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Therapy Types

Person-Centered Therapy

A relationship at the heart of healing. Person-centered therapy creates the conditions for growth: through genuine empathy, deep respect, and unconditional positive regard.

You Are the Expert on Your Own Life

Person-centered therapy, developed by Carl Rogers, is built on a belief that every person has an innate capacity for growth and that the right relational conditions allow that capacity to flourish. The therapist's role is not to direct, fix, or advise, but to create a space of genuine acceptance, empathy, and trust where the client can explore freely.

At the heart of this approach are three core conditions: unconditional positive regard (accepting the person without judgment), empathy (genuinely understanding their experience from the inside), and congruence (the therapist being authentic and real).

Person-centered therapy is not passive. It is a deeply active process of listening, reflecting, and creating a safe space where children, teens, and families feel truly understood. It is the relational foundation that underpins all of the work at Little Waves Therapy.

When a person feels genuinely understood: not evaluated or advised, but heard: something shifts. That experience of being truly seen is itself therapeutic.

What Person-Centered Therapy Looks Like

1
Unconditional Positive Regard
Accepting the child or teen as they are: their feelings, struggles, contradictions, and complexity: without judgment or conditions. This creates safety.
2
Empathic Understanding
Listening deeply and reflecting back what is heard, so the person feels genuinely understood: not summarized, but truly seen from the inside.
3
Following the Client's Lead
Sessions are shaped by what the child or teen brings: their concerns, their pace, their words. There is no fixed agenda imposed from outside.
4
Authentic Relationship
The therapist is genuine: not performing a role, but showing up as a real human being who cares. That authenticity builds trust over time.
Who May Benefit
  • Any child or teen seeking a safe, non-judgmental space
  • Those who have felt misunderstood or unheard
  • Identity exploration and self-discovery
  • Processing difficult experiences and feelings
  • Alongside other approaches as the relational foundation
  • Autistic children and teens who benefit from affirming approaches
  • Families working through difficult dynamics

Coping Tools That Pair With Person-Centered Therapy

Therapy builds practical skills, not just insight. These are some of the tools Lianne teaches. Flip each card to see how it works and when it helps most.

🌬️

Paced Breathing

Slow your nervous system fast

How it works

Breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 2, out for 6. Repeat 4–5 times. The longer exhale signals safety to your body.

🧊

Grounding5-4-3-2-1

Anchor yourself to right now

How it works

Name 5 things you see, 4 to touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste. Pulls you out of worry and into the present.

🌡️

Feelings Check-In

Name it to tame it

How it works

Put a word to what you're feeling and where you feel it in your body. Labeling an emotion reduces its intensity.

🧩

Opposite Action

Act against the urge, shift the feeling

How it works

When an emotion pushes you toward something that makes things worse, do the opposite: reach out instead of withdrawing, soften instead of snapping.

💬

Self-Talk Reframe

Challenge the story, not just the feeling

How it works

Catch the thought behind the feeling. Ask: Is this true? Helpful? What would I say to a friend? Then try a more balanced version.

✦ Get Started

A space where you are truly heard

We offer a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation for new clients: a chance to connect, ask questions, and see if we're the right fit.

Secure booking via Jane App · 15 minutes · No obligation

FAQQuestions About Person-Centered Therapy
What is person-centred therapy?

Person-centred therapy (developed by Carl Rogers) emphasizes the therapeutic relationship, unconditional positive regard, empathy, and genuineness. It creates the conditions in which people naturally move toward growth and healing.

Is a person-centred approach effective for both child and teen therapy?

Yes. Children and teens benefit from having a therapeutic environment where they feel heard, understood, accepted, and respected. These principles are an important part of building a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship across different ages.

What problems does person-centred therapy help with?

Person-centred approaches are effective for depression, low self-esteem, grief, trauma, relationship difficulties, and general distress. It is often used alongside more structured approaches like CBT or DBT.

How is person-centred therapy different from CBT?

CBT is structured and technique-focused; person-centred therapy is relationship-focused and non-directive. Many effective therapists integrate both, using the person-centred relationship as the foundation while also teaching skills when helpful.