Implications of presence in manual therapy

Summary 

This paper describes and advocates the practice of presence as a tool of healing and transformation in the manual therapies. The authors discuss the advantages and effects of presence in the therapist, methods and reasons for promoting presence in the client, and the relational aspects of presence within the client–therapist relationship. Specific exercises and therapy vignettes are provided to supply the reader with examples of the role of presence in clinical work.

It is the authors’ opinion that the concept of presence may become a common denominator for understanding the effectiveness of somatic approaches in body-centered therapies. Presence, when properly understood and applied, should have new and profound influence on all therapeutic modalities. There would seem to be no reason that the practice of presence would be excluded from any therapy session except for lack of training, understanding, and experience on the part of the practitioner. The practitioner's sensitive accompaniment is fundamental to the client's journey towards body-centered self-awareness. The client's progress towards body-centered self-awareness has many stages of growth, and is comparable to a spiritual pilgrimage—there are places of reflection, resistance, reaffirmation, and insight. The somatic therapist has the role of supporting this journey through the facilitation of presence.

Keywords: Presence, Client–therapist relationship, Meta-thought, Somatics, Manual therapy