Person-centered therapy, also known as person-centered psychotherapy, person-centered counseling, client-centered therapy and Rogerian psychotherapy, is a form of psychotherapy developed by psychologist Carl Rogers beginning in the 1940s[1] and extending into the 1980s.[2] Person-centered therapy seeks to facilitate a client's self-actualizing tendency, "an inbuilt proclivity toward growth and fulfillment",[3] via acceptance (unconditional positive regard), therapist congruence (genuineness), and empathic understanding.[4][5] *
"The central hypothesis of this approach can be briefly stated. It is that the individual has within him or her self vast resources for self-understanding, for altering her or his self-concept, attitudes, and self-directed behavior – and that these resources can be tapped if only a definable climate of facilitative psychological attitudes can be provided". (Rogers, Carl.)
*Person-centered therapy. (2022, July 30). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person-centered_therapy
Rogers outlines the following six conditions required to exist and continue for constructive personality change to occur:
Empathy is a cornerstone of the person-centred counselling (PCT) approach developed by Carl Rogers. It is one of the three core conditions within the six necessary and sufficient conditions for therapeutic change. Empathy refers to the therapist's ability to deeply understand and resonate with the client's subjective experience and communicate that understanding back to the client in a supportive, non-judgmental manner.
The actualizing tendency is a psychological concept that humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers introduced. It refers to the innate drive within every individual to move towards growth, fulfilment, and realization of their full potential.
A difficult lesson to learn when first training to become a person-centred counsellor is how unhelpful it is to try and "help" your clients.