Person-centered therapy was developed by Karl Rogers, who is called the silent revolutionary for developing a theory based on the idea of the value of a person and his possession of an existential perspective. In other words, Rogers believed that people are trustworthy and have infinite potential to understand and solve their problems without the intervention of a therapist (Corey et al., 2021). At the same time, a therapeutic relationship can contribute to a person’s independent growth. In these relationships, the personal qualities of the therapist and the quality of his work are important, since these relationships are determinants of the therapeutic process and its results. The client’s capacity for self-healing is seen in this approach as more valuable than the therapist’s methods of change.
The therapeutic goals of person-centered therapy are to help the client achieve greater independence and integration to solve and identify problems. Initially, the therapist helps the client remove the masks that develop during the socialization process to re-establish contact with himself (Corey et al., 2021). In an atmosphere of security during the session, clients understand and then implement more authentic ways of being. The therapist does not set goals for the client but helps them find their own goals and achieve them in authentic ways.
The therapist’s role is expressed in their relationship to the client, not in methods, theories, and knowledge. The therapist can perceive himself as an instrument of change since, through communication with the client, the therapist actualizes the idea that the human dimension has stronger determinants of therapeutic effectiveness than theory and knowledge. In other words, what matters is the therapist’s faith in the client’s resources to create the climate for growth and greater independence.
Reference
Corey, G., Nicholas, L.J., & Bawa, U. (2021). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (3rd ed.). Cengage Learning.