Person-Centered Theory

Front 1

Accurate Empathic Understanding

Back 1

The act of perceiving accurately the internal frame of reference of another; the ability to grasp the person’s subjective world without losing one’s own identity

Front 2

Actualizing Tendency

Back 2

A growth force within us; a directional process of striving toward self-regulation, self-determination, realization, fulfillment, perfection, and inner freedom; the basis on which people can be trusted to identify and solve their own problems in a therapeutic relationship.

Front 3

Congruence

Back 3

The state in which self-experiences are accurately symbolized in the self-concept. For therapist: matching one's inner experiencing with external expressions. Quality of realness of the therapist.

Front 4

Emotion-focused therapy

Back 4

Rooted in person-centered philosophy, integrative in that it synthesizes aspect of Gestalt and Existential. Strategies in EFT aimed at strengthening the self, regulating affect and creating new meaning.

Front 5

Empathy

Back 5

A deep and subjective understanding of the client with the client.

Front 6

Expressive arts therapy

Back 6

An approach making use of various arts in a supportive setting for the purpose of growth and healing.

Front 7

Hierarchy of needs

Back 7

We are able to strive towards self-actualization only after these four basic needs are met: physiological, safety, love and esteem.

Front 8

Humanistic Psychology

Back 8

Emphasizing freedom, choice, values, growth, self-actualization, becoming, spontaneity, creativity, play, humor, peak experiences and psychological health.

Front 9

Immediacy

Back 9

Addressing what is going on between the client and therapist right now.

Front 10

Motivational Interviewing

Back 10

Humanistic, client-centered, psychosocial, directive counseling approach that was developed by Mill and Rollnick in the 1980s.

Front 11

Positive Psychology

Back 11

A movement sharing concepts on the health side of human existence with the humanistic approach.

Front 12

Presence

Back 12

The ability to be with someone fully in the present moment; being engaged and absorbed in the relationship with the client.

Front 13

Self-actualization

Back 13

The central theme of Maslow's work. Postulated on a hierarchy of needs as a source of motivation.

Front 14

Stages of Change

Back 14

People assumed to progress through a series of 5 stages of motivation and readiness to change in the counseling process. Precontemplation stage, contemplation stage, preparation stage, action stage, maintenance stage. Not necessarily completely linear.

Front 15

The MI spirit

Back 15

Attitudes and skills in the MI approach based on a person-centered philosophy.

Front 16

Therapeutic Core Conditions

Back 16

Necessary and Sufficient characteristics of therapeutic relationship for client change to occur. Therapist congruence, unconditional positive regard, accurate empathic understanding.

Front 17

"Third Force" in therapy

Back 17

Alternative to psychoanalytic and behavioral approaches includes experiential and relationship-oriented therapist (existential, person-centered, gestalt)

Front 18

Unconditional Positive Regard

Back 18

Nonjudgmental expression of fundamental respect for a person as human and acceptance of a person's right to his or her feelings.

Front 19

Key Figures

Back 19

Rogers

Front 20

Major Focus

Back 20

Phenomenological approach based on subjective view of human experience, emphasizes client's resources for becoming self aware and resolve roach blocks to growth. Client as center of therapy.

Front 21

Philosophy and Basic Assumptions

Back 21

Person is innately striving toward becoming fully functioning. Necessary and sufficient conditions will lead to growth. Participation in therapeutic relationship activates client's self-healing. Clients actualize potential for growth, wholeness, spontaneity, inner directedness. Client brings about the change.

Front 22

Key Concepts

Back 22

Clients have resourcefulness for positive movement and capacity to resolve problems with interpretation or direction from therapist. Mental health is congruence between what one wants to become and what one actually is.

Front 23

Therapeutic Goals

Back 23

Provide climate of safety and trust so client can use relationship for self-exploration. Client movement toward openness, self trust, willingness to evolve and tendency to live by internal standards. Aim is to assist in growth process. Client sets goals.

Front 24

Relationship

Back 24

Necessary and sufficient characteristics of therapist for change to occur: geniuneness, nonpossessive warmth, accurate empathy, unconditional acceptance, communication of these attitudes to client.

Front 25

Techniques and Procedures

Back 25

Techniques as secondary to attitudes. Listening and hearing, empathic understanding, presence, reflection of feelings and clarification. Striving to accurately understand client's world. Focus on client perception of reality.

Front 26

Applications

Back 26

Many p2p situations. Individual, group, student-centered teaching and learning, parent-child relations, human relations. Wide variety of problems, suited to initial phases of crisis intervention. System and institutions.

Front 27

Multicultural Perspectives

Back 27

Useful in understanding diverse worldviews because of subjective reality emphasis. Emphasizing present and respecting client's values good for working with diverse populations. Value understanding phenomenological world. Helping bring diverse cultures together.

Front 28

Contributions

Back 28

Among first to break from traditional psychoanalysis. Stresses active role and responsibility of client. Positive and optimistic. Calls attention to subjectivity. Focus on therapist attitudes. Generated clinical research.

Front 29

Limitations

Back 29

Without core conditions change unlikely. Limited use with nonverbal clients. Discounts significance of the past. Not suited to evidence based practice because of lack of attention to specific techniques.