Immediacy in Therapy: The Power of the Present Moment

In psychotherapy, some of the most meaningful change doesn’t come from re-telling old stories or planning for the future, but from the present moment, when therapist and client meet each other exactly as they are. This is what therapists call ‘immediacy’.

Gestalt teachers described therapy as a “here-and-now encounter.” They taught that what emerges in the room, be it a pause, a sigh, a tightening in the chest, even a silence, is not separate from life, but a living expression of it. When a therapist draws gentle attention to these moments, the client is invited into deeper contact with themselves and with another person.

Marsha Linehan, the truly inspirational founder of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), highlights something strikingly similar: the need for radical genuineness in the therapeutic relationship. To be effective, a therapist must be real, responsive, and willing to acknowledge what is happening between them and the client. Immediacy here is not a technique but a stance — a willingness to meet the client directly, with honesty and care.

When Gestalt’s “contact” and DBT’s “radical genuineness” come together, immediacy becomes a way of working that is both present-centred and deeply validating. It might sound like:

• “I notice your voice drops when you say that, and I’m curious how you feel in this moment.”

• “Something feels distant between us right now …do you notice that too?”

• “I can see tears in your eyes as you talk; let’s stay with that together.”

These moments of immediacy can be profoundly healing, especially for clients who have felt unseen or dismissed in other relationships. The simple act of naming what is alive right now sends a powerful message: your experience matters, and it matters now.

Immediacy in counselling is all about attuned presence. It requires sensitivity to timing, pacing, and the client’s readiness. Offered with care, immediacy can help break old relational patterns, strengthen trust, and create opportunities for new ways of being.

At its heart, immediacy is about the courage to step into the present moment together, without hiding behind analysis or avoidance. In doing so, therapist and client discover that change is not only possible in the future.