A Practical Guide to Cultivating Therapeutic Presence

About PhDShari Geller

Shari M. Geller PhD is an author clinical psychologist and supervisor with a commitment to mindfulness practices and a passion for rhythm and drumming. Dr. Geller has been practicing mindfulness since 1990 and weaves Buddhist philosophy and rhythm-based work into her life and clinical practice. She has been involved in researching writing and training in therapeutic presence as a foundational approach to optimizing health care and therapeutic relationships. Dr. Geller coauthored (with Leslie Greenberg) the book Therapeutic Presence: A Mindful Approach to Effective Therapy. She has released a companion CD on cultivating presence with guided practices using the healing power of music and the health benefits of mindfulness. In collaboration with the American Psychological Association she has also released a training video for therapeutic presence. Dr. Geller has a clinical and supervisory practice in Toronto and Grey-Bruce County. Her training with teachers and neuroscientists along with her personal practice inspired her to integrate the benefits of mindfulness group drumming and emotion-focused awareness into one comprehensive program Therapeutic Rhythm and Mindfulness (TRM) to cultivate presence. Dr. Geller serves on the teaching faculty in health psychology at York University and for the Applied Mindfulness Meditation program at the University of Toronto and she is adjunct professor in the Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto in association with Music and Health Research Collaboratory. She is the codirector of the Centre for MindBody Health offering mindfulness and compassion-based treatment and professional training.