NGfL CYMRU GCaD
Person Centred Approach to
Counselling
www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk
NGfL CYMRU GCaD
• AIM: To discuss the Person-centred approach to
counselling
To Apply counselling skills in triads
• OBJECTIVES:
• Recognise the main principles of the Person-centred
approach
• Identify and describe the core conditions
• Discuss concepts of PCA in relation to practice
• Demonstrate an awareness of the therapeutic
relationship in a counselling skills practice session
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Carl Rogers (1902 -1987)
NGfL CYMRU GCaD
• Carl Rogers - an American, pioneered the
Person-centred approach in the early 50’s
• A different approach to Psychodynamic and
Behaviourist models of human development
which are more scientifically based
• Person-centred approach comes under the
umbrella of the Humanistic Theories.
• i.e. concern with the needs, wellbeing, and
interests of people and the human capabilities
in areas such as creativity, personal growth
and choice. Can you name other theorists who
developed theories belonging to this strand of
theory?
• Maslow, Berne and Perls
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NGfL CYMRU GCaD
The Person- Centred approach
can be used in any setting
• Parent- Child
• Nurse-Patient
• Teacher- Student
• Counsellor-Client
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NGfL CYMRU GCaD
• What do you know about
this approach?
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3 Main Areas
NGfL CYMRU GCaD
• Carl Rogers identified 3 main areas for
the person centred approach-
• 1) Self-actualising tendency
• 2) Therapeutic relationship
• 3) Core Conditions
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NGfL CYMRU GCaD
Person-centred theoretical
assumptions
• Rogers’ assumptions were that people were
essentially trustworthy, had positive inner
qualities, and had the potential for
understanding themselves and resolving their
own problems.
• Consequently, he believed that the helper did
not need to directly intervene or provide
solutions as the other person was capable of
doing this themselves.
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NGfL CYMRU GCaD
Self actualising tendency
• People have drives that lead them to
engage in activities resulting in personal
satisfaction and a contribution to
society
• This tendency is present in all organisms
and can be defined as the motivation
present in every life form to develop its
potentials to the fullest extent. (Seed
potato analogy)
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Seed Potato analogy
NGfL CYMRU GCaD
• Potatoes stored for the winter in a
dark cellar would produce small,
thin shoots that grew to the
distant light of a far away window.
In this story Rogers likens man to
the potato in that how ever bad the
conditions are people will strive to
grow and develop.
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NGfL CYMRU GCaD
• Our self actualising tendency can
be stunted or warped
• But this is very much to do with our
self-concept
• Our image/perception of ourselves
is based on life experience
• It is the way we see ourselves
reflected in the attitudes
expressed by family and friends
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NGfL CYMRU GCaD
• If we experienced positive
attitudes we are more positive
about who we are.
• If we have experienced negative
attitudes towards us from birth our
self concept is negative thereby
stunting/warping the self
actualising tendency
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Reflection
NGfL CYMRU GCaD
• How do you describe yourself? (pos/neg)
• Where has this belief come from?
• Do you ever tell yourself ‘I can’t
do/achieve this because….’?
• What belief is it that stops you?
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NGfL CYMRU GCaD
Therapeutic Relationship
• Rogers believes that the TR is
fundamental to a client being able
to move on and grow.
• Individuals have resources within
themselves for self-understanding
and changing self-concepts,
attitudes etc.
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NGfL CYMRU GCaD
• He believes given the right conditions
• Each of us could be enabled to self actualise
• Rogers believes that the therapeutic/helping
relationship
contributes more than any other factor to a
positive outcome for the person being helped,
and that no other intervention was required
as this was all that was necessary and
sufficient for therapeutic change to occur.
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Core Conditions
NGfL CYMRU GCaD
• Congruence
• Unconditional Positive
Regard
• Empathy
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Congruence
NGfL CYMRU GCaD
• (Genuineness, Realness, Openness)
• The more the counsellor is himself/herself in
the relationship, putting up no professional
front/façade, the greater is the likelihood
that the client can change and grow
• The Counsellor recognises their feelings
within the therapeutic relationship and shares
these with the client
• There is a transparency- the client can see
right through what the counsellor is in the
relationship
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NGfL CYMRU GCaD
Unconditional Positive Regard
• Acceptance, warmth, non-judgemental
• Counsellor experiences a positive
accepting attitude toward whatever the
client is and is feeling at that moment
• Accepts wholly and is not affected by
any preconceived ideas, plans or
decisions they may be tempted to make
for the client
• Non-judgemental
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Empathy
NGfL CYMRU GCaD
• The counsellor without pre-judgement
or assumptions
• Allows themselves to be open to
perceive the world as the client
perceives it (walking in their shoes)
• Conveying this understanding back to
the client through sensitive, active
listening and accurate reflection of
feeling
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Conclusion
NGfL CYMRU GCaD
• Therefore:• With the help of the counsellor in the
therapeutic relationship and by using
the core conditions.
• Rogers believes that as we are all
trustworthy and have positive inner
qualities we therefore have the
potential for understanding ourselves
and thereby are able to resolve our own
problems.
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