What is the Person-Centred Approach?
The person-centred approach is a therapeutic model developed by Carl Rogers that emphasises empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard. It’s a gentle, relational and non-directive approach that places you at the centre of the therapeutic process.
In person-centred therapy, the focus is not on the therapist directing or interpreting, but on creating a safe, accepting environment where you can explore your thoughts and feelings at your own pace.
The heart of the approach is the belief that:
“People grow best in relationships where they feel understood, accepted and safe to be themselves”.
Person-centred counselling aims to create exactly that.
If you want to explore this further, see our guide to best person-centred counselling books, including core texts used in training.
The Three Core Conditions for Change
Carl Rogers believed that emotional growth happens naturally when three core conditions are present.
Empathy
The therapist actively steps into your world and understands how things feel for you. This deep attunement helps you feel seen and supported, reducing shame and loneliness.
Unconditional Positive Regard
You are accepted exactly as you are, without judgement or pressure to be any different. This unconditional acceptance creates emotional safety and allows you to explore feelings honestly.
Congruence (Genuineness)
The therapist is authentic and transparent. This realness builds trust and models healthy emotional communication.
Together, these conditions allow you to reconnect with yourself and gently move toward healing and growth.
How Person-Centred Therapy Works in Practice
Despite being gentle, this approach can be deeply transformative. In therapy, you can expect:
space to talk about what feels important to you
a pace led by you, not the therapist
emotional expression being welcomed, not pushed
reflections that help bring clarity, not advice
a collaborative and respectful relationship
The goal is to help you develop inner trust, emotional awareness and a stronger sense of who you are.
‘’One of the most satisfying feelings I know—and also one of the most growth-promoting experiences for the other person—comes from my appreciating this individual in the same way that I appreciate a sunset. People are just as wonderful as sunsets if I can let them be. In fact, perhaps the reason we can truly appreciate a sunset is that we cannot control it.”
Key Concepts Within the Person-Centred Model
Conditions of Worth
Conditions of worth are the internal rules you learned about what makes you acceptable.
For example:
“I must not upset anyone.”
“I have to be strong.”
“I can’t show weakness.”
These beliefs often lead to people-pleasing, emotional suppression and losing touch with your true self.
Locus of Evaluation
This concept describes whether you rely on internal or external sources to make decisions.
External locus: “What will THEY think?”
Internal locus: “What feels right for ME?”
Person-centred therapy helps shift your focus from external approval to inner self-trust.
Seven Stages of Process
Rogers described seven psychological stages showing how people move from emotional defensiveness toward greater openness, honesty and autonomy. It’s not a strict step-by-step journey — more of a gradual unfolding of emotional growth.
The 19 Propositions in Person-Centred Theory
Carl Rogers originally outlined nineteen propositions to describe how individuals experience themselves, relate to others, and move towards psychological growth. These propositions form the theoretical foundation of the person-centred approach, explaining how self-concept develops and how incongruence and psychological distress arise.
While the nineteen propositions are rarely worked through individually in therapy practice, they remain an important conceptual framework for understanding person-centred theory—particularly for students and those engaging with Rogers’ original writings.
Read more about the 19 propositions in person-centred theory
The Organismic Self in Person-Centred Theory
In person-centred theory, Rogers described the organismic self as the individual’s innate capacity to experience, evaluate, and move towards psychological growth. This organismic valuing process refers to the internal sense through which a person discerns what feels authentic, satisfying, or congruent, even when this conflicts with external expectations or conditions of worth.
Although the concept is less commonly discussed in contemporary practice, it plays a central role in understanding self-direction, authenticity, and the development of the self-concept within the person-centred approach.
Benefits of Person-Centred Counselling
There are many benefits of person centred counselling. Most people experience:
increased emotional awareness
reduced shame and self-criticism
improved ability to express feelings
healthier boundaries
more authentic relationships
clarity around needs and goals
greater self-acceptance
a sense of reconnecting with themselves
Instead of trying to “fix” you, the approach helps you return to who you truly are.
Who Person-Centred Counselling Can Help
This approach is especially helpful if you:
struggle to express emotions
feel you must be the “strong” one
grew up around criticism or emotional neglect
people-please or ignore your own needs
feel disconnected from your identity
experience anxiety or low mood
have lost confidence or self-worth
want a gentle, collaborative therapy style
Person-centred counselling supports emotional regulation, identity development and healing from past experiences. It can be especially helpful if you’re struggling with anxiety, giving you space to understand and regulate overwhelming thoughts and feelings. Many people also find person-centred counselling supportive when navigating low mood or depression, as it helps rebuild connection, hope and emotional balance. It can also be a grounding approach for those healing from trauma, offering a safe relational space to process difficult experiences.
Combining Person-Centred Therapy With Other Approaches
Some people benefit from blending person-centred counselling with other therapies, such as:
EMDR for trauma
somatic or body-based therapies
grounding techniques
CBT skills when needed
This allows the relationship to provide emotional safety, while other modalities offer structure or trauma-processing support when appropriate.
What to Expect Over Time
Growth in person-centred therapy is often steady and gentle. Over time, you may notice:
emotions feel easier to access
self-criticism softens
decisions become clearer
you feel more grounded and authentic
relationships improve naturally
you feel “more like yourself”
The aim is not to become someone different — it’s to rediscover the parts of yourself you’ve had to silence or hide.
Recommended Reading
Person-centred theory is often best understood through sustained reading rather than short summaries alone. Many of the original ideas developed by Carl Rogers are conceptually simple but can feel abstract without context, examples, and clinical application.
Some books focus on Rogers’ original writings and the philosophical foundations of the person-centred approach, while others translate these ideas into contemporary therapeutic practice. Students and trainee counsellors often benefit from reading a combination of both.
If you are studying counselling, training in person-centred therapy, or revisiting PCA theory in practice, we’ve curated a focused list of texts commonly recommended in training and clinical settings.