Relational Presence: Embodiment Tools for Coaches, Therapists and Spaceholders Weekends

What makes the difference with those clients who are hardest to reach? More often than not it's not the tool that you use, but the quality of your presence. This series helps you develop exactly that, through easy to learn, practical embodiment tools. As a result you will feel more resourced in your work, so that you are better able to work with challenging clients. It can also help you to take your work to a deeper level. Each session is one step on that journey. Who is this for? This course is designed for anyone whose work centres around holding space for others. This includes: coaches, therapists, counsellors, mentors, meditation teachers, facilitators, and group leaders. You will particularly benefit if you want to: • Enhance your presence and listening skills for deeper impact. • Integrate embodied techniques into your work with groups and clients. • Go beyond traditional approaches to coaching and facilitation. • Learn to work in a more authentic and embodied way. If you don't fit this description exactly but feel curious — you are warmly welcome. These skills benefit a wide range of people and professions. About this Course This in person course is aimed at helping professionals such as coaches, therapists and other space-holders to helps you develop exactly that, through easy to learn, practical embodiment tools.As a result you will feel more resourced in your work, so that you are better able to work with challenging clients. It can also help you to take your work to a deeper level. Each session is one step on that journey. "As complex human beings living in a complex world, we need the precision of both kinds of knowing, the body knows, but it does so in a different way than the mind knows," Eugene Gendlin Both the body and the mind are needed for real change to happen, and this is where focusing comes in. In this Course we will also work with the Relational Field - this 'We Space' between you and the client. Working with this practice, drawing on both Circling Practices and Relational Whole Body Focusing you will no longer feel that you need to leave yourself 'at the door' but you will find ways to bring your full authentic self in service of your client. More info in this video. Course Format • 5 Weekends: Saturday and Sunday 10 00 - 1700 • Weekend 1 November 21st and 22nd • Weekend 2 December 5th and 6th • Weekend 3 January 23rd and 24th • Weekend 4 February 27th and 28th • Weekend 5 March 27th and 28th • 90% live attendance is required for certification available if you attend all 5 weekends Included 1:1 Coaching Support As part of the programme, you’ll also receive: ✅ Optional 15-minute intake call ✅ Two 60-minute Focusing session in 2026 and one in 2027 before April 30th ✅ Two 30-minute embodied coaching session in 2026 and one in 2027 before April 30th ✅ 15-minute closing reflection session ✅ Discounted 1:1 coaching and focusing sessions at 50% off throughout the course ✅ Reflective Practitioner Journal to support your development Certification Upon successful completion of all 5 weekends, you will receive: • Focusing Skills Certificate CPD Certificate (accredited by the Association for Coaching) You must attend at least 90% of sessions live to gain certification. Course overview Each weekend builds on the previous one. They are also standalone and you may join individual weekends if you have relevant prior experience. Please be in contact if this may apply to you. The themes identified below are indicative and the programme may be adapted to meet the needs of the participants Weekend 1 Introduction to Focusing and contexts November 20th ad 21st During this weekend you will learn • A theoretical framework drawing on the work of Heinz Kohut and Iain McGilchrist that supports the tools we will explore throughout the course • An Arrival Practice that helps you arrive more fully into the body • Discover your very own Felt Sense. You will learn to listen to what it has to tell you. This structured approach provides a foundation for the rest of the programme. • Have a first hand experience of Focusing, the process that Eugene Gendlin created to help anyone access their Felt Sense. Weekend 2 Working with the Relational Field December 5th and 6th On this weekend we will explore: • A deeper level of listening skills • Exploration of the 'We Space' Drawing on Circling Practices • Deepening experience into the Felt Sense and Focusing • Using the Relational Field in working with clients Weekend 3 Applications with Client Work January 23rd and 24th Now that we have some experience in these modalities for ourselves we will learn to apply this more directly to working with clients Typical themes will include: • Guiding Principles in working with clients (in your existing contexts) • Using Reflections • Guiding a client • Endings and Beginnings Weekend 4 Focusing Deep Dive February 27th and 28th Typical themes will include: • Being with 'What is' and 'Not Knowing in a focusing way • Using Focusing as a way to resource yourself and support your clients with this • Using the Relational Field in working with clients • Working with Internal 'parts' - your own and your clients Weekend 5 Integration: Challenges, Compassion and Surrender March 27th and 28th This final weekend will be tailored to meet the needs of the group as issues surface throughout the programme. Topics may include: • Working with Self Critical parts • Radical Self compassion • The role of shame, freeze and fawn stress responses • Surrendered Leadership and following aliveness • Participants case studies After successful completion of the course participants will gain CPD from the Association for Coaching. and a British Focusing Association Certificate in Focusing Skills . This will allow you to continue your own journey as a Focuser and access a wide range of ongoing activities related to focusing, through both the British Focusing Institute and The International Focusing Institute Small group format The group size is deliberately kept small. This helps to ensure everyone gets the attention, space and connection that this work deserves. Places are limited. Some feedback from previous participants 'Being more present in myself and listening to my gut rather than living in my head so much . This will make me a more attentive and a better coach.’ 'With these tools I will be able to create much deeper connections with the clients. Some of the techniques are also useful for my own wellbeing.' 'Being fully present and grounded opens up new possibilities and widens our perspective. It creates a certain level of lightness and mental space. I LOVE IT!' “Being more present in myself and listening to my gut… this will make me a better coach.” “Any coach worth their salt would want to learn and practice how they can be more present.” —Helen Isacke, Founder, Trusted Coach Network "Thanks again for the past 6 sessions, Ruth! It has been hugely rewarding and insightful in ways I hoped but mostly in ways I didn’t expect, in getting in touch with my body’s wisdom and feeling grounded in a space." Isaac Allaway You can also watch these Video Testimonials Ellie Nova, The Sober Coach Helen Isacke, Founder, Trusted Coach Network Mariell Patiki, Executive Coach Natalie Salvesen, Therapist Isaac Allaway About the Facilitator My name is Ruth Friedman and I have been recognised by the Forbetter Institute as one of Edinburgh’s Top 10 Coaches. I’m the creator and owner of Lead Being You coaching and training company. I created Lead Being You to help create success on their own terms. I am excited by aliveness, finding my own and supporting others to find theirs.