Person Centered Psychotherapy & How It Works

Carl Rogers came up with person-centred therapy to challenge traditional therapy. Rather than viewing people as problems to be solved or diagnoses to be treated, it sees them as unique individuals with a natural ability to grow and heal. Rogers did not try to put people into boxes of labels but rather saw humans as full of competence to solve their own concerns. It's similar to giving a plant, fertile soil and excellent conditions; in the correct environment, it will naturally grow against the light and flourish.

Let us understand person centred therapy using the example of Sarah, a 32-year-old professional who came to therapy feeling "lost" in her career and relationships. Sarah, like many other clients, sought straightforward counselling and solutions. Instead, she was engaged in a therapeutic environment in which her feelings, thoughts, and experiences were valued as actual experts in the room.

Consider person-centred treatment to be like building a greenhouse for personal development. Just as a greenhouse provides ideal conditions for plants to flourish naturally, this therapy fosters an environment in which clients can find their own solutions.

When Sarah first stepped in, she anticipated to be given advise and have someone "fix" her problems. Instead, she discovered something new: a space in which her emotions, thoughts, and experiences were the genuine experts in the room.

Carl Rogers, the creator of this technique, held a revolutionary belief: when given the correct circumstances, individuals naturally gravitate towards growth and healing. It's like a plant naturally growing towards sunlight; we all have that inner wisdom.

The three fundamental conditions (which I refer to as the golden trio) are:

1. Unconditional Positive Regard - for example the therapist fully accepting Sarah, even when she was critical of herself.
2. Empathy - it is about the therapist truly comprehending the world through Sarah’s eyes.
3. Genuineness - it is about being true and sincere in the interaction that would take place between Sarah and the therapist.

How It Works

"I should be happy for my job," Sarah explained, "but every morning I feel so empty. "What is wrong with me?"

In traditional therapy, the therapist might have gone straight to problem-solving. Instead, a person centred therapist will say: "It sounds like you're struggling with this conflict between feeling like you should be grateful and this deep sense of emptiness..."

This response allowed Sarah to delve deeper into her emotions, and she eventually realised that her "should" utterances were motivated by her parents' expectations rather than her own ideals.

Sarah's definition of success did not include receiving job advice. It was about creating confidence in her ability to make those decisions for herself. Over time, she gained confidence in recognising and expressing her actual emotions and needs.

The pot is stirred when clients feel truly heard and accepted. For example, when Sarah states, "For the first time, I don't feel like I need to be fixed. I am learning to listen to myself. I have been too harsh to myself."

This method works because:

• It empowers the clients to become their own experts.
• Tries to reduce defensive behaviour through acceptance with the help of unconditional positive regard.
• Creates a long-term change through self-discovery and since the client has come to these solutions on their own they would be more confident in them.
• Promotes development of self-esteem with regards to their own abilities.
• It builds internal resources for future similar hurdles.

Person-centred treatment is comparable to a toddler learning to ride a bike. The parents stand behind the child, supporting and encouraging them to cycle alone. In person-centred therapy, the therapist serves as a facilitator who is offering encouragement and genuineness while allowing the client to explore their own qualities and abilities. The therapist's goal is to support the client's journey to self-empowerment by creating an atmosphere in which they can learn and grow on their own. It is not about offering direct solutions rather it is about accompanying and supporting the client on their journey of self-discovery.

In the example above, by the end of her therapeutic collaboration, Sarah would have built a closer relationship with herself, learning to trust her own judgement and feelings, in addition to making career decisions. Remember that the purpose is not to make clients dependent on the therapist or not to look at the therapist as an expert in the room but to help them recognise and trust their own inner wisdom.

Rogers stated it beautifully: "The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change."

Person-centred therapy emphasises the underlying capacity for growth and self-direction, which provides a positive and empowering approach to mental health care unlike an earlier reductionist approach to human problems. It reinforces the idea that we humans are in charge of our own lives. Person centred therapy truly brought about a revolution in the counselling world. It was a much needed change in the field where we constantly tried to understand the problem. Person centred therapy was a ray of hope that still continues to shine.

To practise person- centred psychotherapy, therapists must believe in their client's knowledge, establish a supportive, genuine therapeutic connection, encourage self-realisations and personal growth. Person centred therapy is less about techniques and more about the therapeutic relationship and the conditions that we as therapists create in the therapy space.

Michael’s Case Study

When Michael first started going to therapy after he experienced a panic attack during the staff meeting, the intervention centred on building a safe, nonjudgmental environment around him rather than immediately moving on to anxiety management techniques. It is important that the therapist asks questions in  a fashion that are open-ended to gauge the client's experience and the questions that help the client reflect on their experiences.

Instead of seeing Michael's worry as a problem to be solved, the therapist showed unconditional positive regard by accepting his complete experience, including his anxiety. For example, Michael stated, "I should be able to handle this. "I'm a grown man," the therapist reflected, "and I hear a lot of self-judgement in those words," allowing Michael to explore his emotions without censure. The intervention occurred organically through three major stages: First, provide a safe environment in which Michael can freely communicate his worries about public speaking and workplace relationships.

Second, he delved deep into his anxieties and concluded that his anxieties were more about not being heard than about public speaking. Person centred therapy is about the client being in the power of their own realisations as you can see in Michael’s case as well. Finally, in the empowerment phase, Michael began to trust his instincts about what he needed in social circumstances. Michael had an important realisation when he discovered "My anxiety isn't just about speaking up - it's about feeling safe to be myself."

Instead of offering direct solutions to Michael, the therapist has reflected on Michael's experiences, allowing him to develop his own insights. With the help of the therapists unconditional positive regard Michael felt it was a safe space to explore his thoughts and emotions.

Recommended Books

1. On Becoming a Person - Carl Rogers
2. A Way of Being - Carl Rogers
3. The Psychology of Being - Abraham Maslow

References

Corey, G. (1996). Theory and practice of counselling and psychotherapy (5th ed.). Thomson Brooks/Cole Publishing Co.

Rogers, C. (1961).

On becoming a person: A therapist’s view of psychotherapy

. London: Constable.