Person-centred therapy is gaining significant popularity in modern medical practice. Its widespread adoption is attributed to the idea that it employs a non-authoritative approach allowing patients to control counselling sessions. Client-centred counselling is critical in clinical therapy; it helps clients work on their sense of identity, self-confidence, and interpersonal relationships. In this approach, a therapist serves as a compassionate facilitator who listens without judgment and acknowledges patients’ experience without changing the direction of conversations. Its effectiveness has seen as an independent intervention or in conjunction with other types of counselling for anxiety, stress, depression, grief, and other mental issues.
Person-Centred Therapy
Person-centered therapy is a humanistic approaching to counselling. According to Trettin (2021), this type of counselling is concerned with how a client perceives themselves consciously instead of how a therapist interprets their conscious thoughts and ideas. Therefore, as Trettin (2021) insists, this therapy's principal purpose is to facilitate an individual’s ability to self-actualize. As such, person-centered therapy promotes evolution and relationships by letting clients discover and exploit their strengths and individual identities. In this sense, a therapist is not an expert, rather the client. The role of a counsellor is to aid the process and provide needed support.
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It is founded on five critical goals of therapy. The most important goal is to facilitate trust and ensure the client’s ability to be in the present moment (Markowitsch, 2018). In doing so, a client feels free, to be honest in the discussions without the fear of being judged. Other goals include promoting self-awareness and self-esteem, empowering a client to change, encouraging congruence in the client's behaviors and feelings, and helping people gain the ability to manage their lives and become the best versions of themselves (Markowitsch, 2018). For the goals to be achieved, the client has to talk with a therapist to be a keen listener.
The history of Person-centered therapy goes several decades back. According to Quinn (2015), the treatment was developed by Carl Rogers in the 1940s. It was influenced by the concepts of humanistic psychology, which views people as capable and autonomous and thus have the capacity to resolve their challenges, realize their potential, and transform their lives (Quinn, 2015). Rogers diverged from the traditional model of counselling, where a therapist is considered an expert. The American psychologist adopted a nondirective approach instead, where a therapist is empathetic enough to empower and encourage a client in a therapeutic process.
Human Nature
The personal theory of counselling has a positive opinion of human nature. There is a reliable theme that inspires most of Rogers’s empirical work, especially regarding counselling. Humans can develop positively and constructively in a climate characterized by respect and trust. People are inherently good, and under the right circumstances, since trust is fundamentally present in human nature, a client can move forward constructively if the conditions above are current. Another aspect of human nature present in Rogers's writings is that humans are a product of genetic, social, and environmental factors. In other words, human nature is seen in a positive light as far as Person-centered therapy is concerned.
It is the positive perception of human nature that governs clinical practice in Person-centered counselling. Because Rogerian theory promotes the idea that an individual is innately and inherently capable of escaping mental health implications, the primary accountability in counselling is directed at the client. In that sense, coupled with the positive light towards human nature, a therapist focuses more on what is right with a client and less on what is wrong. That being the case, clinical therapists strive to challenge individuals to take positive changes in their lives, leading to a more fulfilled and self-actualized life.
Origin of Behavior
Human behavior originates from hereditary and environmental factors. From the section above, Rogerian theory holds that human nature is a product of genetic, social, and environmental factors. Human beings have exhibited certain behavioral attributes that are genetic and inherited. Biologically-related behaviors are inborn and often impossible to change (Benagiano et al., 2010). Biological or genetic factors stem from intelligence, abilities, age, race, gender, and physical qualities (Benagiano et al., 2010). For example, intellectual capacity separates people’s behaviors within memory, verbal communication, verbal and analytical reasoning.
Social and environmental factors are diverse. They are concerned with social and ecological conditions a person is exposed to. Examples include social norms and beliefs, religion and spirituality (Benagiano et al., 2010). Social norms are considered the unspoken rules of a social group. Such rules shape behaviors and attitudes. Social norms standardize what is normal and what is not (Benagiano et al., 2010). As such, since social models vary between groups, behaviors would not also be the same. Religion and spirituality is another significant determinant of behavior. They set guidelines defining what constitutes the right and wrong behaviors (Benagiano et al., 2010). Thus, people act within the provisions of social norms, spiritual values, and religious expectations.
Therapeutic Goals
Person-centered therapy seeks to achieve a variety of goals. However, the intervention's main plans include—first, the approach aims to facilitate trust and enable a client to be present at the moment. Under this goal, a therapist must create a conducive and supportive climate allowing a client to be ultimately honest and open without fear of judgement (Markowitsch, 2018). The therapy also seeks to improve the self-esteem and self-awareness of a client. As stated earlier in the text, other objectives include enabling a client to transform their lives, inspiring congruence in the client’s conduct and feelings, and helping people manage their lives.
