Principles for person-centred and experiential training and further training
in psychotherapy and counselling
The following principles are in line with the Principles of the Network (Statutes I.1). The choice of the phrase "Person–Centered and Experiential" is intended to promote continued dialogue and development; it is not intended to favor any particular understanding of these approaches and their relationship.
Person-centred/experiential training and further training in psychotherapy and counselling is understood as the facilitation of personalisation, i.e. the development of the personality, of the trainee by a person-centred/experiential relationship and encounter between the trainers and the trainees aiming at the personal and professional abilities required to offer, establish, maintain and develop person-centred/experiential relationships with clients.
It is an enterprise both orientated towards the process and experience as well as committed to a profound theoretical reflection of experiences.
It consists of
experience in self-development in different settings (e.g. training groups, personal development groups, group therapy or counselling, individual therapy or counselling etc.)
dealing with the theoretical works of Carl Rogers and other person-centred and experiential theoreticians as well as the continuous development of the trainee’s own theoretical stances
the concrete application of the conditions
supervised practice of person-centred/experiential relationships with clients.
Among other elements the theoretical learning consists of: anthropological, philosophical and ethical foundations, theory of personality and relationship development, both in general and regarding processes of different persons and groups in different situations, theory of psychopathology and therapy, contextual (legal, medical, economical etc.) necessary knowledge. The theoretical foundations are in line with the Principles stated in the Statutes of the Network (I.2).
It is carried out in relationships with different facilitators/psychotherapists/counsellors/teachers and in various settings in order to profit from diverse learning possibilities, to foster creativity and to acknowledge personal and cultural diversity.
It is committed to a self-guided way of learning on the basis of empowerment and the ‘freedom to learn’ as postulated by Carl Rogers and to self-evaluation while meeting the requirements within the respective given legal and institutional frames.
Institutions and persons providing training are committed to clearly defined ethical standards, a continuous scientific development of theory and practice of the person-centred/experiential approaches, to scientific research and to working together with similar institutions and persons on national and international levels.