Client-centered Therapy

Client-centered therapy -- also known as Rogerian psychotherapy -- has derived its identity from Dr. Carl Rogers. This approach was developed during the 1940s. Client-centered therapy is a sub-field of psychological counseling that allows the consultant or the patient to play an important role in the progression of the therapy. The client has a reservoir of emotions and experiences to narrate and explicate to the counselor, and this is made possible only when the discrepancies with regards to communication are divulged, giving the client the liberty to speak his mind. Rogers was the one who displaced the term patient for client. He asserted that the client and the therapist are equals, and they share a relationship that has its foundation laid on commanding respect and not claiming authoritative ranks.

What is Client-centered Therapy?

Client-centered therapy is one of the most popular therapies of psychology that hails from the psychotherapy clan. In this therapy, it is essential that the client pronounces his feelings and emotions, and does not carry the baggage of sulk and feel weighed down. For this, an amicable environment has to be created by building a strong rapport between the client and the therapist. A majority of sessions consist of the client indulging in verbal communication. The therapist is all ears for the client and serves to be a patient listener. The therapist gradually locomotes into deciphering his stream of thought, and in the successive course conducts inquiries in the form of substantial questions. The rationale behind asking questions when the client is verbalizing his experiences is to ensure that his interpretation is directly proportional to his actual incidents. The therapist must infer all that the client is saying in a way that it needs to be interpreted. The therapist must in turn be free of bias or any forceful propositions. Through this process, the therapist aids the client to sail through traumatic times and escalate to enjoyable moments.

Client-centered Therapy - Techniques

Client-centered therapy concentrates on what the client has to narrate to the therapist. It is not an approach where the therapist sows the seed of thought and asks the client to respond accordingly. The client is free to say and do what comes to his or her mind, without any qualms. The client need not be embarrassed about his articulations. The client-centered technique that the therapist predominantly adheres to is termed as free-association. This is a technique where the client is free to simply speak without displaying any restrictive behavior. This process could be extremely stretchy, however, it has the ability to spell comfort in the clients mind. These sessions help the client to reevaluate and reinvent himself with regards to his self-esteem and self-confidence. In response to the clients narrations of experiences, the therapist has all the liberty to share his feelings and incidences that will induce the client to think positive. This is a technique, where the therapist practices congruence. The counselor must weigh his words before he utters them. He should not say anything that plants negativity in his mind and leads him to obtuse ideologies. The therapist accepts the client as an individual with his own unique attributes without any retributions obstructing his procedures. Thus, the therapist must display unconditional positive response.

Client-centered therapy also relies on a technique used in all sessions devoted to psychotherapy. This technique is maintaining eye-contact with the client. It is very important for the client to realize that the therapist is thoroughly involved in the session and is interested in the experience that is narrated by him. Another technique employed is called the technique of reflection. In this technique, the therapist apart from asking questions, communicates and clears all the doubts cropping up in his mind, in association with the clients experience. It shows that the therapist is soaked in his experiences and is paying attention to all that the client has to say. Another technique that is involved in this approach is that of empathizing with the client. Punctuating the sentences with phrases suggesting empathy; such as, "I understand", "I believe what you say", "I understand what you must have gone through", are sincere phrases that make the client feel that there is someone who is concerned about his condition and understands the agony completely.

Through the client centered technique, the client is sure to recoup and find solace in his new found life. It also involves the use of therapeutic communication. After all this, self-esteem should be on the rise and self-confidence must escalate in order to deem the therapy successful. The client must get rid of guilt and self-pity after the therapy has been terminated for good. Client centered therapy is the navigator, that leads you to captain your life, in the right manner.