TYPES OF COUNSELLING

Person centred therapy: It was developed by Carl Rogers. This type of therapy diverged from the
traditional views of the therapist as an expert and moved instead toward a non-directive approach
that embodied the theory of actualizing tendency. The theory of actualizing tendency says humans
have the potential to discover the realization of their own personal abilities. The foundation of this
method of therapy is derived from the belief that every human being strives to find their own
fulfilment and the fulfilment of his or her own potential. Carl R. Rogers stated that, "Individuals have
within themselves vast resources for self-understanding and for altering their self-concepts, basic
attitudes, and self-directed behaviour; these resources can be tapped if a definable climate of
facilitative psychological attitudes can be provided".
Rogerian psychology, also known as person-centred therapy, is based on the theories of Carl Rogers.
Rogers believed that all people are essentially good and want to achieve mental health. He theorized
that each person is motivated by an actualizing tendency, a force that drives us to reach our
maximum potential, physically, spiritually and emotionally. This is the underlying force behind all of
our actions and reactions, and cannot be denied. Rogers theorized that when people suppress this
natural actualizing tendency, they realize emotional pain and suffering, and never grow to their
fullest potential. But because each of us has this natural tendency to achieve mental health and are
capable of it, our inherent behaviour is to choose actions and behaviours that will result in growth
and emotional well-being.
Person-centred therapy relies on the client to be the catalyst for their own healing. Rogers believed
in the power of each of us to heal ourselves. By discovering our own capabilities we are able to find
solutions to problems that plague us. In person centred therapy, the therapist acts as a model for
communication, but does not provide answers for the client. The therapists role is to provide
guidance and structure, so that the client can discover the solutions within themselves, using the
techniques and strategies taught by the therapist. The therapist provides unconditional acceptance
and support to the client so that they can comfortably and confidently move forward and inward on
their journey of self-discovery.
Group counselling: It is a powerful tool for growth and change. In process groups, six to eight
individuals meet face to face to share their struggles and concerns with the facilitation of one to two
trained group therapists. The power of process groups lies in the unique opportunity to receive
multiple perspectives, support, encouragement and feedback from other individuals in a safe and
confidential environment. These interpersonal interactions can provide group members an
opportunity to deepen their level of self-awareness and to learn how they relate to others.
Process groups are typically unstructured. There isn't a specific topic for each group session. Some of
the groups may be focused on a particular theme, or the group may be focused on a specific group
of individuals (e.g., women, men, or older students). Members are welcome to bring any issues to
the group that they feel are important. The primary focus of therapy in the group is on the
interactions among group members. Members are encouraged to give support and feedback to
others, and to work with the reactions and responses that other members contributions bring up
for them.

The first few sessions of a process group will usually focus on the establishment of trust. During this
time, the group therapists and group members work towards establishing a level of trust that allows
them to communicate openly and honestly. In a climate of trust, people feel free to care about and
help each other. New members are often amazed at how much their contributions help other
members. Group trust is enhanced when all members make a commitment to the group. During the
group meeting time, members are responsible for talking about what is troubling them. Discussion
flows according to what members would like to talk about -- the group leaders do not, for the most
part, assign topics for the group to discuss. Members are encouraged to give support and feedback
to others, and to work with the reactions and responses that other members contributions bring up
for them. Group members and group therapists may serve as models for effective communication,
offer problem-solving strategies, and promote self-acceptance and self-support.
As each individual begins interacting freely with other group members, they usually re-experience or
recreate some of the interpersonal difficulties that brought them to the group in the first place.
Many of the reasons people seek help with personal issues can stem from difficulties in the patterns
of their relationships with others. Under the skilled direction of a group therapist, the group is able
to point out troublesome interpersonal patterns by providing feedback and support and offering
alternatives, and in such a way that the difficulty becomes resolved.
Unexpressed feelings are a major reason why people experience difficulties and distress. Sharing
your thoughts and feelings in a safe and supportive environment is an important part of group
therapy and strongly affects how much you will be helped. The climate of trust provided by the
group promotes an environment where members feel safe to share their struggles and work
collaboratively to understand one another. As individuals increase their self-awareness, develop new
ways of relating to people, and learn new adaptive behaviours, they make progress towards the
personal goals that brought them to the group.
What is the difference between individual and group therapy?
In individual therapy the issues are brought forth with one therapist listening and responding to the
concerns. The type of feedback that is given, or if feedback is given, is dependent on the therapist's
training. The highly personal nature of the exchange between the therapist and the client allows for
specific focus on the issues presented. While the dynamics of the relationship between the therapist
and client are typically considered important, they can often take a while to emerge before they can
have a therapeutic effect.But some short-term therapies, like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), do
not rely on the therapeutic relationship or the dynamics between the therapist and client. These
therapies are usually very brief, and treat symptom specific problems. The therapist is more of a
technical expert, and the relationship between the therapist and client is usually not part of the
therapeutic equation.
In psycho-dynamically oriented therapy the work revolves around understanding the forces, such as
those in the family of origin and other intimate relationships, as a way of determining how to
approach the need for change. This is when the therapist-client relationship can be used to
understand some of the issues present. Transference, the shift of feelings from a previous
relationship onto the therapist, is an example of this approach.

Group therapy, on the other hand, involves simultaneous interaction with people typically outside
the client's social and familial network: relative strangers. Sometimes the groups are homogeneous,
with people in the group having similar issues, and other times they are heterogeneous, with the
members having diverse background and concerns. The facilitator often has specialized training in
group therapy, but this may not always be the case. While there are various types of certification
programs for facilitators there are no state or national licensing boards specifically for group
therapists. The facilitators of groups are looking for the dynamics typically within the momentthe
here and nowwhich reflect the current issues in the members' lives. In other words, the
interaction between the members reveals the dynamics that have emerged from the family of origin,
other intimate relationships, and less intimate interpersonal settings (such as the workplace).The
facilitators are trained to understand the emerging interactions, elicit feedback from the members
about these behaviours, and help to initiate a correction in the interaction through these insights.
Support groups often do not analyze or employ the interaction features between the members, but
rather talk about the themes and insights brought forward by the membership. The cost for group
therapy is usually less and research shows it can be just as effective as individual.