Client centred practiceClient centred practice

Carl RogersCarl Rogers

• Humanistic psychologist Humanistic psychologist • Founded the person- centred approach to counselling Founded the person- centred approach to counselling

the client- centred approaches to helping and the the client- centred approaches to helping and the student centred learning approaches.student centred learning approaches.

• He believed that all human beings have an inbuilt He believed that all human beings have an inbuilt capacity to reach their full potential (self-actualisation) capacity to reach their full potential (self-actualisation) to resolve their own difficulties given the right to resolve their own difficulties given the right conditionsconditions

• He believed self actualisation would occur naturally in He believed self actualisation would occur naturally in the ‘right conditions’ and that the role of the therapist the ‘right conditions’ and that the role of the therapist was provide those conditionswas provide those conditions

• Central to this is the ‘Therapeutic Alliance’ Central to this is the ‘Therapeutic Alliance’

The Hierarchy of NeedsThe Hierarchy of NeedsAbraham Maslow

The three core conditionsThe three core conditionsUnconditionUnconditional positive al positive

regard.regard.

Congruence Congruence or or

genuinenesgenuineness.s.

EmpathyEmpathy

Core ConditionsCore Conditions• Carl Rogers (humanist Carl Rogers (humanist

perspective) identified perspective) identified importance of non-importance of non-judgmental acceptance judgmental acceptance of clients.of clients.

• that for growth to take that for growth to take

place three core place three core conditions need to be conditions need to be present.present.

• Rogers described them Rogers described them as being ‘Necessary & as being ‘Necessary & Sufficient’Sufficient’

Unconditional Positive Unconditional Positive RegardRegard

Describes a attitude that you hold towards another person which values their humanity. Rogers believed that the need for this is universal for all humans

It is an acceptance and warmth towards another person even if there are aspects of their behaviour you do not like.

Unconditional positive Unconditional positive regardregard

non judgemental acceptance of the client

If a person is in an environment where they feel UPR then they are more likely to ‘prize’ themselves and take a more caring attitude towards themselves

It is important that it is offered consistently and is not determined by or subject to the client’s behaviour

It requires that we suspend our criticisms and judgements but doesn’t mean we have to approve of the person’s behaviour

•GenuinenessGenuineness

OrOr

•CongruenceCongruence Allowing the client to Allowing the client to

know know who you arewho you are

Being Being real or openreal or open

Demonstrating Demonstrating willingness to relate to willingness to relate to the other person and not the other person and not hide behind a hide behind a professional facadeprofessional facade

EMPATHYEMPATHY

• Seeing the situation as the client doesSeeing the situation as the client does

• From the client’s own Frame of Reference:From the client’s own Frame of Reference:

Seeing the world through their eyes, trying Seeing the world through their eyes, trying to feel what it is like for the client and to feel what it is like for the client and putting ones own experiences to one sideputting ones own experiences to one side

• People feel appreciated when they are People feel appreciated when they are understood, not evaluated or judged, just understood, not evaluated or judged, just understoodunderstood

• Its all about You (Me).Its all about You (Me).• The focus is on the person and The focus is on the person and

not the illness, label or not the illness, label or diagnosis.diagnosis.

• That the client is the expertThat the client is the expert• The belief that the client has The belief that the client has

within him/herself the resources within him/herself the resources necessary to help themselves.necessary to help themselves.

• The role of the therapist is to The role of the therapist is to help them access this to help them access this to empower not dis-empower.empower not dis-empower.

• It is about valuing the client as a It is about valuing the client as a human being.human being.

The CLIENT – CENTRED APPROACH.

Client Centred Practice Client Centred Practice

• Therapy which is Client-centred is as an Therapy which is Client-centred is as an enablingenabling process.process.

• EnablementEnablement refers to helping approaches that refers to helping approaches that involveinvolve people as active agents in learning to people as active agents in learning to help themselves.  help themselves.  

• The emphasis is on The emphasis is on collaborativecollaborative approaches, approaches, participation and partnership in contrast to participation and partnership in contrast to treatment where something is done to or for the treatment where something is done to or for the person. person.

What is client centred What is client centred practicepractice

“ “ It is the therapist It is the therapist

demonstrating respect towards demonstrating respect towards clients, helping to involve them clients, helping to involve them in any decision making, they can in any decision making, they can

advocate with and for clients' advocate with and for clients' needs, recognising the clients' needs, recognising the clients' experience and knowledge."experience and knowledge."

What is Client Centred What is Client Centred PracticePractice

It is a partnership, an equal It is a partnership, an equal relationship between the client and relationship between the client and the therapistthe therapist

in which both actively participate thus in which both actively participate thus helping to increasing the helping to increasing the clientclient’s ’s autonomy, choices, responsibility and autonomy, choices, responsibility and control over her or his care and life.control over her or his care and life.