Presence: the therapeutic power of inhabiting the present in clinical practice

Abstract

As health agents, disciples of an eminently materialistic worldview, and with little attention to our inner world, health professionals are often unaware of their presence’s potential in the framework of the therapeutic encounter. This paper aims to deepen in their ability to be present in front of an unknown suffering person, understanding this ability as an inherent condition of every human being and as a faculty that we can all recognize, explore and cultivate in order to serve ourselves and those we care for. The risks and opportunities of the helping relationship, the role of emotions in the encounter, the concept of the therapeutic presence and the role of the professional’s self-awareness are introduced from the recognition of the professional as their own therapeutic tool. Some expert references on the therapeutic presence are also collected. The neurophysiological bases and the characteristics of the presence and their role on the co-regulation with the patient are described. Finally, some proposals are given for the presence cultivation.