Peter F. SchmidPeter F. Schmid

THE PERSON THE PERSON IN THE PERSON-CENTRED IN THE PERSON-CENTRED

APPROACHAPPROACH

Being-with and being-counterBeing-with and being-counterin the therapeutic relationshipin the therapeutic relationship

Sheffield, 7-8 April 2006Sheffield, 7-8 April 2006

The distinguishing characteristics The distinguishing characteristics of a of a personperson-centered approach-centered approach

1. As persons client & therapist1. As persons client & therapistspring from a fundamental ‘We’spring from a fundamental ‘We’

2. The client is the expert2. The client is the expert

3. The therapist is present3. The therapist is present

4. Therapy is dialogue4. Therapy is dialogue

PERSONPERSON anthropologyanthropologyENCOUNTERENCOUNTER epistemologyepistemologyPRESENCEPRESENCE ethicsethicsDIALOGUEDIALOGUE therapy therapy

theorytheory& practice& practice

PERSONPERSON

person-centred anthropologyperson-centred anthropology

the pc image of the human beingthe pc image of the human being

The human being is bothThe human being is bothautonomous & interdependentautonomous & interdependent

Client & therapist spring Client & therapist spring from a fundamental ‚We‘from a fundamental ‚We‘

1

PERSON © Peter F. Schmid

The distinguishing characteristics The distinguishing characteristics of a of a personperson-centered approach-centered approach

1. As persons client & therapist1. As persons client & therapistspring from a fundamental ‘We’spring from a fundamental ‘We’

2. The client is the expert2. The client is the expert

3. The therapist is present3. The therapist is present

4. Therapy is dialogue4. Therapy is dialogue

PERSONPERSON anthropologyanthropologyENCOUNTERENCOUNTER epistemologyepistemology

ENCOUNTERENCOUNTER

person-centred epistemologyperson-centred epistemology

the pc way of understandingthe pc way of understanding

To encounter means to be touched To encounter means to be touched by the disclosure of the Otherby the disclosure of the Other(constituting a Thou-I-relationship)(constituting a Thou-I-relationship)

The client is the expertThe client is the expert

ENCOUNTER

The distinguishing characteristics The distinguishing characteristics of a of a personperson-centered approach-centered approach

1. As persons client & therapist1. As persons client & therapistspring from a fundamental ‘We’spring from a fundamental ‘We’

2. The client is the expert2. The client is the expert

3. The therapist is present3. The therapist is present

4. Therapy is dialogue4. Therapy is dialogue

PERSONPERSON anthropologyanthropologyENCOUNTERENCOUNTER epistemologyepistemologyPRESENCEPRESENCE ethicsethics

PRESENCEPRESENCE

person-centred ethicsperson-centred ethicsthe pc way of being and actingthe pc way of being and acting

To be present means to kairologicaly To be present means to kairologicaly co-create out of (mutual) encounterco-create out of (mutual) encounter(fully living the core conditions)(fully living the core conditions)

The therapist is present (i.e. he/she isThe therapist is present (i.e. he/she isco-experiencing & co-responding co-experiencing & co-responding with/to the client)with/to the client)

PRESENCEPRESENCE

CoCo--creating the creating the therapeutic relationshiptherapeutic relationshipout of the fertile momentout of the fertile moment

The distinguishing characteristics The distinguishing characteristics of a of a personperson-centered approach-centered approach

1. As persons client & therapist1. As persons client & therapistspring from a fundamental ‘We’spring from a fundamental ‘We’

2. The client is the expert2. The client is the expert

3. The therapist is present3. The therapist is present

4. Therapy is dialogue4. Therapy is dialogue

PERSONPERSON anthropologyanthropologyENCOUNTERENCOUNTER epistemologyepistemologyPRESENCEPRESENCE ethicsethicsDIALOGUEDIALOGUE therapy therapy

theorytheory& practice& practice

DIALOGUEDIALOGUE

person-centred therapy theory person-centred therapy theory

the pc way of doing the pc way of doing psychotherapy/counsellingpsychotherapy/counselling

Dialogue means being-with and being-Dialogue means being-with and being-countercounter

Person-centred therapy is dialogic therapyPerson-centred therapy is dialogic therapy

DIALOGUEDIALOGUE

BEINGBEING--WITH WITH &&

BEINGBEING--COUNTERCOUNTER

The distinguishing characteristics The distinguishing characteristics of a of a personperson-centered approach-centered approach

1. As persons client & therapist1. As persons client & therapistspring from a fundamental ‘We’spring from a fundamental ‘We’

2. The client is the expert2. The client is the expert

3. The therapist is present3. The therapist is present

4. Therapy is dialogue4. Therapy is dialogue

The crucial & unique point of PCT isThe crucial & unique point of PCT is

the image of the human being the image of the human being – seeing the human as a person – seeing the human as a person

i.e. taking the ‘expert’s’ actualizing tendency i.e. taking the ‘expert’s’ actualizing tendency serious (and not push or ‘make’ or guide or know)serious (and not push or ‘make’ or guide or know)

&&the understanding of relationship the understanding of relationship

– encounter person to person– encounter person to personi.e. proceeding from the unavoidable Wei.e. proceeding from the unavoidable We and responding to the client’s call and responding to the client’s call

The crucial & unique point of PCT isThe crucial & unique point of PCT is

in anthropological language:person instead of patient/client (i.e. resources instead of problems)

in dialogical language:Thou-I out of We instead of I-Thou

in phenomenological language: being open to what is revealed instead of observing

in epistemological language:offering acknowledgment instead of gaining knowledge

in the language of a theory of ‘disorders’:resources instead of problems, the ability to growth instead of disorderresources instead of problems, the ability to growth instead of disorder

in the language of theory of relationship:encountering instead of making a relationship

in existential language:being touched and present instead of seeking purposefully, finding out (‘in order to’)

in technical language:listening & being facilitative instead of guiding, steering or giving process advice

in ethical language:responding to a call instead of advising and moralizing

in didactical language:‘Aus-Bildung’ (‘e-ducation’) instead of training

The distinguishing characteristics The distinguishing characteristics of a of a personperson-centered approach-centered approach

(the paradigm change) (the paradigm change)

1. As persons client & therapist1. As persons client & therapistspring from a fundamental ‘We’spring from a fundamental ‘We’

2. The client is the expert2. The client is the expert

3. The therapist is present3. The therapist is present

4. Therapy is dialogue4. Therapy is dialogue

‘‘I am willing to stand I am willing to stand by valuing the person by valuing the person above anything else.’above anything else.’

Carl R. RogersCarl R. Rogers

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The Person-Centered Websiteby Peter F. Schmid

Die personzentrierte SiteLe site centré sur la personneDe Persoonsgerichte SiteSite da Abordagem Centrada na PessoaPágina Web Centrada en la Persona