The therapeutic relationship is essential to positive outcomes of psychotherapy. In this book, Shari Geller and Leslie Greenberg argue that therapeutic presence is the fundamental underlying quality of the therapeutic relationship and, hence, effective therapy. Therapeutic presence is the state of having ones whole self in the encounter with a client by being completely in the moment on a multiplicity of levelsphysically, emotionally, cognitively, and spiritually.Present therapists become aware of both their own experience and that of their client through bodily sensations and emotions, and this awareness helps them to connect deeply with the client. Therapeutic presence is not a replacement for technique, but rather a foundational therapeutic stance that supports deep listening and understanding of the client in the moment. Geller and Greenberg present their empirically based model of therapeutic presence that integrates three aspects of the concept: how present therapists prepare for presence both pre-session and in general life, what activities therapists engage in when being therapeutically present, and what in-session presence feels like. The authors also provide a therapeutic presence theory of relationship based on research and clinical wisdom. Importantly, because presence is a learnable state that can be cultivated with practice and commitment, the authors infuse the book with practical, experiential exercises for cultivating presence.
Table of Contents:
Introduction -- I. Theoretical and Empirical Basis of the Model -- Chapter 1. History of Presence Across Theoretical Approaches -- Chapter 2. Empirical Research on Therapeutic Presence -- Chapter 3. Therapeutic Presence: A Theory of Relationship -- II. The Model of Therapeutic Presence -- Chapter 4. Preparing the Ground for Therapeutic Presence -- Chapter 5. The Process of Therapeutic Presence -- Chapter 6. The Experience of Therapeutic Presence -- III. Additional Perspectives on Therapeutic Presence -- Chapter 7. Levels of Therapeutic Presence -- Chapter 8. Challenges to Therapeutic Presence -- Chapter 9. Neurobiology of Therapeutic Presence -- IV. The Cultivation of Therapeutic Presence -- Chapter 10. Buddhist Mindfulness: A Way of Enhancing Therapeutic Presence -- Chapter 11. Experiential Approaches: Somatic, Emotion-Focused, Creative, and Relational Approaches to Cultivating Therapeutic Presence -- Chapter 12. Therapeutic Presence Exercises and Practices -- Epilogue -- References -- Index -- About the Authors.
