The non-directive attitude
Stephen, Susan; Cooper, Mick and Di Malta, Gina and Gololob, Yana and O'Hara, Maureen and Stephen, Susan, eds. (2022) The non-directive attitude. In: The Handbook of Person-Centred Psychotherapy and Counselling. Palgrave, London. (In Press)
![]() |
Text.
Filename: Stephen_2023_The_non_directive_attitude.pdf
Accepted Author Manuscript Restricted to Repository staff only until 8 October 2024. License: Strathprints license 1.0 Download (742kB) | Request a copy |
Abstract
Non-directivity is fundamental to person-centred practice: an attitude held by the therapist from which they trust and relate to their client as a person with agency, autonomy, and the capacity to grow in response to their own unique experience in the world. It is not characterised by a set of behaviours, although it may be most typically expressed (and recognised) in the form of empathic understanding responses. The therapist’s non-directive attitude stimulates an active, relational experience between client and therapist. The therapist strives to be as open as possible to their own and their client’s experience within the relationship, sensitively responding moment by moment to what is occurring and developing between them. This requires the therapist to commit to ongoing personal development to maintain and grow their capacity for this way of working.
ORCID iDs
Stephen, Susan
-
-
Item type: Book Section ID code: 83477 Dates: DateEvent10 October 2022Published10 October 2022AcceptedKeywords: non-directivity, person-centred therapy, therapist practice, Psychology, Applied Psychology Subjects: Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology Department: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) > School of Psychological Science and Health > Counselling Depositing user: Pure Administrator Date deposited: 08 Dec 2022 15:27 Last modified: 18 Jan 2023 12:47 URI: https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/83477