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Upcoming FOAT Trainings, Workshops, and Events
FOAT® Training Program
Wednesdays, March 19 - June 25, 2025 10:30am - 1:30pm PDT / 1:30 - 4:30pm EDT / Click here for your time zone
Level 1: Foundations and Approaches of Focusing-Oriented Expressive Arts (FOAT®)
Facilitated by Lynn Pollock, MA, LMHC, REAT and Assistant FOAT Faculty
Prerequisite: Completion of Introduction to FOAT (or equivalent)
Level 1 provides a solid foundation of Focusing-Oriented Expressive Arts (FOAT®) with an emphasis on deepening one’s embodied knowing of the main FOAT approaches– Focusing Attitude, Theme-Directed FOAT®, Clearing a Space with Arts, FOAT® Check-in, Working on an Issue, Self-Focusing, and Compassionate Listening. Trainees will also expand their understanding of the core concepts, skills and philosophy of Focusing, developed by Eugene Gendlin– felt sense, symbol/handle, felt shift, and life forward direction.
Learning FOAT and Focusing in Level 1 emphasizes learning the exercises for oneself– in order to understand deeply how the felt sense, creativity, and the body’s wisdom interacts and unfolds, while also being grounded in FOAT theories. The FOAT Partnership and small group practices during Level 1 open the doorway to learn about others’ processes and also provides a foundation for facilitation skills that are continued in Level 2. For information on our FOAT® Training Program, leading to certification, click here.
Expressive Therapies Mini-Summit: Pacific 2025
Thursday, March 27, 2025 2:00pm - 5:00pm PT
Focusing-Oriented Expressive Arts: Finding Refuge in Stressful Times and Cultivating Wellbeing
Presented by Doreen Meister, MA, LMFT
Open to all levels of experience in FOAT, Focusing, and Expressive Arts
Focusing-Oriented Expressive Arts (FOAT®) is a mindfulness and somatic approach, developed by Laury Rappapport, that integrates the felt sense, and the body's wisdom with the expressive arts. It is based on Eugene Gendlin’s Focusing method, an evidence-based mind-body approach that leads to growth and change. This didactic and experiential workshop provides an overview of Focusing-Oriented Expressive Arts (FOAT®) including its history and development, foundational principles, how to access the body’s wisdom through the felt sense and express it through the arts and learn one of the main approaches of FOAT® for stress reduction. Experiential exercises will teach: 1) the main concepts of Focusing– Focusing Attitude, felt sense, and handle/symbol; and 2) “Clearing a Space with Arts”– a main FOAT® method that teaches how to identify stressors and imagine setting them at a distance, outside of the body; it also helps to access an inherent place of wellbeing that is always there. The felt sense of well-being is then symbolized as an image, gesture, sound, word, or phrase; and expressed through the arts and an intermodal writing experience. This FOAT exercise has been researched to show benefits for stress reduction. Variations of Clearing a Space with Arts will be taught to adapt to various populations and settings. It can be applied as a self-care practice for practitioners, as well as a method for working with others. FOAT can be applied to all clinical contexts, as well as in nonclinical contexts (e.g. education, coaching, health). This workshop is beneficial for all counselors and therapists, arts facilitators, educators, and coaches.
Eligible for 3.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB, SWNYS, NY LMHC, NY LCAT, NY LMFT
FOAT® Training Program
Mondays, April 7 - June 25, 2025 3:00pm - 6:30pm PT / Click here for your time zone
Level 4: Integration and Application of FOAT into Practice
Facilitated by Laury Rappaport, Ph.D., MFT, REAT, ATR-BC and FOAT Faculty
Prerequisite: Completion of Level 3: Advanced FOAT Practice Skills and Applications
This course provides advanced training and supervision in FOAT. Trainees continue their FOAT Application Project with a goal towards completion, and create a practicum for practicing FOAT with others. Individual and group supervision are provided. FOAT Partnerships and/or Trios with coaching are integrated to further refine skills, increase competence, and support self-awareness and self-care through FOAT. Readings, videos, and other resources are integrated into the training, along with an individualized Learning Plan to support each trainee’s unique interests. For information on our FOAT® Training Program, leading to certification, click here.
Eligible for CE Hours, more information coming soon!
Roots, Branches, and Wings Series
Thursday, May 8, 2025 5:00 - 7:00pm PDT / 8:00 - 10:00pm EDT / Click here for your time zone
Asian Focusing Methods
Presented by Akira Ikemi, Ph.D.
