What Is Person Centered Therapy?
Person centered therapy is a psychotherapy that strives to assist clients in increasing their self-awareness and learning to identify and modify behaviors. According to Cecily Batiste Dawson, a licensed professional counselor in Kingwood, Texas, this client-centered approach works best when dealing with short-term issues like relationship or work troubles or situational stress.
Therapy that emphasizes active listening, empathy and nonjudgmental communication has been found to promote healing and reduce relapse rates among those suffering from mental health issues.
Empathy is the capacity to understand another’s emotions and beliefs. A therapist must practice empathy in order to ensure they are comprehending their clients’ struggles and needs.
Boundaries: Healthy boundaries are critical in any therapeutic relationship, such as restricting topics of conversation and setting how long each session will last.
Authenticity: Therapists should be true to themselves and present themselves honestly in order to foster a therapeutic atmosphere that fosters growth.
Congruence: Ellen Bennett-Heinz, a licensed professional counselor in Kingwood, TX, emphasizes the importance of person-centered therapists being congruent with their emotions and actions toward clients. Doing this helps clients build trust in the therapist and feel at ease during sessions, she explains.
Unconditional Positive Regard: Therapists should be able to demonstrate unconditional positive regard, or the capacity for accepting and affirming someone for who they are. Doing so helps clients break down barriers and believe that they deserve to be treated well regardless of who they are.