The goals above can only be achieved in the right environment. Even though it is a humanistic approach, Person-centred counselling is also founded on the self-actualizing theory principles. A particular psychological environment is needed to fulfil personal potentials. Quinn (2015) describes such an environment as one in which a person feels free from physical and emotional threats. As such, a client-therapist relationship should be established on three conditions—congruence, empathy, unconditional positive regard. Such conditions eliminate barriers to effective therapy, including low self-esteem, dishonesty, and lack of self-reliance.
Techniques Used
Person-centred therapy techniques were originally founded by Carl Rogers, who emphasized the client being the expert. A therapist role is to establish an environment that enables the client to strive towards s state of self-actualization (Murphy & Joseph, 2016). There are a variety of techniques clinical practitioners adopt to create such an environment. There have been cases where the approach has been criticized because therapists do not use techniques as much as they develop an atmospheric atmosphere (Murphy & Joseph, 2016). However, there are particular behaviors a counsellor may employ to create an optimal environment that counts as therapeutic techniques.
The first technique involves developing self-concept. Self-concept, what Carl Rogers termed congruence, is critical in Person-centered therapy. The method allows a client to balance their ideal self with how they experience their real self. The ability to balance between a perfect self and the real self is necessary to enable a person to become a highly functioning version of themselves and achieve their life goals. A therapist understands that a client is in a state of incongruence when they begin counselling. Therefore, part of their work is to work towards making sure they attain congruence.
Achieving congruence demands genuineness from a therapist. Unless a clinical counsellor demonstrates authenticity, it is difficult for a client to balance the ideal self and real self. Being genuine from a therapist side involves matching thoughts and behaviours that a client should experience in a therapist most authentic self (Murphy & Joseph, 2016). Therefore, part of the technique involves ensuring the therapist speaks the truth regarding the client, himself, and the situation. The principle of truthfulness in Person-centred therapy somewhat contradicts form doctrines of psychodynamic psychology where a clinical practitioner is prohibited from disclosing certain information to patients. That being the case, a therapist can only be as truthful as establishing trust in their relationship with a client.
The second technique is known as unconditional positive regard. The principles of Person-centered counselling require a therapist to display positive concern for the client. When he developed the concept, Carl Rogers expected the therapist to accept and support a client regardless of what they say or do in a therapy session (Cooper & McLeod, 2011). However, unconditional positive regard does not mean a therapist should always agree with what a client says. It means they should refrain from judging a client based on what they do or say. Its purpose is to create a climate where a client feels valued and important enough to open up.
Empathy is another critical technique in Person-centered therapy. Empathy refers to the ability to be in another person’s shoes and relating to their experiences. Empathy should not be mixed or confused with sympathy, as they are two completely different concepts. While empathy involves demonstrating understanding for a person, sympathy is essentially feeling bad for them. In other words, empathy is a positive feeling, while compassion is negative as far as therapy is concerned. When a therapist is empathetic, clients feel understood and safe and thus motivated to disclose as much information as possible.
There are several other techniques besides the three above. While Carl Rogers proposed empathy, congruence, and unconditional positive regard as the basis for Person-centred therapy, the methods are not restricted to those three. Others may include accepting negative emotions, active listening, paying attention to the client’s body language, using appropriate tone, affirming the client and using open-ended questions (Cooper & McLeod, 2011). The basic idea behind a possible technique or a set of strategies to employ in making sure the right climate is established enables a client to be honest—an environment free from physical and emotional threats.
Role of Therapist
A therapist plays a variety of roles in counselling. The first role is to establish the boundaries of the counselling situation. A clinical therapist is responsible for providing a therapeutic climate characterized by warmth, safety, comfort, and caring. Creating a limit for the therapy session also involves defining what constitutes counselling since humanistic approach therapy has varied meaning for different therapists (King, 2017). Second, a therapist has the role of facilitating a client’s self-awareness, growth, and psychological development. The position is rooted in the idea that a client can self-actualize and only needs a facilitator and the right environment.
Third, the nature of the relationship between a customer and a therapist is a therapist role. The success of Person-centered therapy largely depends on the association between a client and their therapist. Therefore, a therapist must build rapport with a client by employing empathetic listening, caring, and demonstrating warmth (King, 2017). Fourth, a therapist must also identify and eliminate factors that may inhibit the relationship. As mentioned earlier in the text, a therapist should explore the environment, identify and get rid of emotional and physical threats. Lastly, a therapist must be congruent—authentic, genuine, and transparent (King, 2017). Congruence is a critical component in Person-centered therapy, as mentioned by Carl Rogers.
Role of Client
A client is essentially the expert in a typical counselling session. Thus, a client’s role is straightforward, unlike that of a therapist. Since everyone is unique and capable of hitting their ultimate potential, a client should walk in a therapy session to achieve self-actualization. With the help of a therapist, they should distinguish between their real self (which is the sate of their true self at the time of self) and their ideal self. Knowing the difference is the first towards the journey of self-actualization. The process demands a client to be honest and transparent with a therapist. Since they are the expert, the success of the therapy largely depends on the clients.
