What is the Person Centred Approach?
A person–centred way of being is a way of relating, to another individual or in groups, which facilitates personal growth - for all involved - through the offer of a deeply human meeting, or ‘encounter’.
At the heart of the person-centred approach are two beliefs:
- the belief that everyone has the right and capacity to be self-governing - to direct the path of their own lives
- the belief that each person has within them a great well of resources and the capability and tendency to use them in a constructive way both individually and within communities - that is, when they are able to develop enough trust in themselves to be free of the need to be defensive, to deny or to distort what may be true.
Guided by these beliefs, as person-centred therapists we intend to meet others in such a way that we don’t obstruct their path towards trusting themselves and recognising their immense inner resources. In order to do this, we try to meet others honestly, but not in a way that invades, judges or threatens them. We aim to embody an attitude which has at its core a deeply held intention towards empathic understanding and a genuine unconditional acceptance of the other as a human being of worth.
Alongside this we are committed to being open and trustworthy about our own moment-to-moment experiences in a way that is useful. For clients, it offers the safety necessary to find the freedom of personal expression and to be truly heard and accepted by another genuine person.
This remains as powerful and radical today as when it was first introduced. As practitioners we understand that this is an ongoing practice rather than a fixed position, committing with humility to our own personal growth alongside that of others. Relating to others and ourselves as we are requires a considered and evolving awareness of our own identities, our differences and the power dynamics that can exist in the relationships between us. Through groups and training, we aim for Brighton Person-Centred Community to support those practising and interested in the person-centred approach on this personal journey.