On Presence in Therapy
What my work as a therapist keeps teaching me about listening, connection, and presence.
Hello friends,
Today, I felt inspired to write a bit about how my work as a therapist during the week informs what I share here.
One main thread is the constant reminder that listening to yourself—and hearing yourself clearly—can be hard to do.
I also see that, with a little repetition, we can begin to experience real benefits in day-to-day life from strengthening a skill that is simple to understand, even if it is not always easy to use.
That’s been my experience from focusing on presence—and the process of shifting back into it—in therapy.
Another through-line from therapy to what I share here is seeing how difficult it can be for many of us to trust the intimacy of speaking honestly with—and being truly listened to by—another person.
That hesitation is often evident in therapy conversations, especially at first. It appears in our day-to-day relationships, too.
Therapy keeps reminding me how emotionally rewarding it can be to connect truthfully about our personal experience.
Truthful connection can keep us connected to presence—or reconnect us when we have moved away from it.
Therapy has also shown me that, for some people, the experience can be a rare one: feeling deeply understood, connected, and interpersonally present.
Those moments remind me, at a felt level, that treating the moments of life with the reverence they deserve is what makes life feel more connected and rewarding.
In therapy, when connection and gratitude flow in both directions, I’m reminded of what a gift it is to speak honestly and personally with people throughout the week.
I suppose I’m pontificating about the unending gift of being present.
Sharing these thoughts with you is a similar gift.
So, thank you for being here!
Practice with me live on August 30
On Sunday, August 30, I’m hosting The Shift Room Live—a free guided Presence Shift on Zoom.
We’ll begin with a brand-new 60-Second Presence before its public release.
Then I’ll guide you through the same five Inner Steps using one private, ordinary real-life moment of your own.
Your camera may remain off.
Speaking is optional.
You will not be asked to share your personal moment.
25-minute free guided experience
+ optional 15-minute introduction to The Shift Room and general Q&A
I’d be glad to presence shift with you there.
Stay present,
Sean
P.S. If you’d like to shift right now, choose one at ThePresenceShift.com.
If someone shared this with you, subscribe here to receive future Presence Shifts and reflections.
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Sean Sullivan, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and creator of The Presence Shift®.
60-Second Presence and The Shift Room Live are psychologist-designed presence training and wellness content—not therapy, diagnosis, medical care, or crisis support. Do not use a guided practice while driving or when directing your full attention elsewhere would be unsafe.