Certifying Coordinator and Facilitator

Dr. Pat Omidian is a medical anthropologist with a passion for empowering individuals and communities to heal and grow. She specializes in culturally sensitive approaches to MHPSS, Community Wellness, and Inner Relationship Focusing. Her books include: 

• Reaching Resilience: A Training Manual for Community Wellness;  
• Resilience Initiatives: Activities and Insights from Around the World;
• When Bamboo Bloom: An Anthropologist in Taliban’s Afghanistan. 

Pat’s journey with Focusing began in 2001 when she trained with Ann Weiser Cornell and Barbara McGavin. She worked alongside Nina Joy Lawrence to develop an approach that became a lifeline for Afghan communities facing the challenges of war, displacement, and loss. By encouraging people in their local communities to teach as they learn, Pat’s work has inspired shared discoveries and enabled groups to flourish in ways that respect diverse cultural traditions.

Pat has collaborated with groups worldwide to create community-led wellness programs and manuals that were created by these communities in their own languages. Her work has reached individuals and organizations in over 30 countries, touching lives across five continents.

Now based in Corvallis, Oregon, Pat offers workshops both in-person and online. Her sessions cover Focusing in Community, Psychosocial Support, Self-Care, and Psychological First Aid. Through her compassionate approach, Pat helps people connect with their inner strengths and navigate life’s challenges with greater ease and resilience.