What Is the Locus of Evaluation? The word locus means place or position. Our locus of evaluation is therefore the place from which we make judgements about what feels right, valuable or acceptable. An internal locus gives authority to our own experience. An external locus places greater authority in other people’s expectations and reactions. These are not fixed personality types.
Unconditional positive regard (UPR) is one of the best-known concepts within Carl Rogers’ person-centred approach, but it is also one of the most easily misunderstood. It is sometimes reduced to being kind, agreeable or endlessly supportive. In person-centred counselling, however, unconditional positive regard describes something more demanding: the counsellor’s ability to value and accept the client without making that acceptance
In person-centred theory, the organismic self and self-concept help explain why someone may feel disconnected from their emotions, needs and values. Although the terms can initially seem abstract, they describe a recognisable human experience: the difference between what we genuinely feel and what we believe we are supposed to feel. For counselling students, understanding this distinction is important because it
Carl Rogers’ core conditions are central to the person-centred approach to counselling. They describe the qualities within the therapeutic relationship that support clients to explore themselves, become less defensive and move towards greater self-acceptance. Counselling students are usually introduced to three core conditions: Congruence Unconditional positive regard Empathic understanding However, Rogers originally described six conditions for therapeutic personality change.
Carl Rogers’ 19 propositions form an important part of person-centred theory. They explain how people experience themselves and the world, how the self-concept develops, why incongruence can cause psychological distress and how therapeutic change becomes possible. For counselling students, the propositions can initially seem complicated. The original language is theoretical and some of the ideas overlap. However, they become clearer
The seven stages of process describe how a person may change during person-centred therapy. Developed by Carl Rogers, the model explores how clients can move from psychological rigidity towards greater openness, emotional awareness and trust in their own experience. For counselling students, the model offers a useful way to understand therapeutic change. However, the stages are not a treatment plan,
If you are considering EMDR, you may be wondering whether it is suitable for you, whether you are ready or whether your experiences are “serious enough” to justify having it. There is no simple online test that can tell you whether EMDR is right for you. Suitability depends on what you are experiencing, what you hope to change and whether
Conditions of worth are the rules we absorb about what we must do or be to feel acceptable, valued or loved. Someone may believe they are worthwhile only when they succeed, please others or remain strong. Carl Rogers used this concept to explain how people can lose touch with their feelings and needs. It forms an important part of the
Conditions of worth are not always obvious in counselling. A client is unlikely to arrive and say, “I believe I must behave in certain ways to deserve acceptance.” Instead, these beliefs may appear through how clients speak about themselves, respond to the counsellor and decide which parts of their experience feel safe to reveal. A client may apologise for crying,
EMDR can be an effective way of processing traumatic or distressing experiences, but it is not unusual to feel different after a session. You might feel tired, emotional or more aware of certain memories for a short time. These reactions are often described as EMDR side effects, although “after-effects” may be a more accurate term. EMDR does not cause medicinal
Low self-esteem can affect how you see yourself, approach relationships and respond to everyday challenges. You may constantly question whether you are good enough, assume other people are judging you or struggle to accept praise even when it is genuine. Sometimes these beliefs develop following obvious traumatic experiences. At other times, they form gradually through repeated criticism, rejection, bullying, emotional
EMDR is generally considered a safe psychological therapy when it is delivered by a suitably trained therapist. It is non-invasive, does not involve medication and does not require you to describe every detail of a traumatic experience. However, safe does not mean that EMDR will always feel easy or comfortable. Processing difficult memories can temporarily bring up strong emotions, physical
