Values of Person-Centered counseling

Values of Person-Centered Counseling

The 3 core values of Person-Centered Counseling

The person centered counseling approach can be best understood as an evolution of Carl Roger's “Client-Centered Therapy”. This therapeutic approach is characterized by three core values: (1) Unconditional Positive Regard (UPR) towards the client, (2) Emphatic understanding of the client's situation, and (3) Congruence between the client and the therapist. Individuals have vast resources within themselves for altering their self directed behavior, self attitudes, self concepts, and self understanding. The therapists can tap these vast resources and bring about desired change in their clients by providing them with definable climate of facilitative psychological attitudes. This climate can be formed by working on the three core values described above in order to achieve maximum results in a lesser amount of time. Therapists can apply these core values in any condition where the goal is development and improvement in a person's attitudes and behavior. The three core values are as follows.

Congruence

The more the therapist is herself or himself in the relationship with the client, putting up no personal façade or professional front, the greater the chance of client's improvement and growth in a constructive and positive manner. It simply means that therapist is open to the attitudes and feelings of the client which are flowing in at the moments of their interaction. Through his/her behavior, the therapist also ensures his/her transparency to the client so that the client feels or experience no holding back by the therapist. Thus there is a close congruence or matching between experience at the gut level and its expression to the client.

Unconditional Positive Regard

The second core value to create a favorable climate for change and improvement is prizing, caring or accepting which is called Unconditional Positive Regard. When a therapist experiences an acceptant, positive attitude ...