Individual sessions in-person or online
British Focusing Association (BFA) Courses are recognised globally
The Foundation training or Skills Level is comprised of 60 hours.
However you can follow the training in bite size modules of 12 hours each.
Paula offers these as Level 1 to 5
You don't need to have any experience of Focusing or be a Therapist to begin your Focusing journey.
Paula and Bethany are delighted to announce this retreat in 2026
please contact Paula on Info@paulacharnley.com with questions
Booking is now open.
This is a module of 12 hours
Throughout the year Paula offers this course in Person and Online
Focusing Theory
A Focusing Attitude
Focus alone or in a partnership
This course will equip you with skills that you can take out into your life, to manage emotions, conflict and physical pain. Or simply to develop the skill of deep inner listening.
Certifying with Level 1 allows you to join many Focusing Courses and to sign up for BFA Skills Level 2 Followed by 3, 4 and 5
This is a module of 12 hours.
Throughout the year Paula offers this course in Person and Online
We built the foundation for this course in Level 1, which is a prerequisite to follow Level 2.
When we begin our journey as a companion in our Focusing partnerships, questions arise like:
Am I doing this right?
How do I pace this?
Am I reflecting too much or not enough?
Am I getting in the way?
Ann Weiser Cornell (1996) says “ you may discover that you are out of practice as a listener. You’ll almost certainly find that listening will be very rewarding to you.”
During this training we will brainstorm what it means to be a ‘good’ listener.
We’ll practice group and partner exercises in Listening
Most of all we will practice and continue to learn by our experience of Focusing
Paula brings elements of Non Violent Communication (NVC) into this module.
“Like Focusing, learning NVC was a life changing skill for me” Paula
In this 12 hour training We will have plenty of Focusing practice in pairs and time for group discussion.
Ann goes on to say “Listening to another person who is Focusing is the most meditative thing I can do”
By the end of this module, you’ll feel more confident in being a companion and have deepened your own Focusing practice.
This is a module of 12 hours.
Throughout the year Paula offers this course in Person and Online
In this 3rd Level of the BFA Skills Certification we learn more about the role of companion.
Level 1 and Level 2 are prerequisites for joining this module.
By now you have experienced the richness of Focusing with a partner, simply being present for another creates a unique experience.
However, our Companion can also support us in our Focusing process.
In this module we’ll learn:
As Focuser:
How to request from our companion what we need for our journey in each session.
Blocks to our Focusing process, what happens if we get distracted or if we can’t sense anything
As Companion:
Guiding in
Reflection; suggestions and reminders.
Expanding our language of reflection: “something in you”, “you’re noticing”
Keeping the Focuser on track “ for example” Maybe you want to take a moment to acknowledge that’
This module is a good foundation to introducing Focusing moments into your therapy practice.
By the end of this module, you’ll feel more confident in being a companion, supporting with suggestions and have deepened your own Focusing practice.your own Focusing practice.
This is a module of 12 hours.
Throughout the year Paula offers this course in Person and Online
In this 3rd Level of the BFA Skills Certification we learn more about the role of companion.
By now you have experienced the richness of Focusing with a partner, simply being present for another creates a unique experience.
However, our Companion can also support us in our Focusing process.
As Focuser:
How to request from our companion what we need for our journey in each session.
Blocks to our Focusing process, what happens if we get distracted or if we can’t sense anything
As Companion:
Guiding in
Reflection; suggestions and reminders.
Expanding our language of reflection: “something in you”, “you’re noticing”
Keeping the Focuser on track “ for example” Maybe you want to take a moment to acknowledge that’
This module is a good foundation to introducing Focusing moments into your therapy practice.
By the end of this module, you’ll feel more confident in being a companion, supporting with suggestions and have deepened your own Focusing practice.
Level 5 is offered as a 12 hour gathering In Person once a year in the Springtime.
However should participants prefer it can also be arranged as an online weekend
There will be little new theory, this will be a consolidation of what we have learned so far
Focusing in person or in nature if you haven't experienced this before,
Bringing Focusing into our daily lives for example with decision making or managing pain.
A guest taught creative session; Introducing Poetry, writing nature or art into your practice
Tying up threads of learning so that we move forwards with confidence in our Focusing practice.
This Level is a Springboard into the Professional Focusing Trainings with Paula or other BFA teachers.
Participants must have previously followed Levels 1-4