Handbook Narratives
This page represents narratives and reflections of the PCA as it exists and is experienced around the globe. They were gathered to create a chapter for 'The Handbook of Person-Centred Psychotherapy and Counselling (3rd ed)' on the current development and dissemination of the approach in a relevant and consistent manner.
The Persons-centered Approaches in the Ibero-American Cultural Region
The Ibero-American Cultural Region is made up of 27 countries and territories whose official language is Spanish or Portuguese, distributed over several continents: North America: 1; Central America and the Caribbean: 9; South America: 10; Europe: 2; and Africa: 5. Its total area is more than twice that of Europe and its population in 2020 was more than 10 million people higher than that of Europe.
The data collected comes from 68 collaborators from 14 countries of the Region, whom we thank for their participation in the survey. Other people contacted could not send us the information within the established period, offered to collaborate at a later date or declined the invitation.
PCA in Western & Central European area
- Austria - Gerhard Stumm
- Belgium - Kurt Renders (Flemish part), Jean-Marc Priels (French part)
- Denmark - Niels Bagge
- Finland - no personal contact, no PCA organisations, no PCA trainings
- France - AFP-ACP, Willi Roes
- Germany - Dagmar Nuding
- Iceland - no personal contact, no PCA organisations, no PCA trainings
- Ireland - Ladislav Timulak
- Italy - Alberto Zucconi
- Netherlands - Angelique Timmermann
- Norway - Jan Steigler, Niels Bagge
- Portugal - Tito Laneiro
- Spain - Ion Corcuera Llorente (in Spanish)
- Sweden - Per-Anders Tengland + Ulla-Stina Johansson
- Switzerland - Jean-Marc Randin
Person-Centered Approach in Japan-Through my Encountering Experience
It has been more than 50 years since the person-centered approach (PCA) came to Japan. The Japanese professionals at that time absorbed and learned from them enthusiastically. As part of that trend, I would like to share my story I first encounter with PCA. I think this sharing can be well represented situation of PCA in Japan.
The Current State of the Person-Centered Approach in North America
References to Carl Rogers, client-centered therapy, and person-centered therapy exist in many foundational clinical psychology and counseling courses throughout colleges and universities in North America. However, there is little if no mention of the movement known as the PCA (Person-Centered Approach).
Historical development of the PCA in the United Kingdom
‘Counselling’, as opposed to ‘psychotherapy’1, first emerged in the United Kingdom after the Second World War in response to a perceived social crisis, leading to the establishment of the National Marriage Guidance Council (Dryden et al., 2000). Initially, volunteers were engaged to support families, both in the context of marriage and in youth work and these volunteers became the first people to undergo a systematic training in counselling.
PCA development in Vietnam
Quang thinks PCA first appeared in Vietnam when Axline’s “Dibs in Search of Himself” and Rogers' "On Becoming a Person” were translated into Vietnamese by To Thi Anh and Vu Trong Ung and published in 1988 and 1994, respectively.
This page represents narratives and reflections of the PCA as it exists and is experienced around the globe. They were gathered to create a chapter for 'The Handbook of Person-Centred Psychotherapy and Counselling (3rd ed)' on the current development and dissemination of the approach in a relevant and consistent manner. To this purpose, the practitioners from different regions and corners of the world were encouraged to answer the following questionnaire:
- Historical development of PCA in your country.
- Characteristics of how the approach is implemented (e.g. classical PC, Focusing and other sub-orientations or distinctive elements).
- How does PCA mesh with cultural values and mentality in your country?
- Legal situation in terms of authorization of practitioners (nationwide access to become a psychotherapist, length of training, separate regulations for psychotherapists and counsellors?) and funding of psychotherapy by state insurance.
- Main ways of psychotherapeutic service (e.g., private practice, private institutions, institutions sponsored by state, delivered by psychologists/counsellors).
- Prevalence (representation of PCA, e. g., number of psychotherapists, in comparison to other approaches).
- Current issues and challenges (e.g. projects, developments, links or cooperations with academic institutions).
- Professional organisations (for training, member organizations for practicing psychotherapists).
- Relevant research (actual & last ten years).
- Sources in the local language(s) (incl. translations of basic literature).
Co-creating the chapter was an exciting process. The narratives have been provided by the representatives of the international community: North America: Sarton Weinraub; UK: Catherine Hayes and Susan Stephen; Western Europe: Gerhard Stumm, with fourteen other contributors; Asia: Kazuo Yamashita, Jin Wu, Quang Nguyen and Phuong Pham; Eastern and Southern Europe: Yana Gololob and twelve collaborators; Ibero-American: Marcia Tassinari and Alberto Segrera. Each of these reports are available as online content on this website.
Yana Gololob