Person-Centered Therapy: Client-Centered Approach

One of key concepts of person centred therapy is the belief that the client has the ability to become aware of their own problems and has the inherent means to resolve them. In this sense,

In the very early years of the person-centred approach, the direction and goals of the therapy were very much determined by the client, with the therapist’s role being to assist the client in clarifying their feelings. This approach of non-directive therapy was associated with a greater self-exploration, increased understanding, and improved self-concept. Further development of person centred therapy has seen a shift in concentration toward the core conditions assumed to be both necessary and sufficient for successful therapy (Cox, Bachkirova & Clutterbuck, 2010)

Client-centered therapy: An approach to counseling where the client determines the general direction of therapy, while the therapist seeks to increase the client's insightful self-understanding through informal simplified questions. The client is the focal point of the sessions, the therapist takes a "back seat" to learn about the person, and watch as the client moves toward the achievement of their full potential through creativity.

Person Centered Therapy was developed by Carl Rogers in the 1940’s and 1950’s. It remains a relevant technique practiced today. This article researched the relevance of Person Centered Therapy since Carl Rogers’s death in the late 1987. The article determined the relevance of this by using three measures. First, how often Person Centered Therapy was included in organizations, journals, and institutes dedicated to this approach. Secondly, it researched how often Person Centered Therapy was included in new research since Rogers’s death. Finally, any current research that has validated Roger’s core conditions (Kirschenbaum & Jourdan,

Often social workers are faced with having to choose from a wide variety of practice approaches, models, and methods when working with clients. Understanding which approach is appropriate to use with your client is imperative. “Paying equal attention to people and their environments is a critical aspect when choosing the appropriate approach, as each client and situation is unique” (Gitterman & Heller, 2011). For this critical analysis of the therapeutic approach known as Person-Centered Therapy, I will be outlining the ‘core conditions’, which guide the counselors approach. The reason I chose to highlight this

What would you expect the therapist to focus on or to do? One would expect the therapist to the therapist would perform nondirective therapy, in which the therapist listens to the client without judging (unconditional positive regard). The therapist might perform active listening in which they restate what the person expresses.

These correct conditions which are required within person centred therapy in order that the client can achieve self actualisation and personality change were outlined by Carl Rogers and he believed that if this 6 conditions were met, it would facilitate change within the client: Two persons are in psychological contact- both client and counsellor are present physically and psychologically. The client is in a state of incongruence, (which will be discussed in more detail) the communication of the counsellor’s empathetic understanding and unconditional positive regard is met at a minimal level. The last condition mentioned involves 3 other conditions, which are essential attitudes and qualities necessary for the counsellor to posses for successful therapy; empathic understanding, unconditional positive regard and congruence. (Rogers C, 1957).

In this essay I will look at the claim that Person-Centred Therapy offers the therapist all that he/she will need to treat clients. Firstly, I will outline what Person-Centred therapy is and look at what its originator, Carl Rogers’, theories behind this approach are. I will then discuss some of the criticisms that have been made about Person-Centred Therapy, and weigh them up to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of this therapeutic approach. In the conclusion I will reflect on my learning, and on my own experiences and opinions.

In the 1940s Carl Rogers was well on his way to revolutionizing the state of traditional, directive psychotherapy and pioneering what would soon become the person-centered approach. Although Rogers strayed from the psychological mainstream’s view that therapists drive their clients recovery through such mediums as advice, direction, teaching and interpretation he still believed that the therapist’s role was crucial, and it was their attributes that paved the way to increased awareness and self-directed change.

“The Person-Centred Therapy approach has its limitations when it comes to treating a gambling addiction.” Discuss.

On the other hand person centered therapy was developed around the 1940s by Mr. Carl Rogers. He was known to be very radical and revolutionary during his era. This is a nondirective approach form of therapy. This therapy moved away from the idea that the therapist is the expert. Instead it is about the personal relationship that the therapists develop with the client. However, this can only take place if the therapist characteristics are nurturing this helps the client to see the true genuineness in the counselor therapy sessions. Person centered therapy is more like a friendship therapy to me. The counselor must show and be

Person centered therapy: Stan was able to articulate the things in his life that he felt were problematic. He also expressed a desire to change these things but lacked knowledge on how to do so. Person centered therapy is based on the theory that we want to actually become the people that we envision ourselves to be and that we base who we are on how we view reality. In person centered therapy with a counselor that Stan could fully trust and be open with, Stan would be able to evaluate himself and his perceptions and take ownership of them. Person centered counselor’s are trained to be extremely empathetic, always positive and are to believe that their clients are fully capable and able to change. A client with Stan’s

Person-Centered therapy applied in a therapeutic relationship by the therapist being empathetic and allowing the clients to move in their own time on finding their own self-actualization. This allows the client to gain and learn their own independence and integration in the world that they live in. The therapist not leading the client into any direction but being empathic to what they are going through to help the client’s growth process does this. It is not about the therapist having the client do anything or the therapists do anything but to be open and have a good attitude towards the client (Corey, 2013).

Person-centered counseling (PCC) is one of the key models of understanding for the dynamic force that lies behind the therapist/client relationship. This particular model focuses on the three core elements of unconditional positive regard, empathic understanding and congruence, all of which related to the establishment of a level of trust, understanding, respect and honesty between the two players. But what happens when the domain of "person-centered counseling" gets usurped by a "computer-centered reality"?

Person-centered therapy provides a pathway to self-actualization through the creation of an empathetic, trusting relationship between client and counselor. In the case scenario described, a woman struggles with anger and depression, which negatively impacts her relationship with her husband. This case study presents an overview of person-centered therapy and an explanation of how it could be used in the therapeutic environment to help this client successfully cope with her issues.