Theories of education, counseling, and group work that we follow.
 

What Is Person Centered Therapy?

Person centered therapy, also known as Rogerian or Humanistic, is based upon the underlying belief that every person has both the ability and the desire to reach their potential through personal growth and change. This natural inclination is called the self-actualizing tendency. The ability to self-actualize derives from a person’s capacity for self-understanding and for changing their own self-concepts, as well as their attitudes and behaviors.

Client-centered therapy/educating is distinct from other forms of psychotherapy in two major ways: a focus on the unique nature of each client, and the therapist’s avoidance of giving any direction to the issues discussed. As a non-directive therapy, the therapist does not attempt to direct the conversation in the session. The client is encouraged to lead in each session by bringing up the issues, feelings, or difficulties that are relevant to them. Each client’s thoughts, experiences, and beliefs are seen as valid content for the sessions.

IN SHORT- one size doesn't fit all and we know that.

Who Developed Person-Centered Theory?

Client-centered therapy was developed by Carl Rogers, an American psychologist born in 1902. As a professor of clinical psychology at Ohio State University, he authored the book, Counseling and Psychotherapy, published in 1942. In this book, he put forth the idea that clients can resolve difficulties and gain insights necessary to change their lives through the therapeutic relationship, with an accepting, understanding clinician/group facilitator.

What Can Person Centered Programming Help With?

Person centered programming has been used in a broad range of circumstances, including work with adolescents, parenting difficulties, individual adults, as well as relationship conflict. It is most effective for people who are highly self-motivated, since much of the effort and direction actually comes from the client. A common concern of clients who benefit from person centered therapy is a need for greater self-confidence. This is particularly true when the lack of confidence is related to social anxiety or fear of rejection, as opposed to a lack of confidence in one’s skills or talents. Because it is relationship based, person centered programming is well suited for the client who seeks an increase in self-esteem or in becoming open to new experiences.

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The big 3. UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD, EMPATHY, CONGRUENCE

Unconditional Positive Regard

The therapist must provide complete acceptance of the client regardless of what they say. This means providing consistent support and willingness to listen attentively. The therapist refrains from judgements of the client’s character, showing any disapproval, and giving any advice. The purpose is to convey that the client is valued regardless of mistakes or poor decisions. Ideally, this leads to the client’s greater ability to value themself in spite of their problems or past transgressions.

Empathy

Empathy, the ability to sense another person’s emotional experience as they do, is a critical quality in client-centered therapy. It is necessary for the therapist to extend empathy to the client in order to fully understand and appreciate the client’s perspective. Accurate empathy guards against judgment and reinforces the unconditional positive regard.

Congruence

Also called genuineness, congruence is the third critical quality of a therapist/facilitator involved in person centered therapy. This is the quality of being transparent and not trying to appear as the sole expert in the relationship. By showing congruence between who the therapist is and how they communicate and behave, the relationship is more open and honest. The client is also provided with a realistic model of vulnerability in relationships.

Is the facilitar a Passive Participant in Person-Focused Programming?

No, the facilitator is not passive during person-centered programming. Due to the uniqueness of each person, the client is viewed as the expert of his own experience, while the therapist is the expert in the theories and methods of therapy. This belief creates a team approach with equal partners in the team rather than an expert with a helpless patient, as is the model in psychoanalysis.

The setting of goals in person centered therapy is also tied to the concept that the client is the only person with expert knowledge of themselves. Only the client is able to set goals that are desirable and worthwhile for themselves. There will likely be some generalized goals as well, which include minimizing distress, improving self-esteem, increasing self-understanding, and facilitating personal growth.

Conditions for Successful Person Centered Therapeutic Programming.

There are six necessary conditions for the effectiveness of client-centered programs, which are all related to the existence of mutual positive feelings and authenticity. When these conditions are met, there is strong potential for positive change.

Here are the six conditions for successful person centered therapy:

1. There must be a relationship in which both the facilitator and the client perceive each other as important.

2. The client is in a state of incongruence, meaning that their life experience isn’t matching up with their sense of how they would like their life to be. This may mean not feeling like oneself, not living consistently with one’s values, or not meeting one’s potential.

3. The facilitator must be genuine, as described above, including being aware of their own feelings.

4. The facilitator expresses unconditional positive regard for the client.

5. The facilitator feels empathy toward the client and demonstrates this empathic understanding through communication in sessions.

6. The client recognizes the unconditional positive regard that the facilitator has for them. The client perceives that the facilitator understands their difficulties and challenges, and has a non-judgemental attitude towards them.

Person Centered Therapy Techniques

Set clear boundaries for the relationship: Boundaries are always important in therapeutic relationships. These are set in order to prevent the relationship from becoming ineffective, which might happen if too many details of the therapist’s life were discussed, and could lead to issues like transference. There are also practical boundaries, such as how long a session will last.

• Do not lead the client: The client is the expert on their own experiences and problems, as well as their own acceptable solutions. The client must be the one to lead the discussion.

• Be non-judgemental at all times: Any judgment may be experienced as rejection and be harmful to a client struggling with low self-worth, feelings of inadequacy, or excessive guilt.

• Do not give advice or make decisions for the client: These behaviors undermine the client’s responsibility and capacity to make decisions for themselves.

• Present yourself in a genuine way to the client: It is helpful to share some facts of your own life as well as some of your own feelings. By being open and sharing some personal information, the client is likely to feel more at ease about sharing with you.

• Be accepting of negative emotions even when they are directed at the therapist: On occasion, a client may feel angry, disappointed, or annoyed by the therapist. They should be allowed to verbalize these feelings so that any relevant meaning or personal insights may be gained by talking them through.

• Recognize and acknowledge your own limitations.

What Are the Benefits of Person-Centered Programs?

Benefits of person-centered therapeutic programming include:

• Increased performance in multiple areas of life

• Higher levels of self-satisfaction

• Improved quality of life

• Empowerment from being an active leader in therapy sessions

• Strong therapeutic relationship

• Focus on the person, not diagnosis

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source https://www.choosingtherapy.com/person-centered-therapy/