Mindfulness is starting to be quite widely known these days. It is also integrated into several forms of psychotherapy or therapy in one way or another, for example as exercises. In Core Process therapy, mindfulness is an essential component. However, it is not about me guiding you through exercises or presenting techniques for you to use at home. My role is more that of a fellow traveler than a teacher. So, how does mindfulness manifest itself?
I personally see it this way: In Core Process therapy, mindfulness is, above all, a way of being. It is included in how we are present in the therapy session: how I am present myself and how I support you in being present with your experience. Mindful accepting presence supports the therapy process to unfold.
Mindful accepting presence in the moment
Mindfulness is evident in how we keep in touch with the present moment. At times it is important to talk about the past because the past often continues to affect us. However, it is also good to include the fresh experience of this moment. I might ask you, for example, “How do you feel when you tell about this?” “What happens in you right now, what do you feel in your body?” Or perhaps, “What is it like to be here together with me right now?” Often, the connection to the present moment is what can reveal something new and move things forward. If we simply narrate a story without noticing what we are experiencing now, or if we try to solve something solely through a thinking process, we may more easily end up just retracing old paths.
Mindful presence refers to the idea that, to the best of our ability, we are aware of what is happening. We notice, observe closely, with warm curiosity. What is present in the body, in the mind, in the emotions? What might have been involved when suddenly a feeling of tiredness hit? It can be valuable to notice glimpses, images, associations – also things that are not clear or do not initially seem to relate to the topic at all. I support you in exploring your experience and accompany you on the journey, tuning into your experience and also staying aware of what I notice happening within myself and in our shared presence.
Another important quality is an accepting presence with your inner world and experiences. I can be there meeting with acceptance, and perhaps you can too, to the extent possible in each moment. We often tend to reject and judge what we find within ourselves. We try to change ourselves. We also attempt to fight against what we experience – for instance, there are certain emotions we would rather not feel at all. However, this often just complicates things. As we gradually find possibilities to meet what is with more acceptance, the struggle can relax, and something within us can be seen. In this process, things can also start to flow and change on their own.

Core Process psychotherapy, in the words of its co-developer Maura Sills, is based on the idea that awareness itself is curative. Unlike some other forms of therapy, we do not seek to make changes through doing, such as setting goals and making plans. Instead, an essential component of therapy is noticing what is happening within us, without judgment or rejection. Being present with our inner world is crucial. Healing can involve opening up to an experience that may not have had space to be known or felt before. With the support of shared presence, little by little, something can be felt more deeply. Gradually, one can also learn to trust more in the ability to cope with one’s own experience. Things flow through.
Can you come to therapy if mindfulness feels difficult?
Absolutely. Sometimes, it feels challenging precisely because the body carries experiences, perhaps some form of trauma, which are not easy to be with on one’s own. Sometimes, this very difficulty can suggest that therapy could be helpful – perhaps more helpful than attempting mindfulness or meditation on your own. Or maybe, alongside your own practice of presence, there is a need to explore and face certain things together.
If being present is difficult, the therapist’s presence can offer support for this; settling into presence can be contagious. It is also easier to be ready to feel into your experience when there is another person present with whom a safe relationship has developed. A child’s ability to face their emotions develops with the support of their parents’ presence, and similarly, as adults, we often need someone else’s presence initially. This can also involve co-regulation at the nervous system level – your own nervous system can calm down when there is another person present whose nervous system is in a calmer state. It is important that another person is present for us. Through shared presence, it is also possible gradually discover the capacity to be more present to oneself, also to the inner wounds.
Silence is also fine
The emphasis on presence in Core Process therapy is also evident in the fact that we can also be silent for moments if that feels right. Something essential can happen without words. It is possible to take time just to be, without the need to constantly do something. Also, when you come to a session, you do not necessarily need to have a specific topic in mind to talk about. When one is silent for a moment and attuned to, for example, how the body feels, something often begins to emerge – precisely what is ready to unfold. It is also good to note that new things often emerge from exploring something that takes a little time, something for which there are no immediate words. You are always welcome to quietly explore, to direct your attention to your inner world – without the pressure to be in a specific social way with the therapist sitting opposite you.