Therapeutic presence (TP) lies at the heart of positive and effective therapeutic relationships. Thirty years of research on the art and science of presence forms the basis of an empirically validated model of therapeutic presence. Therapeutic presence is a way of being that optimises the doing and techniques of therapy. TP provides clients with a sense of safety, allowing them to be seen, heard, understood, and “feel felt,” while also strengthening the therapeutic alliance. This type of relationship helps regulate clients’ emotions and supports their movement towards emotional health and neurophysiological integration. TP also invites therapists to work on their own balance of presence and compassion with self and clients, ensuring they remain centered and effective in the face of difficult emotions and therapeutic ruptures, while offering therapeutic interventions timed to the readiness of their clients. Practicing TP sustains clinicians’ vitality, connection, and effectiveness.

Self-compassion (SC) is a key resource in maintaining therapists’ presence and working with the barriers to presence. SC involves meeting our emotions and difficult experience with mindfulness, common humanity, kindness, and warmth. Research shows that self-compassion is also strongly associated with emotional well-being, healthy habits, and more fulfilling relationships. Together, therapeutic presence and self-compassion are powerful resources for counsellors to maintain emotional balance in the midst of challenging clinical work, to enjoy their work and their clients more fully, and to prevent caregiver fatigue and burn-out.

In this training we will explore an empirically validated model of therapeutic presence as a map to build and strengthen the skills of presence with clients and how to create safety using neurophysiological principles based on concepts such as co-regulation and neuroception of safety stemming from Polyvagal Theory (Geller & Porges, 2014). Evidenced based practices from Dr. Geller’s books, A Practical Guide for Cultivating Therapeutic Presence’ (2017) and ‘Therapeutic Presence: A Mindful Approach to Effective Therapeutic Relationships’ 2nd Edition (2022) co-authored with Leslie Greenberg, including mindfulness, self-compassion, and experiential practices.. We will also discuss challenges to TP and how to stay open and engaged when working with challenging clients and working through therapeutic ruptures. There will be a number of take-home techniques and practices for cultivating presence during therapy and in life for clinicians, students and clients.

In this training you will:

• Explore an empirically validated model of therapeutic presence along with key skills for cultivating presence
• Discover the neurophysiological mechanisms of therapeutic presence
• Practice presence and self-compassion techniques for clinical settings and in life to sustain emotional connection with clients and working through therapeutic ruptures
• Learn practices and skills for attuning in the moment with clients
• Apply presence and self-compassion skills for self-care and to prevent and alleviate burnout
• Receive take home practices for clients, students, trainees and for yourself