The purpose of this article is to contribute to the Czech discourse on issues of power in social work by pointing to the importance of temporality of human life. The article is based on such characteristics of the helping process as intentionality and relationship. Understanding of the power mechanism within the helping relationship draws on the understanding of the change in the position and roles of a social worker in the postmodern era. The second basis is the philosophical conception of the power within the helping relationship. Theoretical reflection of the importance of temporality in the helping relationship is illustrated by the results of the qualitative survey carried out in the framework of the SGS FP TUL project Ethical dilemmas of community work.