Person Centered Therapy

                                                                                                              Daniel, Angie, and Samantha

                                                                                                               Black River Falls, Wisconsin

                                                                                                                                 2017

Person centered therapy was developed by Carl Rodgers in the 1940’s. Client Centered therapy bases itself around the client and not the therapist leading the conversation. The therapist will simply listen and repeat back what you said and may ask you how it made you feel. This form of therapy is best used for someone who could benefit from boost self-confidence or getting over an issue. Client Centered therapy would benefit people greatly with specific problems such as anxiety, depression, personality disorders, eating disorders, or people with poor self-esteem.


  • Complete acceptance and support is provided
  • Unconditional Positive Regard is important for the person centered therapist
  • Personal Growth
  • If the therapy is unsuccessful, the person will not move in the direction of self-growth and self-acceptance, the person may continue to display behaviors that reflect self-defeating attitudes or rigid patterns of thinking
  • Compatibility
  • Congruence

What is Person Centered Therapy?

  • Person Centered Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that was developed by psychologist Carl Rogers in the 1940's

  • Person Centered Therapy is one of the most widely used forms of therapy to date
  • It is a non directive form to talk therapy,  allowing the person to lead the conversation and does not attempt to steer the person in any way
  • Self actualization, a term derived from the human potential movement, is an important concept underlying person centered therapy
  • Two primary goals of person centered therapy are increased self esteem and greater openness to experiences
  • Better self understanding and an increase to experience and express feelings at the moment they occur
Success in Person Centered Therapy
  • Connection between the therapist and person
  • The person is emotionally upset, in a state of incongruence
  • The therapist is genuine and aware of their own feelings
  • The therapist has unconditional positive regard for the person
  • The therapist has empathetic understanding of the person 
  • The person recognizes the therapist has unconditional positive regard
  • Understanding the difficulties the person is facing
  • The person knows best
  • Setting clear boumdaries
  • Don't be judgemental
  • Don't make decisions for your person
  • Concentrate on what they are really saying
  • Accept their negative emotions
  • How you speak can be more important than what you say
  • Reflect on feelings
  • Open questions
  • Encouragement