Person-centred therapy starts from a simple idea: you are the best authority on your own life. Developed by the psychologist Carl Rogers, it is a non-directive approach — rather than diagnosing problems or setting homework, a person-centred therapist offers a relationship built on empathy, genuineness and acceptance, and trusts you to find your own way forward within it.
Sessions have no fixed agenda. You bring whatever matters that week, and the therapist listens without judgement, reflecting back what they hear so you can understand your own feelings more clearly. People often choose this approach when they feel stuck, overwhelmed, or as though they've been living by everyone else's expectations — and it suits anyone who wants space to talk without being steered.
It is one of the most widely practised approaches in the UK, and many of the counsellors listed in the ABCAP directory trained in it. Every listed therapist has had their qualifications and insurance verified, and most offer online sessions as well as face-to-face.
ABCAP is not a regulatory body. Listing in the ABCAP directory is not an endorsement of a therapist's competence, fitness to practise, or conduct. We recommend verifying a therapist's qualifications and professional body membership directly before booking a session.
CBT is structured and skills-based: you work on specific thought and behaviour patterns, often with exercises between sessions. Person-centred therapy is led by you rather than a programme — there's no homework and no fixed number of sessions. Neither is “better”; they suit different people and different problems.
Mostly talking, at your pace. The therapist will ask what's brought you to counselling and what you'd like from it, explain confidentiality, and answer your questions. It's also your chance to sense whether you feel comfortable with them — the relationship itself is what makes this approach work.
It's open-ended by design. Some people come for six weekly sessions around a specific difficulty; others continue for a year or more. You review it together as you go, and you can stop whenever it feels right.
Most private counsellors charge somewhere between £40 and £70 a session, varying with location and experience. Many offer reduced rates for students or lower incomes — it's always worth asking.