Working with the present is working with what is “today” for the client, with the current behavior and state of the client, changing its erroneous elements to more optimal ones. This is the practice of changing the actual behavior or state of the client, who is more often in the position of the Victim and perceives the difficulties that occur with him as problems.
Types of work with the present
Work with the present can be focused on behavior (action, result) and states (feelings, experiences).
The psychotherapist offers the spouses to agree on how they should respond to each other in a situation of misunderstanding — behavioral orientation. The psychotherapist offers the client to sit in a comfortable chair, close his eyes and relax — orientation to the state.
Appropriateness of this style of work
In addition to working with the present, psychotherapeutic work can be done with the client’s past. On the other hand, maybe in this case, not psychotherapy is needed at all, but a healthy psychology? See →
Working with the past
The opposite of dealing with the present is dealing with the past. See →