Promoting health: Challenges for person-centered communication in psychotherapy, counseling and human relationships in daily life

For person-centered psychotherapy and counseling to be scientifically acknowledged and accepted by public health services, the following are required: (a) more empirical research on the effectiveness of person-centered therapy for different diagnostic categories (ICD-10) and counseling modes (group, family, health-related counseling); (b) incorporation of alternative interventions to increase the effectiveness of short-term person-centered psychotherapy consistent with the approach and the client-centered behavior of the therapist, such as having patients choose their therapists, providing written information on stress reduction and self-help, teaching daily relaxation exercises, using EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) with minor anxiety, and suggesting homework assignments; (c) improvement of the therapist-patient relationship via regular written feedback from the patient for the therapist, reflections that incorporate cognitions and emotions in proportion to clients' expressions, and active, intensive (non-directive) efforts by the therapist to improve the therapeutic relationship; and (d) promotion of person-centered behaviors by people in daily situations and relationships outside the therapeutic setting (e.g., teachers, parents, partners).

Journal

English

Reinhard Tausch

Tausch, R. (2007, Spring). Promoting health: Challenges for person-centered communication in psychotherapy, counseling and human relationships in daily life. Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapies, 6(1), 1-13. doi:10.1080/14779757.2007.9688424