Person-centred theory reminds us to listen intently to rangatahi and their whānau and to keep the issues that matter most to them at the centre of our focus. There is good evidence that doing this results in better outcomes (Duncan, Miller & Sparks, 2007).
This theory is an important part of relationship-based practice (RBP). Carl Rogers, a psychotherapist in the 1960s, was one of the first people to talk about putting the client in the centre of practice (Rogers, 1961; 1986). He used the term “client-centred practice”. Since then, others have developed the ideas further and person-centred theory has been developed. Person-centred theory reminds us to focus on clients; the rangatahi, whānau and others who seek support.
This might sound obvious, but often in our research rangatahi told us that they felt left out of the process (Sanders et al., 2017). They said they were talked about, talked over and decisions were made about them, with no thought to whether or not decisions were relevant to their needs. Sometimes these decisions made things worse. They felt like they were objects that could be moved about, rather than active partners in the process. They felt that no-one recognised that it was their lives that would be seriously impacted by these decisions. So, while it seems obvious that rangatahi and their whānau should be at the centre of the mahi, this does not always happen (see Rangatahi are the centre of our mahi).
When we see the uniqueness of each rangatahi we can respond better to their needs and work at their pace. This leads to more sustainable change.
A key phrase in person-centred theory is “unconditional positive regard”. This is about complete respect for rangatahi, their experiences, their realities and the things that matter to them. It is about empathy and compassion. While kaimahi may not always agree with what rangatahi say and do, they always respect the rangatahi. Unconditional positive regard is about not making quick judgements. It calls on us to reflect that if were we in the shoes of the rangatahi we are supporting, we might make the same choices as they do.
Another important part of person-centred theory is seeing the uniqueness of each rangatahi. This means that mahi responds to individual needs and works in a way and at a pace that is appropriate for each rangatahi. Kaimahi cannot respond to individual needs if they do not understand the reality and situation for each rangatahi. This is the starting point for the mahi (Sanders et al., 2017). A person-centred approach involves careful listening and watching so that kaimahi learn about these realities and gain a deep understanding of rangatahi experiences. By actively listening, the chances that rangatahi will talk openly with their kaimahi increase (see Hearing rangatahi). In this way kaimahi learn about the factors that get in the way of positive change. They can also meet and learn about the people around rangatahi who may support them to make positive changes as well as those who might stand in their way (see Context). When they know these things, kaimahi can be more effective in their work. Research tells us that this way of working leads to better outcomes (Duncan, Miller & Sparks, 2004; 2007; Ingram & Smith, 2018).
Person-centred kaimahi can acknowledge how rangatahi feel and the things they want to do and change, without necessarily agreeing with them or doing everything they want. They can also challenge and question, using mana enhancing language, and support rangatahi to understand the decisions they do not want; for example, moving to a youth justice facility or being supported to go to a mental health service (see Māori centred approaches). Certainly, if rangatahi do not understand decisions made or their benefits, the decisions will probably not support positive change. Person-centred practice helps build the relationship and when the kaimahi is present and the relationship is strong we can be effective in these challenging situations.
Person-centred theory has a good fit with strengths-based-practice (see Strengths-based practice). It has strategies for supporting courageous conversations and decision-making that may not fit with what rangatahi want. Critical reflection on practice helps kaimahi stay focused on the purpose of the relationship, that is, to help create positive change. Critical reflection is where kaimahi look at their work from the outside and ask how their mahi is helping. It is a place where they can work out how to ask the difficult questions in mana-enhancing ways, and how they can support rangatahi to face difficult decisions. It provides a safe place for kaimahi to explore their own responses to rangatahi and the issues that the work may be raising for them (see Critical reflection).
How do I use these ideas in my mahi?
Moses was in a youth justice facility and was due to finish his sentence and move into a community placement. Our Transitions agency was invited to work with Moses and to help with his transition from care into the community and to support him to set goals and plan for the future. We used the planning tool Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH, Pipi, 2010) to talk with Moses about his plans and goals. PATH draws on person-centred approaches where kaimahi work with a person to identify goals in each domain of their life such as education, employment, and general wellbeing. It identifies support people who will walk alongside the rangatahi to achieve their goals.
