Advantages And Disadvantages Of Person Centered Therapy
Person centered therapy is a psychological therapy developed by Carl Rogers. It works by basing the process of treatment with the clients as experts as opposed to the therapists. The therapy’s primary goal is to help individuals by employing active listening, compassion and unconditional positivism that allows clients to communicate their thoughts and feelings, without judgment, probe or controlling of the situation. The therapy facilitates an environment where clients discover answers to their questions. Nevertheless, it brings out strengths and weaknesses.
The therapy is beneficial as it places the client at the center of the process. Having the client as the control of this process promotes their well-being by developing a particular focus of the treatment. The approach meets all the needs of the client at every level, thereby dealing with the exact problems affecting the patient as they see them thus, accomplishing success. Through gaining control, clients become confidence and independence of solving their problems without requiring assistance. Additionally, it makes it easy for them to identify diverse ways of communicating and thinking through them expressing themselves. Consequently, they become conscious of their process of thoughts, identify the destructive or helpful ones and rid of those that are obstructive and adopting the new ones voluntarily.
The person-centered approach makes a therapist accept a client wholly without imposing change or pressuring them. Unlike in the traditional medical process where clients are the problem that needs fixing, this approach requires a therapist to show empathy and positivity. It focuses on helping an individual becoming a better version of themselves in the society, by giving them space to express and examine their feelings, thoughts; actions without any intervention by others, thereby enabling them to identify the significant problems to them and work to find solutions.
On the contrary, this treatment approach poses weaknesses. First, the treatment is highly optimist. The approach is primarily based on the human perspective and the ability of people to change, which is likely to fail. For instance, when a client cannot reach solutions or understand their problems, without sound advice from the therapist, success is unlikely. Additionally, since it does not require a structured system of treatment, problems may arise for clients with deeper mental issues that inhibit rational thinking, thus, fail to control the process.
Secondly, having the process controlled by a client is detrimental as it leaves the client to process information, identify various problems and come up with decisions without considering that the client sought help first and may not have a good handle on their issues. Hence, if the customer fails to achieve all these, the foundation of this therapy approach collapses. Also, client centered therapy fails to accommodate the insight that its success is reliant on whether the client’s goals are smart. Therefore, since a therapist cannot intervene and the objectives turn out to be inadequate, the process is likely to be ineffective.
Thirdly, the approach is not applicable in all situations. The therapy operates on the assumption that a client wants to change. However, in cases where clients are psychopaths, murderers or rapists, who lack remorse, discomfort or problem with their actions this form of therapy may prove difficult to apply to them. Moreover, treating such individuals without challenging them or passing judgment on some of their behavior on the part of a therapist would render the therapy useless.
The person-centered therapy is paramount as it provides useful tools that are effective in treating and ensuring success in treatment such as centering on a client and enabling a therapist to accept a client. Nevertheless, on its own, it is ineffective to some situations, and its highly optimistic nature can cause loss of focus and control.
