PERSON-CENTERED THERAPY

Cain (1990a) characterizes person-centered therapy (sometimes termed client-centered therapy) as a psychotherapeutic approach that focuses on a client's drive toward health and self-growth. Therapy is seen as having the primary goal of removing psychoemotional obstacles to self-actualization which Cain defines as a fundamental tendency to actualize, maintain, and enhance self.

According to Bozarth and Brodley (1991), the person-centered therapist frees the actualizing tendency of psychoemotional obstacles by creating a specific interpersonal climate during the therapy session. This climate is created by means of the therapist experiencing and communicating certain attitudes, including congruency, unconditional positive regard, and empathic understanding. Rather than intervening and thereby assuming therapeutic expertise about the client, the person-centered therapist trusts the client to move forward in a constructive direction. The constructive forward movement of the client is propelled by the actualizing tendency.

Boy (1990) has provided more specific definitions regarding how person-centered therapists create the therapeutic climate through their relationship with clients. He especially emphasizes the therapeutic provision of "unconditional positive regard" which is defined as the acceptance of a person in a total, unconditional way. Also, Boy reported that person-centered therapists need to be congruent or genuine which is to state th

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following illustration is that the therapist was unconditionally accepting of the client and avoided interjecting her own thoughts. Rather, she helped the client understand and reach his own feelings and thoughts. This technique of active listening not only helps the patient to examine what is within; it also helps to create a true intimacy between the client and the therapist. The illustration also shows that the client himself was in charge of the direction which the conversation took with the therapist only following in the direction specified. References Boy, A.V. (1990). The therapist in person-centered groups. Person Centered Review, 5(3), 308-315. Bozarth, J.D. & Brodley, B.T. (1991). Actualization: A functional concept in client-centered therapy. Special Issue: Handbook of self-actualization. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 6(5), 45-69 Cain, D.J. (1990a). Celebration, reflection and renewal: 50 years of client-centered therapy and beyond. Special Issue: Fiftieth anniversary of the person-centered approach. Person-Centered Review, 5(4), 357363. Cain, D.J. (1990b). Further thoughts about nondirectiveness and client-centered therapy. Person Centered Review, 5(1), 89-99. EXISTENTIAL THERAPY

Category: Psychology - P