Person Centred Therapy (PCT) was developed by Carl Rogers in the 40’s and 50’s. It is a non-directive approach to therapy, “directive” meaning any therapist behaviour that deliberately steers the client in some way. Directive behaviours include asking questions, offering treatments, and making interpretations and diagnoses.

A non-directive approach is very appealing to many clients, because the client gets to keep control over the content and pace of the therapy. It is intended to serve the client, after all. The therapist isn’t evaluating them in any way or trying to “figure them out”.

The Person-Centred counsellor will not:

1. judge a client
2. tell a client what to do
3. offer advice
4. ask lots of questions
5. Discuss the clients sessions with teachers, parents, social workers etc, (unless permission is granted by the client/s)
6. diagnose a client

The Person-Centred Counsellor will:

1. offer a high level of confidentiality
2. encourage the expression of feelings
3. listen
4. be non-judgemental by accepting and respecting the person for who they are
5. offer empathic understanding
6. be congruent, real, (not say one thing while meaning another)

Here at ACCESS all our counsellors are members of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy and attend individual supervision. These are supervisors that are independent of ACCESS and are therefore impartial. Our counsellors are qualified or in training and can work with a wide variety of clients from all walks of life.