What is Person Centred Counselling?

Having taught counselling at University for many years I am happy to give a quick all you need to know potted history of this important counselling approach.

Person Centred Counselling was developed during the 1950s in America by Carl Rogers and a group of similar minded colleagues who were interested in new ways to help people overcome problems and difficulties and achieve a greater quality of life. Like many pioneering events it was a response to models that went before that saw “patients” as “passive receivers” of treatment. It was an approach developed at the same time as there was growing awareness of the “Humanistic” movement.

Person Centred Counselling revolutionized the way that people viewed not only their problems but also themselves. The approach viewed the person seeking help not as a “patient” but a “client”, who far from being a passive recipient of treatment was an active agent of change.

Person Centred Counselling, a cure in itself!

Person Centred Counselling viewed the client as having the ability to overcome their own problems and difficulties if given the right conditions. There was no need to teach, lecture, depart wisdom or dispense medication, for the first time ever people were able to “cure” themselves.

The Core Conditions of Person Centred Counselling

Latterly there has been some confusion as to what the person centred counselling magical conditions actually are. Contrary to popular belief there are in fact 6 of them. The first three always being dropped or forgotten about as they refer to the physical practicalities needed to form a counselling relationship (i.e., a speaker, a listener etc....). The latter 3 being the ones concentrated upon by students and practitioners alike. These can be usefully summed up as having respect, or “unconditional positive regard” for the client, being able to empathise with the client rather than sympathise and being congruent (or genuine) with the client.

The success of this approach was so strong and the appeal so widespread that 50 years on it is still by far the most popular form of counselling. Person Centred Counselling is taught throughout the world in colleges and universities with ever expanding numbers of students and practitioners growing in proportion to the myriad of difficulties and problems that we experience in an increasingly complex world.

The Problem With Person Centred Counselling

If Person Centred Counselling has attracted any criticism it would be that it is not directive enough to help people in real crisis. There is undoubtedly some sense in this. When we are experiencing real difficulty, simply cannot see a way forward and have lost all hope it is important for hope (or a few helpful ideas at least) to spring from somewhere. Sometimes, if it is not being generated by the client it has to come from the practitioner.

Apart from this criticism Person Centred Counselling has remained the same over the last 50 years helping countless thousands of people overcome difficulties, come to terms with difficult events and achieve a greater quality of life.

Please contact Alex for further thoughts or information about Person Centred Counselling. We're always happy to help.