About this Course

Description

Focusing-Oriented Expressive Arts (FOAT®) is a mindfulness-based approach that integrates Eugene Gendlin’s Focusing with the expressive arts. This self-study course provides an introduction to 4 Theme-based FOAT® exercises that are designed to enhance resilience, cultivate self-compassion, reduce stress, and enhance wellbeing. Each exercise teaches the basics of the Focusing process (listening inwardly to the body’s wisdom) along with user-friendly methods for arts expression. 

The following FOAT® exercises are included in this course:


1. The Focusing Attitude: Being “Friendly” to Your Inner Experience
The “Focusing Attitude” teaches us to bring a curious and “friendly” attitude toward our inner experience and creative expression– and helps to transform our inner critic. We will practice the Focusing Attitude– and then find a new “attitude” that we would like to bring into our lives (such as kindness, gentleness, compassion, etc.).

2. Peaceful Place
Taking the time to focus on a peaceful place (a place you know or make up in your imagination) helps the body to relax and restore– which is helpful during times of stress. Focusing and the arts are integrated into the experience.

3.  Clearing a Space with Arts
Clearing a Space with Arts is an exercise that teaches how to identify stressors and to imagine setting them at a distance, outside of your body. It is based on Eugene Gendlin’s Clearing a Space exercise which has been researched showing its benefits for stress reduction. The exercise also helps us to access an inherent place of wellbeing that is always there. The arts are used to concretize and carry forward the benefits from the experience.

4. Source of Strength
This FOAT® exercise helps to become aware of something in your life that is, or has been, a source of strength or support. We will take time to Focus on the source of strength, get a felt sense and symbol (a word, phrase, image, gesture, or sound) and express it through writing, art, movement, or sound. This Source of Strength can continue to nourish you in an ongoing way.

Certificates of Completion (not CE approved) are available upon completion of the course!


Please note this course does not meet the prerequisite requirements to take Level 1 of our FOAT® Training Program. If you are interested in taking an online course to fulfill the prerequisite, please see our Introduction to FOAT® course.

Faculty

Laury Rappaport, Ph.D., LMFT, REAT, ATR-BC

Doreen Meister, MA, LMFT

Grace Brillantes Evangelista, Ph.D., RPsy, CSCLP

Lynn Pollock, MA, LMHC, REAT

Marise Lariviere, LMFT, ATR

FOAT Faculty


Registration Details

For scholarship inquiries please contact us.

Cost: $95

Course Access: Unlimited. 

You will have access to this course and all included materials indefinitely through your FOAT Online School account.

Please register with your preferred contact email–  we will be sending all course communication to the email address you provide. If you have taken a course through our FOAT Online School, please register with your existing account


After you register, you will receive a course welcome email with course information and completion details. Please make sure to keep an eye on your Spam/Promotions folders! If you do not receive this email within 24 hours of registration, email [email protected].