Therapeutic presence (TP) lies at the heart of positive and effective therapeutic relationships. Twenty years of research on the art and science of presence forms the basis of an empirically validated model of therapeutic presence. Therapeutic presence provides a neurophysiological sense of safety in clients that allows them to be seen, heard, understood, and “feel felt.”  Presence includes a balance between attunement with clients as well as attunement with oneself. It leads to building, strengthening, and sustaining a therapeutic alliance as well as working effectively with therapeutic ruptures. TP also asks therapists to take care of themselves and work on their own balance of presence and compassion with self and clients.

Self-compassion (SC) involves the capacity to comfort and soothe ourselves, and to motivate ourselves with encouragement, when we struggle, fail, or feel inadequate.  It is a key resource that enables therapists and clinicians to be fully present and attuned with their clients. Research shows that self-compassion is strongly associated with emotional wellbeing, lower levels of anxiety and depression, coping with life challenges, healthy habits like diet and exercise, and more satisfying relationships.

Therapeutic presence and self-compassion are key underlying factors in effective therapeutic clinical relationships and are intimately related to one another. Self-compassion is a part of therapeutic presence, and it supports the cultivation of this foundational way of being. SC allows clinicians to return to presence when they are hijacked by difficult emotions or stress. 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.

This half-day, live online workshop we will introduce Therapists’ Presence (TP) and Self-Compassion.  Core TP experiential practices to cultivate therapeutic presence and self-compassion will be introduced and challenges to remaining present with clients will be discussed. An empirically validated model of therapeutic presence will be presented as a map to build and strengthen the skills of presence within self and with clients. There will be an introduction of the neurophysiological principles to create safety with therapeutic presence, based on concepts such as co-regulation and neuroception of safety stemming from the Polyvagal Theory (Geller & Porges, 2014).

In this training, an introduction will be given to:

• Explore an empirically validated model of therapeutic presence along with key skills and core practices for cultivating presence
• Understand the neurophysiological underpinnings of therapeutic presence, client safety, and effective clinical relationships

• Examine the research evidence for the benefits of therapeutic presence and self-compassion in therapy, counselling and in life.
• Experience and learn practices and skills for attuning in the moment with clients, oneself, and the therapeutic relationship
• Apply presence and self-compassion skills for self-care and to prevent and alleviate caregiving fatigue

Time & Date:

March 3rd, 2023

from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm EST

03:00 – 06:00 pm Kyiv time