Person-Centered Approaches for Counselors

Jeffrey H. D. Cornelius-White, Psy.D., LPC, is Associate Professor in the Department of Counseling, Leadership and Special Education, Provost’s Fellow for Teaching and Learning, at Missouri State University in Springfield, and Adjunct Assistant Professor for the Cooperative Ed.D. Program in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is Chair of the Board of the World Association for Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapy and Counseling, Co-Editor of The Person-Centered Journal, Content Editor of the Journal of Border Educational Research, and co-editor of the 2008 book with PCCS entitled: Facilitating Young People’s Development: International perspectives on person-centered theory and practice. He has also been a Dean’s Fellow, Service-Learning Fellow and Program Director for School Counseling at MSU. His 50 publications have been mostly concerned with person-centered and social justice issues in education, psychology, and counseling. Jef is the father of two children, Evan and Avery, and partner to his wife Cecily. He enjoys biking, swimming, reading, and playing with his kids.

Chapter 1: The Therapist in Relationship
Therapist and Relationship Factors
The Necessary and Sufficient Conditions
Summary
Chapter 2: Client
Contact, Incongruence, and Perception
Client-Directed, Outcome Informed, Client Hero
Actualizing Tendency
Nondirective Attitude
Conclusion
Summary
Chapter 3: Evolution of the Person-Centered Approach
Classical Client-Centered or Nondirective Therapy
Focusing
Intersubjectivity
Experiential, Emotion-Focused
Interdisciplinary Research and Practice
The Futurism of the Person-Centered Approach and Its Implications
Summary
Chapter 4: Multiculturalism
Central Concepts in Multicultural Counseling Competence
Understanding Client’s Worldview: Cultural Elements to Empathy
Culturally Appropriate Interventions and Unconditional Positive Regard
Social Justice Advocacy Competencies
History of Multiculturalism and the Person-Centered Approach
Ethical and Religious Concepts and the Person-Centered Approach
The Paradox: A Universal System of Adaptability to Differences
Summary
Chapter 5: A Case Illustration of Person-Centered Counseling
Deena
Casey
Session One: First Encounter
Session Two: Scared, Really Scared
Session Three: Some Relief
Session Four: A Possible Misunderstanding
Session Five: Nonstop Talker
Session Six: I Miss My Mom, Bad. She Was a Bitch to Deal With
Session Seven: Talkative Again
Sessions Eight and Nine: No Show
Questions for Your Consideration
Summary
Chapter 6: Conclusion
PCA Is Love
Courageous, Compassionate Confrontation
Perception
Linking the Relational and the Client Conditions
It Figures
Understand, Verify You Understand, and Improve
Power Within, Power With, Power Over
The Ever-Reaching Actualization Process: Give and Receive
Summary