Cultivating online therapeutic presence: strengthening therapeutic relationships in teletherapy sessions

With the recent global pandemic, therapists have had to shift their psychotherapy practice online, as they have been unable to maintain a face to face relationship due to physical distancing measures. This has created an immediate need to understand how to build and maintain strong therapeutic relationships while navigating this new online therapeutic environment. With the removal of face to face therapy, there is a question of how the therapeutic relationship is to be maintained and fostered over the internet, through considering the necessity of cultivating and maintaining therapeutic presence. This article will discuss therapeutic presence as a precondition to effective therapeutic relationships and a positive therapeutic alliance. An exploration will follow of the challenges of cultivating therapeutic presence in online therapy ; followed by tips to encourage and support both the therapist and the client to remain present while engaging in telepsychotherapy. A final discussion will include implications for future research and clinical training for cultivating presence in telepsychotherapy as well as integrating what has been learned during the pandemic back into face to face sessions.