Person-centered therapy might sound quite straightforward at first but is actually more complex than you might think.
Person-centered therapy is all about allowing the individual to gain a better understanding of themselves and their own strengths and weaknesses [1].
Instead of seeing your addiction issues as something that you cannot control, person-centered therapy encourages individuals to see their addiction as something they can control and are active participant in [1].
Most types of therapy techniques used throughout clinics for mental health issues as well as substance use issues tend to start with the therapist leading the conversation. Instead, person-centered therapy allows the client to lead the therapy session and process [1].
Whilst you will be asked to lead the conversation, your therapist will be on hand to encourage you to talk about certain topics, and will also support you in whichever way you need to be supported.
It is important to understand that these therapy sessions are safe spaces, where you will not be interrupted or judged in any way.
By leading the conversation and process, you will become more aware of your issues and how you feel, and will also become the expert in your own recovery process.
Your therapist will also be on hand at the end of each session to feedback on their thoughts and observations.
They might ask you some probing questions in order to encourage and prompt you to think further about certain things so that you stay on track and as productive as possible [1].
During your time in person-centered therapy, you will be encouraged to think about how and who you are now and who you want to be in the future.
The hard work lies in trying to create healthier and happy habits and behaviours which are more in line with who you want to be and how you want to act.
Honesty is a huge part of this type of therapy. This works both ways. You will need to be completely open and honest with your therapist about how you feel and what you think.
Likewise, your therapist will be as honest and open about their observations, whilst maintaining a professional balance.
Your therapist’s job is to listen and support you unconditionally and they are not there to judge or interrupt you. If your therapist disapproves of you, it is not their job to judge you in any way or put their expectations on you.
Your therapists are trained in allowing you to come to your own realisations during person-centred therapy, using probing questions and a range of other therapy and questioning techniques [1].
If you would like help with an addiction issue, then call our helpline on: 0800 140 4690.
Person-centered therapy works by allowing you to focus on yourself and your needs. Rather than analysing your faults and where you might need to make improvements, you will be encouraged to come to your own conclusions independently.
Your therapist will avoid telling you what to do or how to feel. Your therapist will be highly trained not to judge you or your faults, and this lack of judgement is referred to as unconditional positive regard during person-centered therapy.
By continuing to use traditional therapy methods where therapists might highlight flaws and issues within clients, studies have shown that clients will only become more self-conscious about their issues. For those who suffer from mental health issues, this can be a deeply negative and damaging experience [2].
It is important to understand that person-centered therapy does not work to solve one specific problem, such as addiction or depression. Instead, person-centered therapy aims to help individuals to grow in confidence, gain more control and become a happier individual with better habits.
They will no longer feel controlled by external factors. Instead, they will feel considerably more independent and in control of their own life. Their clarity will be improved considerably, as well as their own self-esteem and confidence.
Person-centered therapy works by basing all therapy sessions on the genuineness, unconditional positive regard and empathic understanding. These three qualities are explained further below for you.
Genuineness is one of the most important parts of person-centered therapy. This works both ways, in the way that your therapist will need to be open and genuine with you and the client will also need to be as open and honest with you as possible.
This will allow your client to feel like they are in a safe space whilst talking to you.
Likewise, unconditional positive regard is also a hugely important part of person-centered therapy.
By supporting the client unconditionally and making this clear very early on during the process, the client will feel like they are able to talk freely and openly around you without being judged.
Finally, empathetic understanding is the final quality used throughout person-centered therapy. Empathy should be used by most therapists during therapy, as it creates a positive relationship between the therapist and the client, and also allows the individual to feel less judged.
If you would like help with an addiction issue, then call our helpline on: 0800 140 4690.
Person-centered therapy is able to help with a whole host of issues, including issues with dependency, a lack of confidence and coping mechanisms, as well as addiction issues.
In fact, person-centered therapy helps with a wide range of issues compared to other therapy techniques. By undergoing person-centered therapy, you will not only solve these issues but you will also become a happier individual who has better habits and coping mechanisms.
Whilst person-centered therapy is able to help with some mental health issues, it is typically used alongside other therapy techniques such as cognitive behavioural therapy, motivational enhancement therapy, family therapy and group therapy.
If you would like help with an addiction issue, then call our helpline on: 0800 140 4690.
