Understanding Person-Centered Therapy

Each Person, A Distinct Individual

Carl Rogers, a leading humanistic psychotherapist developed client-centered or person-centered therapy on the premise that, “people can be understood only from their own phenomenology—the immediate experience that they have of themselves and their world—and that they become disordered when they fail to attend to their own inner nature and instead guide their behavior according to what others wish,” (Davidson, Neale, Blankstein, & Flett, 2002, pg. 597).

Whatever our specific experiences in life are, they are certainly unmatched by and incomparable to anyone else’s. Whether we experience constant nagging or coddling of our mother, the stern scolding or excessive joking from our father, or if the peer pressure we were exposed to was too intense, many of our choices are molded by these experiences. Each person’s experience, if when raised in the same family is vastly different.

Client-centered therapy provides the opportunity to express and explore your own personal experiences and how these have both positive and negative impact.  By building self-awareness in therapy, people often feel they have regained their voice and freedom of choice.  Steps toward increasing understanding foster an improved ability to respond more effectively to challenges in life, to communicate and interact in a way that increases satisfaction in relationships.

In client-centered therapy, the role of a therapist is to create an environment that is non-judgmental, accepting, and empathetic. The goal is to allow the person to better understand his or her own wishes, fears, needs, and aspirations—also to reconsider his or her current relationships. He or she may begin to question how these relationships are benefiting or hampering their pursuit in life and identify ways to bring about positive change.

Who can benefit?

Client-centered therapy has shown to provide a positive effect on those suffering from:

• Depression
• Poor relationships
• Anxiety
• Schizophrenia
• Substance abuse
• Personality disorders
• Panic attacks
• Stress
• Eating disorders
• Phobias

Benefits of client-centered therapy include:

• Decreased feelings of guilt and stress
• Increased ability to express personal feelings and opinions
• Greater ability to trust oneself
• Decreased anxiety and fear
• Healthier relationships
• Openness to new ideas and experiences
• Increased self-esteem

To discuss how client-centered therapy may work for you, book an appointment with us today!