Taking the view that every individual has the internal resources they need for growth, person-centred counselling aims to provide three 'core conditions' (unconditional positive regard, empathy and congruence) which help that growth to occur.

Tags: person-centred, therapy

While roughly in agreement in many areas, existential and person-centred approaches to counselling each reveal weaknesses in the other as well as offering straightforward ways to augment therapeutic practice.

Tags: existentialism, in practice, person-centred

Despite clear evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of counselling and psychotherapy, pinning down specific reasons for effectiveness or identifying particularly effective approaches remains tricky. (NOTE: The review of Hubble, et al 1999 includes a great deal of additional information on the topic of effectiveness in therapy.)

Tags: cognitive therapy and CBT, effectiveness, news and research, person-centred, therapy

In stark contrast to the stereotypical Western therapist forever distracting the client from their stories about the world in order to ask "but how do you feel?", the Other Centred therapist listens carefully to the stories themselves. Indeed, this book presents examples of client work in which the therapist asks the opposite question about a partner whose behaviour the client is complaining about: "but what was that like for him?".

Tags: listening, mindfulness, overviews & guides, person-centred, reviews, therapy, training and development

Brazier reminds us that counselling often goes beyond offering a non-judgemental space in which the client can listen to and experience themselves, to actively encourage a kind of self-preoccupation which can actually make one more isolated and miserable.

Tags: listening, mindfulness, overviews & guides, person-centred, reviews, therapy, training and development