Differences between PCA and Client Centered Therapy 2

The Bristlecone


	(Continued from page 3) D i f f e r e n c e s


	Client Centered Therapy


	Person Centered Approach


	Special Model for therapeutic relationship Therapist <-- --> Client Helping Relationship Core Conditions used on behalf of client


	General Model for all relationships Self <-- --> Other Everyday [Non Helping] Relationships Core Skills used on behalf of self


	Necessary and sufficient conditions for therapeutic change 1. Psychological Contact [in relationship] 2. Client not congruent 3. Therapist is congruent [willing and able] 4. Therapist is empathic [willing and able] 5. Therapist regards clients unconditionally positive [willing and able] 6. Therapist communicates 3, 4, & 5 to client


	Necessary and sufficient skills for successful conduct of relationships 1. Relationships internal, no "relationship" exists outside each other. [Primary = I -- Thou] (exists for it own sake) [Secondary = I -- You or I -- It] (exists for a purpose) 2. Other's congruence, or any use of skill, is irrelevant [Except in Community] 3. Self may choose congruence [If able] 4. Self may choose empathy [If able] 5. Self may choose unconditional positive regard [If able] 6. Communication of 3, 4, & 5 to other is unnecessary


	CCT and PCA are fundamentally the same and fundamentally different. Both deal with congruence, empathy, and unconditional positive regard. CCT is a special model for the therapeutic relationship. It is between a therapist and her client. It is a helping relationship. The client pays the therapist money and the therapist uses congruence, empathy and unconditional positive regard on behalf of the client. PCA is a general model for all relationships. It is


	between a sovereign self and a sovereign other. It is not a helping relationship. The other does not pay the self money. The self uses congruence, empathy and unconditional positive regard on behalf of the self, not on behalf of the other. Relationships are internal. The relationship of the self with the other exists within the skin of the self, for which the self is totally responsible. The relationship of the other with the self exists within the skin of the other, for which the other is totally responsible. This, and the "behalf of" rubric are


	the most difficult for CC Therapists to understand. It takes a lot of spaced repetition before it becomes clear. Once the practitioner makes the effort, and achieves insight, then this practitioner can be comfortable in both realms. In CCT the therapist uses congruence, empathy and unconditional positive regard as core conditions to create a climate in which the client can pursue her own therapeutic goals, in her own way. This is necessary and sufficient

for therapeutic change to occur.

In PCA the self uses congruence, empathy and unconditional positive regard as core skills to achieve, effectively and efficiently, the goals of the self in relation to another. These skills are necessary and sufficient for the successful conduct of relationships. Success is the achievement of the goals of the self. The other might use PCA skills to achieve, effectively and efficiently, the other's goals. PCA assumes health. CCT assumes non-health. CCT helps the other.

(Continued on page 7 )

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