The counseling process is set and determined by the client, not the therapist. Person-centered therapy centers around the idea that individuals are rational, good, and responsible. Self-acceptance is a basic construct. Congruence occurs when who we would like to be and how we see ourselves are in accordance.

First called non-directive, then client-centered, and finally person-centered, Rogerian therapy is humanistic (also referred to as the "third force" in psychology).

Therapists Must Possess These Traits in Order to Be Effective:

1. Empathy
2. Genuineness
3. Unconditional positive regard

The Goals of Person-Centered Therapy are to:

1. Deal with the here-and-now
2. Help clients "grow" where they can better cope with the present problem and future problems. Person-centered therapists are not looking to solve the client's current problems. They want the client to move toward self-actualization.

Some of the Characteristics of a Person Progressing Toward Self-Actualization include:

1. Openness to experience
2. Self-trust
3. Internal source of evaluation
4. Willingness to continue growing because one never is completely "self-actualized". This is an ongoing process.

In person-centered therapy, the therapist is not seen as an authority or a person who knows best, and the client is not seen as a passive person who just follows direction. Therapy is based on the client's capacity for awareness and his/or her ability to make positive and constructive decisions.