Person Centred Therapy Demonstration: A Contemporary Approach (With Commentary)

This video illustrates person-centred counselling with a client, Martha (portrayed by an actor to preserve confidentiality). Interspersed with the session are the therapist's comments on his intentions, thoughts, and feelings: to demonstrate something of the 'inner world' of the person-centred therapist as the session unfolds.

Martha, in her mid-20s, has come to counselling because she is feeling low: mainly centred around problems she is having with her boyfriend. Josh. She is not sure if she wants to continue in the relationship and is uncertain what to do. Martha loves Josh and finds him fun and exciting, but also experiences him as 'flaky', unreliable, and immature. This is the third session.

The therapy being practiced in this video is person-centred, but with a more 'experiential' focus than a classical, 'non-directive' approach. Empathy, acceptance, and congruence should all be in evidence here; but Martha is also encouraged to connect with some of her deeper feelings and experiences in relation to Josh. A description of the different currents in the person-centred approach can be found at https://mick-cooper.squarespace.com/n... . Of course this is just one approach to person-centred therapy and different person-centred therapist may understand, and practice, the approach in very different ways.

You may find it useful to consider the practice in relation to person-centred competencies, a contemporary detailing of which are available through the 'PCEPS' form: https://www.bacp.co.uk/media/5752/pce...