Terms of Success
Rogerian theory of Person-centered theory identifies six factors stimulating growth within a person. The first condition is the relationship between a therapist and a client. According to Boyer (2016), the psychological contract between a client and therapist must be ideal for a client to attain positive change. The second condition is the therapist’s congruence. In this condition, a therapist must be self-aware, genuine, and congruent. Thirdly, a therapist should maintain empathy throughout the therapy situation. Fourthly, a client should perceive a therapist as an empathic professional with unconditional positive regard. Fifthly, a therapist should refrain from judging a client or viewing them in negative reference. Lastly, there should a clear discrepancy and balance between a client's self-image and experience. Rogers recommended that when the settings above are met, a person will fall towards a potential Boyer's constructive fulfilment.
Criticism of Person-centered Therapy
The client-centred theory has been criticized since the beginning on multiple ground. For instance, the idea that a client is an expert in Person-centered therapy creates the perception that a therapist needs little training. Critics claim that if a therapist only serves as an active listener who establishes a positive atmosphere, training is not important. Another ground for criticism is the claim of insufficient controlled scientific inquiry on the effectiveness of the approach—lack of sufficient research questions the credibility of client-centred therapy as a therapeutic intervention. Decades ago, critics claimed distinctive features of the approach are not effective. The idea that the conditions for effective client-centred therapy are ineffective has been the subject of debate for the past decades.
My Approach to Counselling
My theory of counselling follows guidelines established by prominent psychologists. I have a preference for the Rogerian theory of counselling. Nonetheless, I felt my idea of counselling should address the limitations of Roger’s model. Thus, my approach borrows strengths from major theoretical models of therapy. My theory meets the criteria established by the likes of Spruill and Benshoff (2010), Mobley and Gazda (2007), and Bedi (2004). In other words, I followed a three-phase process to come up with my theory of counselling. In the first phase, I focused on my personal beliefs and their relevance to counselling. Exploring my values, ideas, and motivations for becoming a professional therapist laid a foundation for my future as a clinical therapist.
In the second phase, I studied and experimented with different theoretical models and approaches to counselling. I examined the common and reputable counselling models extensively, including behaviorism, psychodynamic theory, cognitive theory, and humanistic theories (Mobley & Gazda, 2007). The models above have varied approaches to counselling. For instance, behaviorism and cognitive theories adopt a single-sided view of counselling. The former suggests that behavior is determined by life experiences, while the latter claim behaviors are cognitive processes. Similarly, psychodynamic theorists believe behavior is determined mostly by life experiences.
For the reasons above, I leaned more towards humanistic models. A humanistic approach to therapy suggests that humans can achieve their highest potential. Under the humanistic approach are three major treatments—Carl Roger’s, Gestalt therapy, and existential therapy. Gestalt therapy emphases on a client’s present experiences, with the common technique being role-playing. Existential therapy inspires clients to accept accountability for their lives and difficulties. The best and the most effective approach to treating the three is Carl Roger’s Person-centered counselling. The main reason is it is also consistent with my personal beliefs, values, and principles.
In the third phase, I developed my counselling skills, concepts, and techniques. Having explored my values, beliefs, and principles and selecting preferable counselling models that match my thoughts, I performed experimental counselling sessions to determine my strengths in terms of skills and techniques. I discovered the importance of Carl Roger's methods and concepts. However, I added more critical skills to improve the effectiveness of my counselling model. For example, effective communication skills; multicultural competencies (for understanding how a client's racial, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds affect them); counsellor self-disclosure (to improve congruence); reflection; and focusing and paraphrasing.
References
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Benagiano, G., Carrara, S., & Filippi, V. (2010). Social and ethical determinants of human sexuality: 1. The need to reproduce. Minerva ginecologica , 62 (4), 349-359.
Boyer, W. (2016). Person-centred therapy: A philosophy to support early childhood education. Early Childhood Education Journal , 44 (4), 343-348.
Cooper, M., & McLeod, J. (2011). Person-centred therapy: A pluralistic perspective. Person-centred & Experiential Psychotherapies , 10 (3), 210-223.
King, G. (2017). The role of the therapist in therapeutic change: How knowledge from mental health can inform pediatric rehabilitation. Physical & occupational therapy in pediatrics , 37 (2), 121-138.
Markowitsch, S. (2018). Is Person-centred therapy (PCT) a radical alternative to today’s individual and political situation or a failed revolution?. Person-centred & Experiential Psychotherapies , 17 (3), 241-252.
Mobley, J. A., & Gazda, G. M. (2007). Creating a Personal Counselling Theory.
Murphy, D., & Joseph, S. (2016). Person-centred therapy: Past, present, and future orientations.
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Trettin, A. F. (2021). Person-centred Therapy: The Case of Tommy. Discovering Theory in Clinical Practice , 73-84.
Quinn, A. (2015). A Person-centred approach and the Rogerian tradition: A handbook . Adam Quinn.
