Person-Centred Therapy

Introduction

This essay will evaluate the claim that Person-Centred Therapy offers
the Therapist all that he/she needs to treat clients. In order to do this
effectively first, the Author will look a little at the origins of Person-Centred
Therapy and evaluate the way in which this model works in practice by
exploring the key characteristics which form the principals upon which this
theory is formed. In the process of this research the Author will also look at
some of the criticisms made by other writers on the subject of the person-
centred approach to therapy. Once this is done the Author can then weigh up
the pros and cons of this model and form a personal opinion as to whether or
not the person-centred approach can indeed be used as the sole therapy
model to treat all clients at all times irrespective of their presenting issue or
issues.

Person-Centred Therapy – A Brief History

The person-centred approach to therapy is based on concepts from

humanistic psychology. This approach to therapy was developed by Carl
Rogers (1902-1987) as a rebellion against what he saw as the limitations of
the Behaviorist and Psychodynamic psychology models. For this reason the
humanistic approach is often referred to as the third force in psychology after
psychoanalysis and behaviorism. Rogers first developed what was originally
known as non-directive counselling in the 1940’s and used this approach with
soldiers returning from World War Two. This was an alternative to the
traditional psychoanalytical approaches (Corey 1996). His theory, which
challenged the previously held views, that “the counselor knows best” centre
on the creation of a non-directive permissive climate where there is no direct
intervention from the therapist. The view therefore, of Rogers, being that the
client is the best expert on themselves and if given the correct core conditions
of Empathy, Congruence and Unconditional Positive Regard will be able to
explore their feelings and in time work out their own solutions to the problems
that are troubling them. This approach brought Rogers into conflict with
behaviorism, which, he thought treated humans like animals or machines
whose behavior could be predicted and controlled without any attention to
consciousness.

In the 1950’s Rogers re-named this non-directive approach to reflect the

fact that the focus of the therapy was the client and it then became known as
Client-Centred Therapy, Rogers published a book of the same name in 1951.
and continued to develop his theory that, providing the core conditions were
met, that the clients subjective experience would allow them to make positive
and constructive choices and in doing so heal themselves. This approach
was broadened still further in the 1970’s and 1980’s to include education and
was known as student-centred learning. Rogers, at this time, also made a
huge effort to apply the person-centred model to politics in an effort to achieve
world peace. In an interview Rogers was asked what he would want his
parents to know about his contributions if he could communicate with them.
He replied that he could not imagine talking to his mother about anything of
significance, because he was sure she would have some negative judgment.
Interestingly, the core theme in his theory is that of the necessity for non-
judgmental listening and acceptance if clients are to change
(Hepppner,Rogers & Lee, 1984) It is easy to see why unconditional positive
regard was something that was central to the approach of Carl Rogers. It is
interesting to note here that Carl Rogers was nominated for the Nobel Peace
prize for his efforts to achieve worldwide peace shortly before he died in 1987
(Corey 1996).

The Characteristics of Person-Centred Therapy

There are, according to Rogers, six characteristics of the therapeutic

relationship that will cause, over a period of time, the necessary conditions
under which constructive personality change will occur. (Sanders, Frankland
& Wilkins, 2009)

1. Two persons are in psychological contact

2. The first, whom we shall term the client, is

experiencing incongruence, being vulnerable or anxious.

3. The second person, whom we shall term the

therapist, is congruent or integrated in the relationship.

4. The therapist experiences unconditional positive

regard or real caring and acceptance for the client.

5. The therapist experiences an empathic

understanding of the client’s internal frame of reference and
endeavors’ to communicate this experience to the client.

6. The communication to the client of the therapist’s

empathic understanding and unconditional positive regard is
to a minimal degree achieved.

The basic concept, then, implies that people will move towards health
and wellbeing if the way seems open for them to do so. So, client-centred
therapy, in theory, frees the client to create those conditions that will enable
them to engage in meaningful self-exploration. Rogers firmly believed that at
the core of every individual there is a trustworthy centre and the therapist
needs to trust that the client, ultimately, will know the answers to the issues
that have brought them to therapy and with the right core conditions being met
resolutions will become apparent.

