What is Client-Centered Therapy?
Client-centered therapy started in the 1930s and deviated from Freudian analysis, which typically focused on what was wrong with people rather than what was right. People went into Freudian analysis seeking a diagnosis and came out of treatment identifying with their mental illness. The goal of the therapeutic analysis was to try to find the problems with a person, and people were beginning to feel worse about themselves rather than better. Then along came client-centered therapy, which Carl Rogers developed to help people feel good about themselves. You may have heard the term “Rogerian,” which refers to Rogers and how he developed CCT. Client Centered Therapy focuses on the idea that all people are fundamentally good. Rather than zeroing in on people’s flaws, CCT therapists accept their clients for who they are unconditionally and help them to see their positive qualities. After some time, the term CCT changed from “client-centered therapy” to PCT or “person-centered therapy.” Despite the name game, the fundamental principles remained, help your client to stay positive about themselves.
Be Positive
Imagine for a moment that you are a therapist who practices CCT. You need to be positive toward your clients no matter what they say. Unconditional positive regard is an extremely challenging technique for a therapist to employ. The idea of being positive about another person sounds simple; love your clients, support them, be there when they need you and they will be in good hands. However, it isn’t as easy as that. Sometimes your client will say things in a client-centered therapy session that you don’t agree with as a clinician. However, according to this modality, client-centered therapy believes that you need to accept your patients for who they are so that you create a nonjudgmental environment where they feel safe enough to express their genuine emotions. To accept your client, a lack of judgment is essential.
Listening is Essential
Now imagine you’re a client in client-centered therapy. For your therapist to help you, they need to listen and genuinely care about your feelings. Maybe you’re expressing sentiments about self-loathing or perhaps you’re struggling with anxiety, whatever your mental health issues are, it’s your therapist’s job to care about you. The more you feel heard, the better the outcome will be. For your therapist to help you, they first need to understand what your core issues are. Once they know that, you can begin the harder part of therapy, which is addressing your emotional problems. A good therapist hears their client and can empathize with their feelings. If you don’t feel like your therapist understands you, it’s crucial for you to say something. It could be as simple as “I don’t feel like you are hearing me.” Communicating this statement opens up a dialogue and allows you to work through some barriers to treatment that may be there.
Staying Neutral
Client-centered therapy focuses on the idea of unconditional positive regard, but it also emphasizes neutrality. A therapist is required to see both sides of a situation to support the client in their therapeutic journey. Think about it, if the client is viewing a conflict with their romantic partner as entirely negative, it’s not helpful for the therapist to get on board with that. What’s more supportive is if the therapist can try their best to see the client’s side and then understand where their partner could be coming from. Staying away from judgment helps the therapist to see all sides of a situation and help their client grow emotionally.
Loving Yourself
Ultimately the goal of CCT is to help you love you. One of the best results of client-centered therapy is when the patient comes out of treatment with a stronger sense of self and the ability to self-love. If you’re looking for a kind of therapy to help you work on self-esteem, this is a great choice. Whether you’re working with an online therapist or someone in your area, client-centered therapy is a solid option for someone looking to improve their self-image and confidence. Don’t be afraid to take a step toward wellness, and it’s entirely possible to learn to love yourself with treatment and time.
This is a featured post by site sponsor Better Help.
Photo credit: Pixabay