Bio

FOCUSZART The Focusing Studio - Bio ©Freda Blob

Background In Design

Freda's academic training started with a preliminary internship in design crafts to get enrolled in Design Techniques, a pilot program for vocational teachers at the University of Duisburg-Essen GER

Her major coursework and work as student assistant was with sculptor and Folkwang teacher Prof. Franz Rudolf Knubel (research area Sensual Design) who also was guest professor at the California State University, Long Beach

Freda was a participating artist at the International Stone Sculptur Symposium Kaiserslautern (1982) when her career took a turn. Inspired by art burt, she took up studies in Human Sciences as requirement for a university program in art therapy

Clinical Training and Career

Freda holds two University degrees (Pre-Bologna graduations) from the Free University of Berlin (Clinical Psychology BA, MA 1992) and the Eberhard Karls University Tübingen (Adult Education MA 2010, thesis: The Significance of Corporality for Educational Processes with Special Consideration of Focusing as Method)

She enrolled in the Scientific Program in Art Therapy of the Catholic University of Freiburg with graduation as Art Therapist in 2022 (Diploma of Advanced Studies, DAS) (thesis: The Experiential Third: Focusing Concepts for Art Therapy)

Freda passed a postgraduate seven-year-programm in person-centered training, undergoing two certification procedures at the Person-Centered Institute AGB Berlin (depth-oriented, 1998) and the Person-Centered Institute IGB Stuttgart (behavioral-oriented, 2004). The program was performed by 18 clinical teachers including Prof. Reinhard Tausch, founder of the German Person-centered Psychotherapy approach

From 1994 - 2002 she was trained in Focusing by 14 German and Swiss Focusing pioners and practitioners. Her long-term Focusing training was backed up by prior basic trainings in body-psychotherapy (Biosynthesis with David Boadella, Biodynamic with Gerda Boyesen)

After years of working in publich health care institutions (1989 -1996), Freda took her professional expertise to private practice (1996). In 2016 she founded the Tübingen FOCUSZ Center for Focusing, Tele-Health and Therapeutic Arts, from 2022 on: FOCUSZART The Focusing Studio

From 2022 - 2024 she was guest lecturer for Focusing and the Expressive Arts at the Department of Clinical Curative Education of the Catholic University Freiburg

Freda teaches helping professionals (psychosocial, educational, pastoral, therapeutic) in communial and national training centers since 1994. Her teachings on Focusing-informed Therapeutic Arts for Growth and Healing are embedded in the pluralistic-humanistic approach

Freda presents her approaches of Expressive Arts Focusing ExAF and Creative Compassion Practice CCP at national and international conferences

Expertise In Focusing

Freda started her career as a Focuser in 1994. In 2004 she certified as FN Focusing Trainer and FN Teacher, being member of the FN leading team and FN co-teacher since 2001

In 2013 Freda certified as Certifying Coordinator of The International Focusing Institute TIFI, in 2020 she certified as TIFI Focusing Oriented Therapist

To complete her FN training, Freda took classes in Integrative Focusing with René Maas (1997), Wholebody Heartfelt Conversation (Kevin McEvenue) with Katrijn van Look and Lara Peumans (2015), Dynamic Expressive Focusing/Being Seriouosly Playful with René Veugelers (2019) and Focusing-Oriented Relational Psychotherapy with Lynn Preston (2023)

Additional training programs in Existential Wellbeing Counseling with Prof. Mia Leijssen (2016), Focusing with the Whole Body with Astrid Schillings (2016-2017), and Focusing Oriented Expressive Arts FOAT® with Dr. Laury Rappaport (2017-2020) took Freda's Focusing teachings to new levels

Expertise In Therapeutic Arts

International conferences and programs in Continuing Education/Continuing Education Development in therapeutic arts guarantee excellency of Freda's professional skills as art therapist and creative arts counselor

 

Standing on Many Shoulders

Being an expert in her field, Freda is standing on many shoulders

Ani de La Prida (UK), Freda's teacher in Person-Centred Creative Arts, who role-modeled the therapeutic use of the arts in most creative ways

Laury Rappaport PhD (US), Freda's teacher and supervisor for Focusing Oriented Expressive Arts FOAT® who introduced her to the Expressive Arts and supported Freda to develop her approach of Expressive Arts Focusing ExAF

René Veugelers (NL) who introduced Freda to Dynamic Expressive Focusing and role-modeled how authentic playfulness makes all the difference

Astrid Schilllings (GER), Freda's teacher of Focusing with the Whole Body who role-modeled how to open up opportunities for experiencing the body as most safe place

Prof. Mia Leijssen (BEL) who's programm of Existenial Wellbeing Counseling shifted Freda's psychotherapeutic framework towards the existential approach 

Christiane Geiser (CH), Freda's teacher, supervisor and mentor for intermodal Focusing Plus FN/GFK who taught Freda to be super precise in theory and practice and role-modeled how to work with stoppages and structure-boundness

Uli Schlünder (GER), Jules Zwimpfer (CH), René Maas (NL) and Lore Korbei (AT) who role-modeled intermodal Focusing diversity in work and life

William Winkfield (US), artist and photographer based in Mérida/Mexico, who encouraged Freda to start with arts again after decades of clinical work

Gabriele Hasler (GER), artist and art therapist, who pushed Freda to suscribe for an academic art therapy program that was life changing

FOCUSZART The Focusing Studio - Bio ©Jonny Girs/Unsplash

Find your artist voice. Experiment from bodily knowing

ARTS FROM THE BODY SENSE

We operate online from GER

FOCUSZART The Focusing Studio

Hirschauer Str. 50 | D-72070 Tübingen | 0049 1757228458

focuszart@email.de | https://artsfocusing.com

International Memberships TIFI, IAFOTs, IEATA; APCCA, PCE, EFA, BFA