at present, so if you are interested in this approach please look for IFOT videos on Youtube.
Shirley Tucotte episode 40: https://youtu.be/4i1dRkDMPhk
The Living Process - all episodes and podcast links: https://www.londonfocusing.com/the-living-process/TLP
YouTube video channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC0TgN6iVu3n9d9q2l43z1xBMYY3p9FQL
Shirley Turcotte, a Canadian Métis psychotherapist, is highly respected for her development of Indigenous Focusing-Orientation Therapy and her work with trauma, abuse survivors, and Indigenous genocide. For many decades Shirley has been active in restorative justice programs for her community. She is recently retired and no longer available for teaching or speaking events.
#thelivingprocess #focusing #gendlin #indigenous #IFOT #trauma #genocide #justice

Alex Lyadov
Focusing on Business Therapy
Episode 39 The Living Process with Greg Madison 
In this episode, our guest is Alexander Lyadov. Originally a chemist, Alex has worked in advertising, private equity, wealth management, and venture capital. We discussed the challenges of the business world and the importance of carefully interpreting Focusing language to avoid alienating business people. Alex also shared how Focusing helps maintain a relaxed attitude without a plan or knowing the session’s direction. He primarily works with company founders and emphasises the importance of a clear vision before further work can begin. Alex incorporates a sensitivity to spirituality, the importance of ritual and myths, into his practice. He lives in Kyiv, Ukraine, so we touched on the global significance of what is happening in his country. 
Episode 39 with Alexander Lyadov: https://youtu.be/g3JtLZNUp7U
The Living Process - all episodes and podcast links: https://www.londonfocusing.com/the-living-process/
TLP YouTube video channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC0TgN6iVu3n9d9q2l43z1xBMYY3p9FQL

Bio: Alexander Lyadov is a business therapist who helps founders in transition unlock exponential value. With 30 years of experience in business—most recently as managing partner of a $50 million private equity fund and board member across industries—he now focuses on what truly drives growth: the founder’s inner world. 

Blending psychology, systems thinking, anthropology, and mythology, he has developed his own method called Business Therapy. Through his daily essays and one-on-one sessions, Alexander explores how inner transformation shapes companies, communities, and the world.
⁠https://alyadov.com/about-me-eng⁠