What Is Person-Centered Therapy?

Person Centred Therapy (PCT) is often thought of as the most foundational method of practicing therapy. Invented by Carl Rogers, PCT seeks to treat clients as the expert, and they must be treated as co-equals to the therapist. This might seems obvious today, but at the time of invention, this was not always common.

Underpinning PCT is the idea that people generally good, and are constantly trying to do the very best for themselves. However, problems arise when there is a disconnection between who they think they are and what they experience. This disconnection isn’t always obvious either, causing people to shy away from experiences, or put up blocks as a form of armour.

In therapy, the goal is to create a safe and non-judgemental space for clients to share what they need to, in the realisation that most people are intelligent and will want to figure out the answers to their problems. The therapist’s job is to help facilitate a space where any difficult emotions can be heard and understood.

This might sound very simple, and that’s because it mostly is. The hard part is showing up, and being active in the learning and healing process.

If you’d like to learn more, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Source: Jones-Smith, E. (2021). Theories of counseling and psychotherapy: An integrative approach (Third edition). Sage.