The person-centred approach is a form of talking therapy originally developed by Carl Rogers in the 1950s. Since then the theory has grown and evolved based on contemporary research.
My foundational training is an MSc in person-centred-experiential therapy from Strathclyde University. This course is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). As a member of the BACP, I work to uphold the standards set out in the Ethical Framework.
The sessions are unstructured and guided by you. They will move at a pace you are comfortable with. The first few sessions will be about building safety and trust to make it easier for you to open up.
The content of each session depends on what you choose to share and what you believe to be of the most importance. I will facilitate this process by offering genuine curiosity and attempting to understand your lived experience.
Where appropriate and useful, I will gently shine a light on areas which appear to be missing from your awareness. This may help you to make new connections and realizations about yourself.
Hopefully you will be comfortable enough to be honest about how therapy is going, so that it can be tailored to your needs. I will provide space for reviews throughout our time together. You are free to end therapy at any point, this usually comes when you believe you have got what you need from it.
Rogers believed that when the core conditions of empathy, unconditional positive regard and congruence are present in a therapeutic relationship, it creates a safe container for the client and helps them empathize better with themselves.
They are encouraged to sink deeper into the parts of themselves and their stories that may have not been explored before, trusting that the counsellor is able to stay alongside them on this journey.
By learning to sit with the intense emotions which often arise during these difficult moments, these can slowly be processed and released.
Inevitably, the client develops a fuller and more compassionate understanding of themselves and their lives. They can then begin making changes which reflect the values of their authentic self; and feel empowered by the results of this.
The therapeutic process encourages the client to tap into their inner resources and they will often begin to feel more in control of their lives as a result.
“People are just as wonderful as sunsets if you let them be. When I look at a sunset, I don’t find myself saying, “Soften the orange a bit on the right hand corner.” I don’t try to control a sunset. I watch with awe as it unfolds.”
-Carl R. Rogers