Central to Rogers’s theory is that of self-concept, which is best explained

as the perceptions and beliefs we each have of ourselves. Self-concept does
not always fit with the reality of how others see us and this manifests itself as
low self-esteem. For example a person may be very interesting to other
people but regard themselves as boring, resulting in low self-esteem.
Therefore, a person whose self-concept does not match their feelings or
experiences begins to feel threatened and becomes defensive. The actual
experiences and feelings of the individual were referred to by Rogers as the
Organismic Self. The larger the gap between self-concept (how we want to
perceive ourselves) and the organismic-self (how we are actually feeling) the
greater the chance of confusion and this ultimately leads to incongruence.

Incongruence can develop from an early age as a result of conditional

positive regard, that is to say that a person only feels loved and valued if they
behave in a certain way. This is especially true of the relationships between
parents and their children. The parents love to their child is conditional on the
child behaving in a way that is acceptable to the parent. When this happens
the child develops conditions of worth, and behaves in accordance with their
parents’ ideals rather than their own self concept. If the standards set are
particularly high this leaves the child with incongruence between their self-
image and conditions of worth leaving them feeling that they are never good
enough.

In order for the client to become congruent and move towards self-
actualization, that is a fully functioning person who has wishes, desires and
goals and the potential to reach these; the client needs, according to Rogers,
at least one relationship in which they experience unconditional positive
regard where the person is totally accepted and supported regardless of what
they do feel and think. So, if a person receives unconditional positive regard,
empathy and genuineness in a therapeutic context healing will take place.

The Pro’s and Con’s of the Person-Centred Approach

People seek out Counseling or Therapy in order to make some sense of

their presenting issues and to receive guidance on how to solve or deal with
their problems and move on with their lives. Client-centered therapists rarely
ask questions, make diagnoses, provide interpretations or advice, offer
reassurance or blame, agree or disagree with clients, or point out
contradictions. Instead, they let clients tell their own stories, using the
therapeutic relationship in their own way. The therapist listens without trying to
provide solutions and while clients can communicate their feelings with the
certainty that they are being understood rather than being judged they have to
work out their own solutions.

In the opinion of the Author there are both advantages and

disadvantages of this model of therapy and as such it cannot offer all that a
therapist needs to treat clients. While some aspects are essential to the
therapeutic process and are present in other models of psychotherapeutic
counselling for example empathy and rapport, others, such as lack of
guidance and advice, may well leave the client feeling unsupported and
frustrated. This is summed up well with this quote.

Clients come to therapists for solutions, help and

advice rather than just for mirroring, listening and
reflecting which often leave them frustrated.
(Chrysalis 2010)

Firstly, person-centred therapy is far too simplistic with methods limited

to listening and reflecting. This approach can lead to undirected ramblings by
the client and focuses can easily then move away from the presenting issue.
Person-centred therapy is not succinct by nature and as such can be an
extremely long process lasting years rather than months, and during this time
the client still has their issues which remain unresolved. Person-centred
therapy also ignores the unconscious mind, many client issues stem from
information stored in this area of the brain and stem back to childhood
conditioning.

Secondly, clients that attend therapy in order to deal with a crisis learn
coping skills or for help in dealing with psychosomatic symptoms do so with
the expectation that they will receive guidance in a structured environment.
Person-centred therapy will not meet these needs.

Thirdly, this model won’t work well with people who find it difficult to talk
about themselves or have a mental illness that distorts their perceptions of
reality. Not all clients have the capacity to trust their own inner directions and
find their own answers (Corey 1996).

Finally, from the therapist’s point of view it is extremely difficult to offer

the three core conditions to the client in all cases and at all times. An
example of this would be if the client was a murderer, rapist or pedophile how,
under these circumstances would the therapist be able to offer unconditional
positive regard?

