Person-centred Counselling in a Primary Health Care Setting: A Personal Perspective

Introduction Working in general practice as a trainee counsellor has made me aware of the conflicts posed by the Person-Centred Approach. Carl Rogers’ central hypothesis ~ that each person has within him or herself the capacity for growth and self-enhancement, provided certain conditions exist — has continued to be tested in psychotherapy practice with a vast amount being written on the subject. Person-centred theory has had a significant impact on education, group work, play therapy and on individuals who have been influenced by the personal and theoretical writings of Carl Rogers. However, there is very little written in relation to therapeutic work in conventional health care settings, particularly time-limited work. The practical implications of offering person-centred counselling within the financial and time constraints of the National Health Service has presented a dilemma for me, as the whole concept appears to contradict person-centred philosophy as it is widely viewed.