Psychotherapy - client-centered psychotherapy

 

Psychotherapy, the person-centered approach of Humanistic Psychology, holds the belief that every human being has within itself the ability to develop in a constructive and healthy manner (actualizing tendency). In psychotherapy the aim is to create conditions which enable this development potential and thus allow troubleshooting to remove or reduce any mental disorders or troubles.

 

The aim of psychotherapy is: 'learning to be the person I am and not who I have to be'

 

The term " client centered " expresses the effort to dismantle the authoritative, dependent relationship between therapist and patient as much as possible. Here the person is not seen as a patient, but as a client. The focus of activities within this therapeutic approach is observation and exploration of the unconcious mind,  leading to a growth in understanding about the self.

 

This approach was developed by Carl Rogers in the 40s and 50s. 

 

The goal is to change the perception and experience of the client so that they learn to recognize their personal conflicts and how best to address them. The psychotherapists job is to guide the client in this.