In January 2025 I published the essay Being able to endure. The power of powerlessness. It was an unexpected success: it was viewed 170,000 times and 2,800 people replied. Many felt recognized and said that the essay perfectly articulated what goes on in so many practices but is rarely mentioned. I am pleasantly surprised by these responses! Thank you for that.
The essay was based on a chapter of a book that at the time has not yet been published. I can now announce that the book, entitled Someone for Someone. Handbook on Presence, is ready and will be presented in the morning of 10 June in Utrecht. You are cordially invited!
The Presence Foundation and I organize this book launch together: below this message you will find the link to the announcement and the registration form of the Presence Foundation.
The new book offers a fascinating and sometimes in-depth overview of current insights into presence(approach and theory). Without throwing out the previous books, this is the update after 25 years of presence. You will find numerous answers to the questions and issues that presence seems to raise: how does it correspond to and differ from others, why is it an approach rather than a methodology (which makes everything!), it works thoroughly and relationally, but how do you go about it and what are its benefits, it is faithful, but what does that mean (the faithful accompaniment of Being able to endure is one form of it), it works as everyday as possible, but what is everydayness, and so on, and so forth. It has become a full and rich book, in which theory and practice constantly alternate and which is highly topical. I am delighted to be able to present it now.
The book is a real handbook – in terms of content, depth and scope – and some explanation of what you can do with it is in order. So on 10 June, I will not only be offering the book with some tasty appetizers, but also tailor-made training on how to work with it. But first, get the hang of it!