Are you being present in your therapy session? More than physically attending the session, are you showing up mentally and emotionally?Exploring the past, visualizing the future and talking about situations outside therapy is some of the most important work of therapy. But so is the present. Many therapists call this focusing on the "here and now": the thoughts and feelings that are taking place within you and between you and your therapist at a given moment.
It can be pretty intense. Maybe something the therapist just said made you angry or suddenly you feel sad for no apparent reason. Perhaps you feel confused or have an odd thought that you wouldn't mention in regular social situations. Bringing that material "into the room" (more jargon, I know) and talking about it while you're feeling it can be incredibly enlightening and productive. Examining a feeling in the moment can uncover meaning you'd never get to by looking at it later. But it's also vulnerable and intimate - which is why many people would rather talk about what happened 20 years ago or the jerk who sits in the next cubicle at work.
So here's a challenge. When you're sitting in your next session ask yourself: "What am I feeling here with the therapist, right now?" Then take it a step further and talk about it.
