What Is Person-Centered Therapy and How Does It Support Personal Growth?

Person- or client-centered therapy can be a confusing term because isn't all therapy supposed to be client-centered therapy? However, a person-centered approach works in a slightly different way than typical psychotherapy, and person-centered therapists use the collaboration with the client in a more empowering way. Let's take a closer look at the humanistic psychology approach called client-centered therapy and how it can help in the treatment of mental health conditions.

Defining Person-Centered Therapy

Person-centered therapy, also known as client-centered therapy, is a non-directive approach that focuses on maximizing the client’s ability to find their own solutions with the right amount of support from a therapist. It was developed by Carl Rogers in the 1940s as a contrast to the practice of psychoanalysis and is also known as Rogerian therapy, named after its founder.

Person-centered therapy is a form of humanistic therapy that emphasizes the client’s inherent worth and dignity with the therapist's unconditional positive regard.

Core Conditions of Person-Centered Therapy

The three core conditions of person-centered therapy are congruence, unconditional positive regard, and empathic understanding.

• Congruence refers to the therapist’s genuineness and authenticity in the therapeutic relationship.
• Unconditional positive regard refers to the therapist’s deep and genuine caring for the client, without judgment or condition.
• Empathic understanding refers to the therapist’s ability to understand the client’s feelings and perspectives.

The Therapeutic Relationship

As with other forms of psychotherapy, the therapeutic relationship is a key component of person-centered therapy. The therapist and client work together as equals, with the client taking an active role in the therapeutic process.

The therapist provides a supportive and non-judgmental environment, allowing the client to feel safe and understood. The therapeutic relationship is built on trust, empathy, and mutual respect.

How Person-Centered Therapy Works

Person-centered therapy is a non-directive approach, meaning that the therapist does not provide solutions or advice. Rather, the therapist helps the client to identify and explore their own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

By following this rubric, the client is encouraged to take an active role in the therapeutic process, making their own decisions and choices. The therapist is there to provide a facilitative environment, helping the client to discover their own answers and achieve self-actualization.

Benefits of Person-Centered Therapy

Person-centered therapy can help clients develop a greater sense of self-awareness and self-acceptance. It can also help clients develop more effective coping strategies and improve their relationships with others.

Person-centered, or client-centered, therapy is evidence-based. According to research, person-centered therapy can be effective in treating a wide range of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It may also be used to help clients achieve personal growth and self-actualization.

Who Can Benefit From Person-Centered Therapy?

Person-centered therapy can be beneficial for anyone who is looking for a non-directive and supportive approach to therapy and can be particularly helpful for clients who are struggling with self-esteem issues, relationship problems, or feelings of anxiety and depression. The unconditional positive regard and non-directive approach used in client-centered therapy can be beneficial for those who lack self-esteem or a solid self-concept.

Person-centered therapy can also be beneficial for clients who are looking for a more holistic approach to therapy, one that emphasizes the client’s inherent worth and dignity.

Finding a Person-Centered Therapist

To find a person-centered therapist, look for a therapist who is trained in person-centered therapy and has experience working with clients with concerns similar to yours. Online therapy can offer more options for finding a therapist that is aligned with your ideals.

In your initial session, you can also ask questions about the therapist’s approach and philosophy to ensure that it aligns with your own values and goals. A person-centered approach requires an empathetic understanding between the therapist and the client.

In addition to finding someone who shares your values and specializes in areas that are important to you, it is also essential to find a therapist with whom you feel comfortable and connected. Because the therapeutic connection is so essential to this form of talk therapy, if there is not an empathetic understanding between the client and the client-centered therapist, it may not be successful.

Limitations and Considerations with Rogerian Therapy

Non-directive therapy is not for everyone. Person-centered therapy may not be suitable for clients who are looking for a more structured or directive approach to therapy. Client-centered therapy requires a lot of work from the client, as they are essentially "driving" the trajectory of therapy. For this reason, some may not be aligned with person-centered therapy.

Person-centered therapy may also not be suitable for clients who are experiencing severe mental health symptoms or require more immediate support. A directive approach can be more effective for these situations.

Person-centered theory often makes for a slower process than other forms of therapy, as it emphasizes the client’s own pace and process. Some people simply don't have the patience for person-centered therapy.

Pursuing Person-Centered Therapy in Austin, TX

With person-centered therapy, the therapist acts as a conduit between the person and therapeutic personality change in a way that allows for self-exploration. A therapist's role is that of guide, and with active listening and congruence, can allow the client's experience to improve his or her life.

At Williamsburg Therapy Group, our team of doctoral-level Austin psychotherapists offers a number of evidence-based therapy approaches, including person-centered counseling, and allows you to work with a provider that can promote healing, offering a variety of practical strategies, healthy coping skills, and techniques to facilitate self-discovery.

If you have been interested in a client-centered approach to strengthen your self-concept and self-awareness and to become a fully functioning person, reach out to our customer service coordinator to get matched with a professional who can offer an accurate empathic understanding as well as tools and strategies in a way that allows you to guide the therapy session and address any mental health issues on your own terms.