Person-Centered Theory

Person-Centered Theory/Approach

Definition:  "Person-Centered Therapy, 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."  (Person-centered therapy, 2012)

Purpose:  Two primary goals of person-centered therapy are increased self-esteem and greater openness to experience.  (Person-centered therapy, 2012)

Key Figure:

Carl Rogers                                    

• Father of Humanistic Movement;
• Core theme is therapy is non-judgmental and acceptance of the client (known as unconditional positive regard);
• He based the Person-Centered Therapy on concepts of humanistic psychology (shares many of the same concepts as Existentialism;
• Approach is also based on theory that individuals are trustworthy and that they can solve their own issues without direct intervention from therapist. (Person-centered, 2008)

Challenges:

• Assumption that the therapist knows best;
• Validation or validity of advice, suggestion, persuasion, diagnosis and interpretation;
• The belief that the client is unable to or cannot understand their own issues/problems without help. (Person-centered, 2008)

Overview:

• Self-directed growth;
• The relationship between the helper and the client;
• Individuals are architects of their own lives
• Major concept is trust. (Person-centered, 2008)

Concepts:

• Under nurturing conditions the client will be able to move forward and resolve their own issues;
• An individual can direct their own life;
• Unconditional positive regard;
• Accurate empathetic understanding. (Person-centered, 2008)

Core Conditions:

1. Two persons are in psychological contact;
2. The first, the client, is experiencing incongruency;
3. The second, the therapist, is congruent in the relationship;
4. The therapist experiences unconditional positive regard for the client;
5. Therapist experiences empathy for the client's internal frame of reference and endeavors to communicate this to the client;
6. Communication to the client, to a minimal, is achieved. (Person-centered, 2008)

 

References

Person-centered therapy. (2012). Retrieved from Person-centered therapy - children, people, used,   

             personality, theory, Definition, Purpose, Description, Normal results

             http://www.minddisorders.com/Ob-Ps/Person-centered-therapy.html

Person-centered. (2008). Retrieved from

             http://www.csun.edu/~hcpsy002/Psy460_Ch07_Handout_ppt.pdf

(n.d.). Retrieved from http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=yfp-t-

             540&sz=all&va=carl rogers