In its purest form this means simply providing a safe space for the client to visit where they can talk about anything they wish to. The therapist’s role is merely to listen to the client. Brodley suggests that “The client-centred therapist does not usually take a history … does not ask leading or probing questions, does not volunteer interpretations or explanations about the client to the client…”. The therapist is merely empathetic, congruent, nonjudgemental and honest. He should possess and utilise all these skills in an unconditional manner.
In this technique, the therapist creates a comfortable, non-judgmental environment by demonstrating congruence, empathy, and unconditional positive regard toward their patients while using a non-directive approach. Through using this method it is intended that patients demonstrate self-actualisation, and thus discover their own solutions to problems. Person Centred therapy is a key approach with many advocates, however, the claim that it offers all that a therapist needs to treat a client is an assertion which requires some degree of evaluation. In order to assess the effectiveness of person-centred counselling as a method of treating clients, it is first necessary to consider its background and basic prepositions. Rogers was an American psychologist, who through his work developed his own distinctive approach guided by his sense of what seemed to help his clients (McLeod 2000).
In other words, he is the person treating himself and he is the one who will determine the mode to use and the progress he will make in getting treated. The therapist plays the inactive role of facilitating, listening and reassuring the client in a positively. Part I Behavior therapist As a behavior therapist the expert believes that the patient adopts or learns to act or conduct himself in a certain way. From this point of view, it will be assumed that initially the client did not fear members of the opposite sex but learned and adopted this kind of behavior over time. It is believed that the reverse
Ultimately, the successful creation of a strong therapeutic alliance depends on the behavior, personal traits, and experience of the counselor (Gross & Capuzzi, 2011). Strengths According to Gross and Capuzzi (2011), a counselor’s empathetic understanding, which is the ability to “feel with clients as opposed to feeling for clients” or to “understand feelings, thoughts, and ideas, and experiences by viewing them from the client’s frame of reference,” can be enhanced by certain characteristics (p. 7). One such characteristic, a counselor’s “knowledge and awareness of one’s own feelings and emotional response patterns and how they manifest themselves in interactive patterns” (Gross & Capuzzi, 2011, p. 7). A counselor who demonstrates this characteristic is more likely to practice empathetic understanding successfully (Gross & Capuzzi, 2011). The demonstration of this trait and others could allow a significant improvement in the client outcome.
It is free of any expectations. Given the right environment with the three core conditions it is believed the client is then able to become aware of their own feelings and to find their own sense of direction and solution without advice or direction from the therapist. The therapists role is to provide the core conditions required and to reflect back to the client what they are expressing and to “be in the moment” with that client, understanding them and allowing them to come to their own solution through hearing their own thoughts and words expressed back and feeling understood. The core conditions for person centred therapy are 1. Empathy - the therapist being able to feel or attempt to feel what the client is expressing without becoming lost in themselves.
In this phased the therapist shares and models, which allows the client to trust and encourages the client to self-regulate themselves. The thirds phase commitment to dialogue, in which contact happens amongst people that leads to interactions between those involved. The therapist yields oneself and allows contact rather than manipulation and controlling the outcome. His last phase is dialogue lives, in which something is done and not discussed, the client can dance, walk sing or express themselves as they wish (Simkin, 1981). He felt that by engaging in dialogue it would help the client work towards their goals.
Understandably a counsellor may also experience a sense of personal familiarity, whilst counselling clients, but must remain emotionally detached at all times. Relating to clients, in a positive, open manner, encourages the client to disclose in a comfortable, confidential environment and provides the counsellor with the ideal setting in which to communicate in a supportive way. Using their own life experiences, a counsellor can demonstrate empathy, compassion and understanding without becoming personally involved in the counselling process. Becoming More Self-Aware Self-awareness is something that grows over a period of time and with exploration. Techniques, to access information about oneself, can be learned, and personal experiences can affect personal thoughts and feelings.
Briefly identify the nature of counselling and distinguish between counselling and the use of counselling skills. Counselling offers the client one to one time to discuss their issues Counselling is the direct involvement and relationship between a counsellor and the client with the purpose of supporting the client in meeting an acceptable outcome, or one which is accepted by the client as the best possible outcome for their situation. The environment should be quiet and free from disruptions/intrusions Helps the client to gain an insight into their behaviours, feelings and emotions Let the client talk, role of the counsellor is to listen and offer advice It helps the client to gain self-worth, self-esteem and self-confidence There are different types of counselling. These being Non-directive counselling such as o Psychodynamic counselling o Transpersonal counselling o Existential counselling o Personal construct counselling Transactional analysis counselling where the counsellor offers o 'permission' (for new messages about yourself and the world) o 'protection' (when changing behaviour and thoughts feels risky) o 'potency' (to deliver what he or she promised). Person-Centred Counselling is based on 3 essential attributes o Empathy (the ability to imagine oneself in another person's position) o Unconditional positive regard (warm, positive feelings, regardless of the person's behaviour) o Congruence (honesty and openness) Directive counselling o Rational-emotive behavioural counselling o CBT Counselling skills will include acute listening, affirmation of what is being said, and seeking feedback on and throughout the session.
Shedding the stigma of their problems, the client is able to step back and examine themself as a whole person and become aware of not only who they are, but who they have the capacity to become as well. Rogers believed this was achievable in a few specific ways: 1) by displaying congruency, or being genuine with clients and allowing the client to experience the counselor as who they really are, not as someone hiding behind a stoic façade, 2) by demonstrating unconditional positive regard, or caring deeply and genuinely for the client and their well being, regardless of their choices and actions and 3) by being empathetic and understanding towards the client (Prochaska & Norcross, 2014). In a recent 2011 study of twenty people who reported psychotic processes (I.e- hearing voices, hallucinating, paranoia and unusual and sometimes harmful processes of thinking or behavior), researchers found that a specific method used in the person centered approach, namely unconditional positive regard, was the main component that was able to bring about positive change in these particular people. By the therapist not labeling their illness and
The therapist shows authentic expression (or congruence) to his or her client and does not maintain a “blank slate” expression. Rogers also believed in the importance of empathy toward the client and showing and having genuine concern for the client (unconditional positive regard). The therapist does not need to approve of his or her clients actions, but it was important, according to Rogers, that clients not feel judged (Rogers, p.