Open to all levels of experience in FOAT, Focusing, and Expressive Arts
Asian Focusing Methods evolved out of Akira’s experiences in Focusing within meditation. Asian Focusing is a mindful path to Focusing, incorporating two basic principles– experiencing and becoming aware (sati). It is embedded in an Asian attitude of ‘no-self’. Thus, instead of a ‘me’ who is trying to focus, or a ‘me’ who is checking for issues in life, or a ‘me’ who is trying to clear a space– thoughts just arise and dissolve; a felt sense may come and it may go.
Currently, Akira has developed three Asian Focusing Methods: Blue Sky Meditation, Kansoh Focusing, and Kanga Focusing. In this presentation, Akira will offer two demonstrations: Kansoh Focusing and Kanga Focusing. Kansoh Focusing includes observing thoughts; Kanga Focusing incorporates a method of observing selves. Gratitude and compassion– “May you be well and happy”– permeate Asian Focusing Methods. Akira’s enriching presentation will also include experiential exercises for participants to practice with each other; and time for questions and answers.
Roots, Branches, and Wings Series
Monday, July 21, 2025 5:00 - 7:00pm PDT / 8:00 - 10:00pm EDT / Click here for your time zone
Person-Centered Expressive Arts: The Unfolding Creative Connection®
Presented by Fiona Chang, Ph.D., RSW, REAT
Open to all levels of experience in FOAT, Focusing, and Expressive Arts
This presentation includes a brief overview of the development of expressive arts in Hong Kong and the influence of the pioneering work of Natalie Rogers– founder of Person-Centered Expressive Arts (PCEA) and the Creative Connection®. The humanistic principles of Person-Centered Expressive Arts are in line with the Chinese philosophy of loving-kindness, compassion, caring, patience, and open-mindedness.
Fiona will also present examples demonstrating the application of Person-Centered Expressive Arts, including working with couples and cancer, trainees in Nepal, and more. Through the Creative Connection®, different arts modalities are integrated– fostering an inner permission to create, play, listen, explore, understand, accept, and release. Participants experiencing Person-Centered Expressive Arts learn an effective, creative approach to grow and live. Experiential practice exercises will be included to experience the Creative Connection®.
Roots, Branches, and Wings Series
Monday, November 10, 2025 3:00 - 5:00pm PST / 6:00 - 8:00pm EST / Click here for your time zone
Body Mapping with Guided Drawing: A Sensorimotor Art Therapy Approach
Presented by Cornelia Elbrecht, MA, AThR, SATh, SEP
Open to all levels of experience in FOAT, Focusing, and Expressive Arts
This presentation provides an introduction to Guided Drawing®– an approach developed by Cornelia Elbrecht that uses rhythmic bilateral repetition to explore emotions and felt sensations in the body as flowing or blocked internal movements. Trauma manifests physiologically as bracing patterns, tension, pain, or numbness, accompanied by strong emotions. In Guided Drawing®, the focus is not on the story of what happened, but on the implicit responses needed in that present moment. The process is self-guided, which is profoundly empowering for the client.
Clients draw their involuntary motor impulses with both hands and closed eyes on large sheets of paper increasingly focusing on the movements needed to ease the felt tension or pain. Being able to apply a ‘self-massage’ or to complete a thwarted impulse to act can be surprisingly effective. The therapist has the option to introduce archetypal shapes as interventions to structure and support this bottom-up approach.
This presentation is both didactic and experiential. After presenting the core concepts of Guided Drawing®, Cornelia will teach three archetypal shapes that serve to resource clients, along with time for a self-directed experience of Guided Drawing®. There will be opportunities for sharing and question-answer.
Updates for FOAT® Training Program:
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Introduction to Focusing-Oriented Expressive Arts (FOAT®) Self-Study is available– Completion fulfills the prerequisite for Level 1.
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Eligible for 3 CE Hours
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Level 1: Foundations and Approaches of Focusing-Oriented Expressive Arts (FOAT®): Registration open through March 12, 2025.
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Eligible for 22 CE Hours
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Level 2: FOAT Facilitation and Partnership Skills: The current training group is now closed.
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Level 3: Advanced FOAT Practice Skills and Applications: The current training group is now closed.
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Level 4: Integration and Application of FOAT into Practice: Registration open for trainees who have completed FOAT Level 3!
FOAT® Training Program
We are excited to launch our newly updated FOAT® Training Program! The training includes all of the previous content but it is now streamlined into 4 levels instead of 6. There is additional supervision and FOAT Coaching to strengthen the online learning format. In addition, awards and Certifications can be earned after Levels 2 and 4 respectively.
For more information, including course descriptions, costs, and more, visit our FOAT® Training Program Page!