This approach focuses on strengths and on the coping strategies rangatahi have used to manage their challenges. Because of this focus, it also gives rangatahi a chance to think about the strategies they have used in the past that they might need to change and helps them explore alternatives. The planning and goals are recorded as a visual representation on a white board or on a piece of paper. Moses enjoyed the process as he liked drawing. He kept a copy of the picture that was created in the meeting, and added a checklist where he could tick off the tasks and goals. With Moses leading the process, we initially focused on small achievable tasks that could support bigger goals, such as learning life skills (cooking, budgeting, cleaning etc.) in the community placement which would eventually lead to independent living.
He appreciated the fact that we didn’t just integrate formal support resources into the plan, but included people like his Nan who always fed him whenever he turned up. Nan had always been and would continue to be an enduring support for Moses. However, he felt our work together had provided him with more insights into how she could provide meaningful support for him, and ways in which he could share this with her.
We found this planning process was a powerful way to keep Moses at the centre of decision making and to be actively involved in the process; the visual representation was a way for Moses to track progress. He said that he felt that he had been listened to and liked sitting in a room with people who were thinking about what he wanted. He felt that now things were happening for him as he prepared to leave the youth justice system.
Reflecting on the process, Moses told us he appreciated the work because he understood the process and how it related to his life, and what he wanted. Being centrally involved was key for him. He explained that he was sick of hearing from others about how he had stuffed up and being asked what he was going to do about it without any consideration for what he was dealing with. Working collaboratively with Moses, and keeping his experiences at the centre, helped him look at the reality of his life, and the challenges he faces, but then work out ways to sort manage these challenges and to move on in positive ways.
Here are some places to look for more information
- Dewhurst, K., Munford, R., & Sanders, J. (2017). Making a claim for services: Supporting young people’s engagement with services. Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 29, 1, 4-15. https://doi.org/10.11157/anzswj-vol29iss1id233
- Duncan,B., Miller, S., & Sparks,J. (2004). The heroic client. Jossey-Bass, New York, NY.
- Duncan, B., Miller, S. & Sparks, J. (2007). Common factors and the uncommon heroism of youth. Psychotherapy in Australia, 13, 34-43. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.545300571675378
- Ingram, R. & Smith, M. (2018). Relationship-based practice: Emergent themes in social work literature. Insights – A series of evidence summaries. Insight 41. IRISS, Scotland, https://www.iriss.org.uk/sites/default/files/2018-02/insights-41.pdf
- Liebenberg, L. (2020). Reconsidering interactive resilience processes in mental health: Implications for child and youth services. Journal of Community Psychology, 48, 5, 1365-1380. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22331
- Munford, R., & Sanders, J. (2016). Finding meaningful support: Young people's experiences of “risky” environments. Australian Social Work, 69, 2, 229-240. https://doi.org/10.1080/0312407X.2015.1133682
- Munford, R., & Sanders, J. (2016). Understanding service engagement: Young people's experience of service use. Journal of Social Work, 16, 3, 283-302. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468017315569676
- Pipi, K. (2010). The PATH planning tool and its potential for whānau research. MAI Review, 3, 1-10
- Rogers C (1961). On becoming a person: a therapist’s view of psychotherapy. Constable, London.
- Rogers, C. (1986). Carl Rogers on the development of the person-centered approach. Person-Centered Review, 1, 3, 257–259.
- Sanders, J., Munford, R., Ballantyne…& Jackson, R. (2017). Conditional openness: Young people define practices for successful child protection interventions. Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/09649069.2017.1351738
We thank the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment for funding the research that created this resource (MAUX2006).
This resource was developed by Professor Jackie Sanders. It was refined with input from Donna MacNicol, Te Aroha Noa Community Services, Justina Webster, Dr Linda Liebenberg, Professor Robyn Munford, Dr Jayne Mercier, Davinia Abbott and the team at Dingwall Trust Launch Programme
Citation: Sanders, J. with MacNicol, D., Webster, J., Munford, R. Liebenberg, L., Mercier, J., Abbott, D. and the Dingwall Trust Launch Team (2023). Person centred theory. Relational Resources for Change, https://youthsay.co.nz/rbp-theories/person-centred-theory/
CC BY-NC-ND Licensed using Creative Commons Licensing. Relational Resources for Change Project. You are welcome to use this resource individually, in your teams and in supervision/coaching/critical reflection, you should acknowledge the source using the above citation. You may not change this document, use it to develop your own external training, or for commercial purposes (e.g by charging a fee).
