Client-Centered Therapy in Franklin, TN

Person-centered therapy is an individual-driven form of talk therapy where you direct the conversation of the session. During this time, the therapist will often guide the individual or provide support as needed, however, the primary purpose of this therapy is to let you speak about your experiences and come to your own conclusions. At its core, client-centered therapy is a catalyst for deeper insight into situations as well as an educational tool to teach you how to resolve issues. TalkDr Christian Counseling is proud to offer Client-based/Person-based psychotherapy. 

The Conditions of Client-Centered Therapy

The basis of person-centered therapy sessions is making the client feel seen, heard, and understood. As such, it’s vital that the therapist creates an environment devoid of judgment where you are free to express yourself and come to your own conclusions. This process occurs with the aid of these three essential conditions:

​

• Unconditional Positive Regard Part of helping an individual develop a positive self-concept is to address them with unconditional positivity. While offering constructive criticism is beneficial in other forms of therapy, it can also make the client more guarded or defensive of their thoughts and feelings. Approaching them with unconditional positive support breaks down these barriers and encourages the individual to be more upfront and honest.

• Empathetic Understanding The therapist is also there to create an environment of empathetic understanding. In these sessions, the therapist takes a fully empathetic and accepting approach to what their client is saying. This condition creates an air of trust and forms a positive relationship between speaker and listener.

• Open Communication Additionally, there needs to be an established stream of open communication between therapist and client. This ensures that the individual feels comfortable sharing their honest feelings with the listener. This stream flows both ways to make for a meaningful conversation. So the therapist should feel safe to voice their thoughts as well.

​

Techniques of Client-Centered Therapy

There are several key person-centered counseling techniques that help a client get the most from their talk therapy sessions. Some require establishing ground rules for topics of conversation, while others are about maintaining a constructive environment for everyone involved. Here are a few of the crucial techniques of client-centered therapy.
 

• Boundaries allow both listener and speaker to set expectations for their conversation, thereby helping create an appropriate relationship. Both parties can list topics they’re uncomfortable with during this time, and it’s crucial that these boundaries are respected by not talking about them.

• Personal Experiences humanize both parties and allow the client to take the reins as the expert. They’re pulling from their own core experiences, making them the ones to identify problems and solutions.

• Active Listening is the most vital therapist tool. It shows the client that their therapist is receptive to what they’re saying. When participating in the conversation, active listening allows the therapist to elaborate on points and help a client work through their thoughts. This is a great way to establish clarity for both parties.
   

The Benefits of Client-Centered Therapy 

Person-centered therapy has long been regarded as an effective way to help improve interpersonal, problem solving, and even problem recognition skills. With the aid of the above tools, you can find yourself leaving your session with the following benefits:

• Improved Self-Esteem By taking the time to address your inner thoughts and feelings, you can find yourself considerably closer to achieving higher self-esteem. Through this process, you come to recognize both your strengths and weaknesses and can seek to respond to them differently in your life. 

• Mental Health Recovery From anxiety to depression to overall stress management, client-centered therapy helps you work through the roots of these mental health struggles and determine the best management strategies. Mental health regulation looks different for every individual, and recognizing your triggers through in-depth conversations can help you identify them in daily life.

• Healthier Interpersonal Relationships When you're better at processing and responding to your emotions, you're more conscious of how your actions affect others. With this consideration comes the ability to adjust your initial reactions into something positive, strengthening relationships along the way.

• Increased Trust in Yourself Above all, you gain a greater trust in yourself over the course of person-centered therapy. These sessions are a chance to have a conversation with your inner thoughts, feelings, and fears and come to an understanding with them. As a result, you start to trust that you know the best actions to take or the right things to say in certain situations. This can do wonders for your confidence and allow you to walk through each day with the assurance that you know what you want out of life.

 

The first step toward seeing if this form of therapy can help you, your child, or a loved one is to talk to a therapist. Contact TalkDr Christian Counseling in Franklin, Tennessee for a free 15-minute phone consultation: email us or call 615-985-TALK