It is not realistic to expect that any therapist can be

real, caring, understanding and accepting all of the
time with all clients. (Sandford 1990)

There have, since its development, been debates regarding the claim
that Person-Centred therapy offers the therapist all they need to effectively
treat their clients. One of the most famous of these long running debates
were those between Rogers and B.F Skinner (1904-1990). Skinner is seen
as the founder of Radical Behaviourism, and his research, writing, and
lecturing helped to spread his view of how change occurs. A prolific author,
he published some 21 books and 180 articles. Skinner held the view that by
obtaining a deeper understanding of the stimulus and response mechanisms
of the client, we could gain better control over the environment and create a
more humane and caring world as a result. (Dr. Ed Neukrug) This was, of
course, in direct contrast to Rogers who felt that the client, rather than the
therapist, held the answers and that the therapists role was no more than to
listen in an empathetic and non judgemental way and in doing so the client
would, in time, be able to work out their own solutions to any issues that were
causing them to be incongruent.

More recently a pluralistic framework for counseling and psychotherapy

has been introduced; an article explaining the principles behind this was
published in a Counseling and Psychotherapy paper by Mick Cooper and
John McLeod in 2007 after research by the University of Strathclyde. The
basic principle for this theory is that a person’s experiences and emotions will
be different at different points and therefore different therapeutic methods will
be more helpful in these instances. This method also takes into account the
increasing diversity in the cultural background of clients. This is summed up
very well with this quote taken from the paper.

Psychological difficulties may have multiple causes

and that there is unlikely to be one, ‘right’
therapeutic method that will be appropriate in all
situations – different people are helped by different
processes at different times. (Cooper & McLeod
2007)

Conclusion

The conclusion of the Author is, while there is a place for Person-
Centred therapy, it should be treated as one of many tools in the repertoire of
the therapists toolbox rather than as the sole technique. Central to the
Rogerian approach is the assumption that the client can understand the
factors in their life that are causing them to be unhappy. Clearly in some
instances this won’t be the case as the issues the client is wrestling with lie
hidden deep in the subconscious mind. The Person-Centred approach does
not deal with this area at all. This theory also places primary responsibility for
the direction of the therapy on the client. The client has to decide for
themselves the direction of the therapy session. The problems with this can
be two fold; firstly, many therapists have difficulty in allowing clients to decide
their specific goals in therapy, it takes a great deal of self control on the part
of the therapist, especially when the choices the client makes are not those
the therapist had hoped for. Secondly, this style of therapy can result in the
main issues being skirted around and not discussed in detail leaving the client
still trying to cope with the issues that they most need to be resolved.
 Also to be considered is the expectation put on the Therapist that he/she
will at all times offer unconditional positive regard, empathy and congruence
to their client. As previously discussed this may not always be possible in
extreme cases.

To sum up then, the psychological difficulties of each individual client

may have multiple causes and as a result it is unlikely that one therapeutic
method will be appropriate in all situations. It is far better to use a pluralistic
approach which will allow the use of several theories, if this is deemed
necessary by the therapist in order to achieve the best result for each client.
Everyone is different and as such any therapy should be as individual as the
client is.
 BIBLIOGRAPGY
Chrysalis (2010)
08/2010 Module 2-1

Cooper, Mick & McLeod John (2007)

A Pluralistic Framework for Counselling & Psychotherapy
Counselling & Psychotherapy Research 7 135-143

Corey, Gerald (1996)

The Theory & Practice of Counselling & Psychotherapy
Brooks/Cole Publishing Company

Heppner, PP Rogers, ME & Lee LA (1984)

Carl Rogers: Reflections on his Life
Journal of Counselling & Development

Sanders, Pete, Frankland Alan & Wilkins Paul (2009)

Next Steps in Counselling - Second Edition
PCCS Books

Sandford, R (1990).
What is Psychotherapy? Contemporary Perspectives
San Francisco Jossey-Bass

http://www.odu.edu/~eneukrug/therapists/skinner.html
Accessed 09/12/10