"Cultivating Resilience"
Mindfulness & Focusing Training
To schedule an appointment go to the contact page or call 847/323-1717.
Have you ever felt the sense of relief in your body when you've arrived at a good decision or felt the tension when you're uncomfortable about something you're about to do? We are always being guided by our inner felt sense and experiencing feelings guiding us in a direction. When we are in touch with that inner felt sense, it's a sense that guides, that can lead to actions that are authentic and satisfying.
So how can we become attuned to our felt sense and allow this inner compass to aid us to make better decisions and live more effectively? The first step is to listen. So often we judge or doubt our own experience or let our usual analyses get in the way. Listening, openness, acceptance, the ability to "pause", and focus attention on our present experience--these attitudes enable you to focus on your experience in a way that leads to solutions that you hadn't come up with before. Whether its deciding which job to choose, what direction to take when you are lost or how to handle a conflict in your family, by checking in with a felt sense, a person's experiencing can come up with the next step or action that's needed to move forward.
Marsha Smith, LCSW
Marsha Smith, LCSW
Psychotherapist with adults and adolescents 636 Church Street Evanston, IL 60201 847/323-1717
Psychotherapy will help you find solutions and make changes to feel better
deal well with life challenges and be more effective in life.
I see individuals in person in my Evanston office and accept BC/BS PPO and Medicare insurance types.
Comments of Individual therapy clients:
" I got a lot out of all the sessions with you and it has inspired me to tune into myself much more. I wouldn't be in this better place without my conversations with you."-AK
" I contacted Marsha because I was looking for someone to help me find a sense of direction and control in my life. As we talk she offers gentle prompts to point me to the answers within myself. At one session, after having been through two weeks of neck and shoulder pain, in talking about my feelings and thoughts, she asked me to pause and notice where I feel the emotions in my body. I could feel my neck slowly releasing. This felt sense she prompts me to find, often leads me to insights and 'solutions' that I know within myself." -JB
" Marsha has an intuitive sense of how to gently guide me to help myself and find clarity in my thinking. Marsha is a compassionate listener and a caring and kind person. I am truly grateful to have found Marsha. I would recommend her to anyone in need of an advocate of his or her own spirit and inner knowing. Marsha will listen, respect and empower you."-JC
Client Testimonials
Participant comments about Focusing and Mindfulness Training
Focusing taught me a profound way to use my body's wisdom for healing and growth."-Nancy Floy, President, Heartwood Center
"Focusing is one of the few things I've learned in years that I'll keep. Focusing has real value for me."-KH
"Through learning Focusing and Mindfulness with you, I've become aware there's a lot more to being me. In being open to more areas of my experience, I'm becoming a more complete, whole person."-VH
To schedule Mindfulness and Focusing training or to schedule a therapy appointment, contact Marsha, smithhuemer@gmail.com or 847/323-1717.