A Person-Centered Foundation for Counseling and Psychotherapy

The focus of this new edition is on counseling and psychotherapy, and its goals are to renew interest in the person-centered approach in the U.S., make a significant contribution to extending person-centered theory and practice, and promote fruitful dialogue and further development of person-centered theory. The text presents and clarifies the following main topics: the rationale for an eclectic application of person-centered counseling, the rationale and process for reflecting clients¹ feelings, the importance of theory as the foundation for the counseling process, the importance of values and their influence on the counseling relationship, the modern person- centered counselor¹s role, the essential characteristics of a person-centered counseling relationship, the group counseling movement and the person-centered perspective, the application of person-centeredness through play therapy, the difficulties and opportunities surrounding evaluation, a person-centered perspective on the process of counselor education, and therapeutic opportunities available outside the field of counseling. These discussions serve as a transition from traditional interpretation of personcentered to an eclectic application of the viewpoint. The process of person-centered counseling has evolved over the years and this comprehensive book contributes to that evolution. It represents the status of person-centered counseling while also identifying ideas which can influence its future.