Person Centered Therapy Case Study

Question 2: What processes or “techniques” are utilized in Person-Centered therapy?
According to Roger (1957), Person-Centered therapy has two concepts: (i) the inherent abilities of an individual to recognize the aspects in his or her life that are causing unhappiness and the ability to overcome these aspects (ii) therapeutic change take place when the therapist build a relationship that is caring and empathetic to client. Person-Centered Therapy intended to explore the processes of client’s growth and development. However, Rogers did not explain in details of how Person-Centered therapy can be expressed when therapist is working with client.
Rogers (1957) stated that whatever technique is employed, the therapist has to show understanding and non-judgemental. Therapist has to actively engaged and experience client’s world without judgement but with respect. Therapist has to demonstrate person-to-person manner, it is a non-directive approach that

focus on positive human relationships as the strategic to promote client’s positive change. The essence In Person-Centered Therapy is not the problem presented by client but the person and relationship. Peloquin (1990) reported that client revealed widely influenced by how the therapists show empathy and caring during the course of their interaction. Therefore, therapist’s personality and attitudes are significant in Person-Centered therapy, therapist listening to, responding emphatically to client’s experiencing process and attends to the whole person of client.
According to Merry (2002), therapist has to be sensitive and progressively becomes familiar with client’s frame of reference with its changing and process.

This allowed therapist to be able to respond to client’s struggle and encouraged client’s experience into awareness, to gain meaning from that experience and to positive change. Besides that, feedback given to client encouraged client’s deeper exploration, contribute to higher awareness and finally move to a more effective action to the preferred outcome. Rogers’ idea had greatly influenced Truax and Carkhuff (1967) who introduce the essential helping skills: attending and responding. Attending skills referred to being present and listened in the content and feeling with client so that client knows that he or she is being heard. Besides that, therapist has to respond to client to assist client top develop deeper exploration and lead to better self-awareness. Responding skills included reflection, confronting and paraphrasing to promote client’s

self-understanding.
Undeniable that Person-Centred Therapy does not have a clear structure in processes or the used techniques. However, it is a highly effective way of encouraging client’s personal growth as client receives congruence, unconditional positive regard and empathic understanding. It is a non-judgmental and non-directive approach to assisting client to cope with his or her problems.