Person-Centred Approaches to Counselling Unit

Counselors in this field have to be open-minded and especially nonjudgmental when working with the specific population of the field. Person-centered therapy approach is useful as the role of the therapist in this situation. Clients in this population have already been judged by a jury and it is important for the counselor to remain unbiased when providing services for these clients. The following paragraphs will explain various applications and techniques that will be used for this integrative approach.

In terms of person-centred counselling, the way SFBT highlights these factors is directly facilitating the self- actualization of the client. Furthermore, both theories take an eclectic approach to the client’s situation. For example, the importance of the whole person in person-centred counselling is associated with the interest in the whole context of a person’s life in SFBT (Iveson, 2002). Hales (1999) describes how person-centred therapy believes that the client is in control of the counselling process and makes judgements about their decisions and experiences; this is seen much more overtly in SFBT as the clients are asked directly their goals for therapy and how they would know that therapy had been worthwhile. Both approaches provide client-orientated counselling which aims to promote self esteem and coping strategies for the client (Hales, 1999).

The critical components in person-centered therapy are imperative for the counseling session is self-regard and relationships. It showcases that both the counselor and client have a role to improve the relationship overall. When the counselor is congruent or actively listening to the client than the relationship enhances over the course

To me, as a trainee psychotherapist, the best way to thoroughly understand the person-centred approach is to connect the theory behind it to personal experiences. When I’m thinking about why I decided to study to become a Person-Centred therapist, and not a CBT or Psychoanalytic therapist, the first thing that comes to mind is my belief in self-healing. I strongly support Rogers’ idea that all individuals should be in charge of their own lives (Cooper et al., 2007). It is commonly assumed by government officials and the general public that treating clients by teaching them how to deal with their current issues has better outcomes than using client-centred therapies (Stiles et al., 2007). However, is directing the client in the “right direction” really what therapy is all about? How would a counsellor then know weather the path that they sent the client on is indeed the right one for them to achieve psychological wellness in a long term? In my experience of receiving counselling in the past I tended to be quite reserved towards the methods used by psychotherapists using a person-centred approach. I used to believe that I am not responsible for my own happiness and someone else had to tell me how to be happy. One of the main conflicts that I had and still have sometimes with person-centred therapy is that I loose faith that I am able to find my own way of healing myself. I remember years ago when I suffered with depression, no matter how hard I worked to return my internal

‘’Evaluate the claim that Person-centered therapy offers the therapist all that he/she will need to treat clients’’

Furthermore, the Rogerian approach is versatile. Cain supports this by stating that extensive research shows person-centered therapy 's relevance to a vast range of clients and problems of all age groups (as cited in Corey, 2009). It has also left an impact on counselling as its core conditions have become universal to other therapies. The cognitive behavioural approach, for example, recognises the necessity of a therapeutic relationship that is built upon trust and acceptance for its success. This versatility also stretches beyond counseliing. The concepts of the approach are commonly accepted and widely adopted in other settings such as education, human relations and healthcare and are also applicable to one 's personal life (Corey, 2009).

According to Holder (2013), person-centred counselling and psychotherapy approach places much of the responsibility for treatment in the hands of the patient as opposed to the therapist. Developed in the 1950s by an American Psychologist namely Carl Rogers, this approach aims at increasing self-esteem and enhance openness to the treatment experience. The rationale behind this approach is that therapy can better take place in a supportive environment. This type of environment results from forming close personal ties between the client and the therapist. The approach relies on self-actualization, where it encourages the client to move forward and reach their fullest potential.

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

I learnt that the person-centred approach can develop an effective client-counsellor relationship and I feel is more in tune with modern society.

Carl Roger’s Person Centered Theory is also known as Client Centered Therapy in that it focuses on the humanistic approach to therapy. It deals with the way the client sees himself or herself rather than how the counselor sees them. With this approach to therapy, it is believed that humans have the instinctive tendency to develop and grow towards their full potential. Nevertheless, this type of therapy can sometimes be ineffective due to a persons life experiences. This is especially true for those life experiences that affect their sense of value and self-worth.

When I first read the title and the objectives of this chapter, I expected to study about the first step of counseling. I am actually surprised that it was actually beyond than just the counseling session. The chapter mostly analyzing us as the counselor and us as self-first.

Person-centered therapy (PCT), which is also known as client-centered, non-directive, or Rogerian therapy, is an approach to counseling and psychotherapy that places much of the responsibility for the treatment process on the client, with the therapist taking a non directive role. Two primary goals of PCT are increased self-esteem and greater openness to experience. Some of the related changes that this form of therapy seeks to foster in clients include closer agreement between the client’s idealized and actual selves; better self-understanding; lower levels of defensiveness, guilt and insecurity; more positive and comfortable relationships with others; and an increased capacity to experience and express feelings at the moment they occur.

The relationship established by the client and counselor is a crucial aspect of the theory. It is essential that the client feels safe and comfortable in his or her environment. As trust is built between counselor and client, the client will slowly discover self actualization. Carl Rogers was incredibly fascinated by many of Abraham Maslow’s ideas, particularly the aspects of being a fully functioning person. Carl Rogers also felt that we cannot fully strive toward “self actualization” if our needs are not met through Maslow 's Hierarchy of needs. If our needs are not met, our attention is riveted on meeting these basic needs (Gerald 2012, pg 177). Person centered theory works as a non directive approach which ultimately allows the client complete capacity of finding and discovering their own answers. Through this process the counselor helps the client create change in their life, by developing a considerable understanding of their feelings and behavior. This process should lead the client striving to live a more meaningful life.

For my home orientation I chose Person centered therapy. I believe that this therapeutic approach will best fit me and my client. Person centered therapy was created by Carl Rogers in the 1940s. Carl Rogers did not believe that therapy should be a cold and rigorous process. So he made some changes and did a lot of research and opened a center for person centered therapist to come and learn in workshops and do research. In this paper I will explain person centered therapy, I will counsel Ruth and have a Transcript, and talk about how person centered therapy is a great fit for me.

Correspondingly, Combs (1988) proposed that because therapists using person centred approach do not know what’s best for their clients, they’re usually hesitant towards guiding or teaching them. He opines that person centred counsellors should take the responsibility of teaching clients how to achieve their goals and make hence, make significant changes. Furthermore, According to Nye (1981) the person centred approach is unreasonably general. I.e. it lacks clearly well-defined terms for its techniques. For Thomson & Rudolph (1983), person centred approach is modelled upon clients that are intelligent, literate, and highly perceptive of their