Person Centered Therapy
Person-centered therapy is an approach to counselling and psychotherapy that emphasises the quality of the interpersonal relationship between client and therapist. The relationship is client led, with the therapist taking a nondirective role.
Carl Rogers (the forefather of Person centered therapy) believed that the most important factor in successful therapy was not the therapist's skill or training, but rather his or her attitude. The Counsellor will convey interrelated attitudes central to the working relationship with the client during person-centered therapy: congruence; unconditional positive regard; and empathy.
Congruence: refers to the therapist’s skill in becoming open and genuine with the willingness to relate to clients without hiding behind their professional role.
Unconditional positive regard: the therapist accepts the client totally for who he or she is without evaluation or judgment.
Empathy: The therapist appreciates how the client experiences events in his/her world from his/her point of view, showing an emotional understanding of and sensitivity to the client's feelings throughout the therapy session. In person-centered therapy, empathy constitutes a major portion of the therapeutic work.
With this nondirective approach, clients can explore the issues that are most important to them—not those considered important by the therapist. The therapist merely facilitates growth by providing a climate in which clients can freely engage in focused, in-depth self-exploration.