Talking Therapy

What is Person Centred Counselling?

None of us are exactly the same, everyone’s mind works in their own individual way. From their personality to how they process information, and their perception of themselves and the world around them. This is why there is such a variety in theory and approaches to counselling and therapy. What works for one person, won't necessarily work for another, we are truly unique.

The American psychologist Carl Rogers founded Person-Centred Therapy in the 1940s. He believed that humans are born with the ability to develop their true potential, however this ability could sometimes become blocked or disoriented by life experiences and influences, especially when they impact our sense of value.

He wanted a person-centred approach for counselling that focused on the clients' experience of themselves, as opposed to a counsellor forcing their expertise and telling them what to do, or what was wrong with them. When the client feels valued and accepted in therapy, they can begin to understand, value and accept themselves. This process can help them to reconnect with their own core values and sense of self-worth, following their own path to growth and develop their individual potential. The term for achieving this is known as 'self-actualisation'.

Key Concepts and Principles of Person-Centred Counselling

For this method to work, there needs to be a safe environment set, because the client, not the counsellor, leads it. Emotional and physical threat needs to be removed for raw openness, comfort and personal growth.

Therefore, there are key concepts and principles which encourage conditions believed to help achieve this environment, particularly in the therapy room.

​These three key concepts in person-centred counselling are:

1. Empathy: the counsellor trying to understand the client’s point of view

2. Congruence: the counsellor being a genuine person

3. Unconditional positive regard: the counsellor being non-judgemental

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Be Like the Lotus, Trust in the Light, Grow through the Dirt, Believe in New Beginnings....