Focusing, the felt sense, and meaning in life

Abstract

ABSTRACT Making sense of our existence is one of the most demanding aspects of being human. Studies have shown that meaning is robustly associated with well-being and mental health. In this study with 358 Dutch-speaking participants during the covid-19 pandemic, we tested if the practice of contacting one’s felt sense (focusing attitude) would predict life satisfaction, psychological distress, and existential anxiety. We also tested whether the effect of this focusing attitude would be partially mediated by the experience of meaning in life. Our hypotheses were confirmed. This suggests that the focusing attitude predicts more life satisfaction, less psychological distress, and less existential anxiety. The associations are also partially mediated by the experience of meaning in life. Focusing training variables suggested that attending one’s felt sense can be learned. However, our study also suggests that focusing-partnership deserves closer study.