What is Person-Centered Therapy?

Person-Centered Therapy is not so much a series of activities and interventions as it is a way of being with people and a way of perceiving their struggles and their strengths. As a central perspective, Person-Centered therapists view all people as having the potential to make positive changes and to live out a life of authenticity and genuine meaning. Person-centered therapists act as catalysts for change by being a safe, accepting, and empathic listener; they can help you identify barriers and effectively make progress in your life while feeling understood.

Client-Centered. The job of the therapist is not so much to tell you what to do, give you advice, or persuade or teach you but to be a “blank slate”; this means that therapists are nonjudgmental and curious and focus their efforts on helping the clients gain insight into their own lives. The client is ultimately in charge of decisions and of the direction and value of various therapeutic options. The client is also viewed as being the expect on him or herself.

Perspective-taking: A major focus of this therapy is the therapist’s attempt to understand and see the world from the perspective of the client. When accurate, this is called empathy, and has been widely researched and agreed upon to be the most important predictor of therapeutic effectiveness.

Nonjudgmental: While every therapist has his or her own values and beliefs, a client-centered therapist makes efforts to both genuinely regard the client in a positive light and view their choices and unique personalities, values, temperaments, and goals, without judgment—even when they are different than the therapist’s.

Everyone can and will grow: One unique underlying view of Person-centered therapy is that every person has a basic innate drive and ability to grow, change, and become more self-actualized: what I call, “becoming what you were always meant to be”; if the necessary conditions to foster this growth are present.

Plant Analogy: A helpful analogy to explain this is that of a plant trying to grow. Within the DNA of every plant is all the blueprints to grow and thrive; what is needed is the conditions for that growth. Without nutrients, sunlight, water, and a suitable temperature, the plant will not thrive. Similarly, people live their lives lacking some of the essential psychological nutrients to grow and to thrive: such as, an available attachment figure (parent usually) who cares and loves unconditionally; a challenging and rewarding environment such as good schooling; messages of worth and value that ring through your ear throughout your life. Without these conditions, people’s psychological growth can be stifled. This is where the therapist comes in; providing a non-judgmental, warm, caring, empathic, and safe environment which fosters psychological growth.

“If I can provide a certain type of relationship, the other person will discover within himself or herself the capacity to use that relationship for growth and change, and personal development will occur” -Carl Rogers, 1961, from his book On Being A Person

Joshua Adams, R.Psych
Authentic Psychology