(Adapted from the American Psychological Society)

Therapeutic presence involves the therapist being fully in the moment, with herself and with you, on several concurrently occurring dimensions, including physical, emotional, cognitive, and relational. Additionally, presence requires remaining in open contact with a) one’s integrated and healthy self, b) what is poignant in the moment; and c) a larger sense of spaciousness and expansion of awareness and perception. This grounded, immersed, and expanded awareness also occurs with (d) the intention of being with and for the client in service of their healing process. When one feels met and accompanied it invites a deeper engagement of onseself. Presence conveys safety via expressed markers of social engagement (e.g., facial expressions, gestures, and prosodic vocalizations), and has the impact of down-regulating defensiveness.

Everyone is capable of presence, and clients can cultivate their own capacity and bring this rich resource into their relationships