During this type of therapy, you should expect to have one-to-one sessions with your therapist over a number of weeks or even months.
Person-centered therapy is talking therapy, which the client leads, so individuals should expect to do a considerable amount of talking during their therapy sessions.
You will be able to talk openly and freely, without your therapist interrupting you. Instead, your therapist will be working to understand your situation, issues, thoughts, and behaviour as much as possible.
Your therapist might opt to repeat what you are saying to you, so they can gain some clarity. In addition to this, hearing their words repeated back to them by someone else might help them to gain some clarity on what they have said and how they feel [2].
You should expect to feel a sense of confidence and increased self-awareness after your therapy sessions, which will increase after each therapy session.
You should also expect to undergo a number of treatment sessions before noticing any major changes. You might also be expected to undergo other treatment and therapy techniques, including cognitive behavioural therapy.
If you would like help with an addiction issue, then call our helpline on: 0800 140 4690.
There are a number of benefits associated with person-centered therapy. However, it is important to understand that attending person-centered therapy will not solve your issues overnight.
Instead, person-centered therapy is best at allowing individuals to gain more confidence and self esteem so that they can solve their problems head on.
By undergoing person-centered therapy, you will be much more equipped in all walks of life to be a more confident individual, who is able to tackle their problems head on.
After undergoing person-centered therapy, you will be in a better position to overcome your mental health or addiction issues with the help of medication and other types of therapy techniques [2].
Essentially, person-centered therapy allows individuals to become stronger and more self-resilient, which are key attributes needed when it comes to recovering from addiction issues.
If you would like help with an addiction issue, then call our helpline on: 0800 140 4690.
The physical effects of addiction issues are often easy to spot. However, addiction issues cause a whole host of mental health issues, which can often go unnoticed.
Addiction issues can cause some serious damage to your mental health, and addiction is closely linked to depression and anxiety issues.
This is where person-centered therapy comes in and is able to help. In fact, person-centered therapy is one of the most popular therapy techniques used when it comes to treating addiction issues.
By undergoing person-centered therapy, you will be in a much better position to tackle your addiction head on. You will find yourself to be a more confident and self assured individual who understands themselves and their issues a lot better.
Unfortunately, person-centered therapy is not for everyone. Some people who have undergone other types of therapy techniques might be used to more structure during their therapy sessions, and might therefore struggle with the lack of structure that person-centered therapy offers.
If you suffer from severe depression and anxiety issues, or suffer from a total lack of confidence, then you might struggle to lead your therapy sessions in the way that is usually demanded during person-centered therapy sessions.
In addition to this, you should not expect to receive a diagnosis by opting or person-centered therapy. If you suffer from any severe mental health issues or personality disorders, then you might benefit from other types of therapy techniques.
There is no one set amount of time person-centered therapy lasts for, as this all depends on what types of issues you have and how you respond to treatment.
During your first few sessions, it might be unclear as to how many sessions you might need, but this will be established after your first few sessions.
Some clients might choose to book in a number of sessions in their first week or so, whereas some people choose to space out their sessions over a number of weeks or even sometimes months.
If you would like help with an addiction issue, then call our helpline on: 0800 140 4690.
If you are struggling from an addiction issue and person-centered therapy is not for you, then there are a whole host of alternative options available to you.
Whilst not every therapy technique will be for you, it is important to remain open-minded during your treatment to give your recovery and time in therapy the best possible chance.
Some alternative therapy techniques are listed below:
If you are struggling from an addiction issue and think that you need therapy in order to recover, then talk to a member of the team a Rehab 4 Addiction.
If you are suffering from an addiction issue and think that you would benefit from receiving person-centered therapy for your addiction issues, then you should speak to a member of the team at Rehab 4 Addiction.
We are able to offer you a free, over-the-phone assessment to determine how severe your addiction issues are. We will also then be able to recommend the best treatment options for you in your area, as well as the best rehab centres.
Our team is fully trained in the ins and outs of each type of therapy and will only ever recommend therapy or treatment that they believe is right for you.
Your conversations with our team are fully confidential and our team will never force you into making a decision. We are simply here to provide you with the necessary and relevant information so that you are able to make an informed decision.
If you would like help with an addiction issue, then call our helpline on: 0800 140 4690.
