What is ‘being present’? Why does it matter? How can you achieve it? One of the key skills for a counsellor or psychotherapist - and a key element of the therapeutic relationship - is the ability to be ‘present’ to the client whatever material they bring into the room. This film explores what ‘being present’ means, both in relation to the therapist capacity to sit with clients’ material, and in relation to the client becoming more able to be present to themselves and sit with their experiences and difficult emotions. These things are emphasised across all therapeutic approaches, but mindfulness in particularly has some tools for developing the capacity to be present.

This animation was developed by Dr Meg-John Barker, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the Open University, and Damn Fine Media.