Person-centered psychotherapy is a method of psychotherapy developed by a psychologist called Carl Rogers in the 1950s. This approach highlights relevant facets of the therapeutic relationship such as empathy, genuineness, and unconditional positive. The goal of person-centered therapy is to help clients develop a greater self-awareness and self-acceptance whilst becoming more authentic and able to make meaningful choices in their lives.
Person-centered therapy
Person-centered therapy is non-directive, which means that the therapist does not give advice or tell the client what to do. The psychotherapist creates a safe and non-judgmental environment in which clients can explore their thoughts and feelings whilst working towards their own solutions in relation to their problems. Therapists listen actively and reflect back the client’s thoughts and feelings, helping them to clarify and understand their own experiences.
Person-centered therapy has been found to be effective in treating a wide range of mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and trauma. It can be used within individual, group, or family therapy settings and is often employed in combination with other approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or psychodynamic therapy.
Person-centered therapy is a type of humanistic therapy, but humanistic therapies represent a broader category that include other therapeutic approaches. Further types of humanistic therapy include gestalt therapy, existential therapy and positive psychology. These also emphasise the importance of an individual’s subjective experience and the potential for growth and change.
Although each approach has its own respective techniques and methods.
Gestalt therapy is a form of psychotherapy which was developed in the 1940s and 1950s by Fritz Perls and Laura Perls. The word “gestalt” comes from the German word for “shape” or “form” and it refers to the idea that individuals have an innate tendency to seek completeness and wholeness in their lives. Gestalt therapy highlights the importance of the present moment whilst encouraging clients to focus on their immediate experience which includes their thoughts, feelings and physical sensations. Therapists help their clients to become more aware of their own patterns of behaviour and ways of relating to others whilst exploring the ways in which these patterns may be keeping them stuck or preventing them from reaching their goals. Gestalt therapy employs a range of experiential techniques which include role-playing, guided imagery, and dream work in order to help clients gain insights into their own experiences and patterns of behaviour. Psychotherapists may also use body awareness- and mindfulness exercises in order to help clients become more present and grounded within the here and now.
Humanistic therapies are offered in London. There are many therapists and counselling services in London that offer humanistic therapy within the palette of their therapeutic offerings. The London psychotherapy offering is vast and offers various psychotherapeutic approaches.
You can find humanistic therapists in London through various means such as online directories, therapy websites, or professional organisations such as the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). These organisations have online directories that allow you to search for therapists by hand.
You can also ask your GP for a referral to a humanistic therapist in London. It’s important to find a therapist who is a good fit for you and who you feel comfortable working with, so it may be helpful to schedule initial consultations with a few different therapists prior to making a decision.
