Comparative Essay On Psychoanalytic Therapy and Person-Centered Therapy

This comparative essay explores the similarities and differences between psychoanalytic therapy and person-centered therapy. It discusses the founders, goals, and approaches of each theory, as well as their views on human nature and problem formation. The essay also highlights the similarities in personal development, learning, and change in both theories.

Running Head: THEORIES OF COUNSELLING 1
Comparative Essay On Psychoanalytic Therapy and Person-Centered Therapy
Counseling Theories
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Introduction
Psychoanalytic therapy is a counseling theory which is based on the theories of Sigmund
Freud. The author is one of the forefathers of psychology. He is believed to be the founder of
psychoanalysis and in his approach, he tries to analyse how the mind which is not conscious
affects the behavior of individuals. This means the theory analyses the primary experiences of
an individual starting from childhood, to evaluate if the behavior the person possesses has
contributed to the current concerns. While the person-centered therapy was formulated by Carl
Rogers and in this approach, the therapy uses a non-authoritative approach which allows an
individual seeking for help to contribute more in the discussion so that in the process both will
discover the solutions of his or her problem (Marmor, 2018). In this approach, the therapist acts
as the facilitator who solves the problem by talking to the individual. Moreover, the facilitator
helps the client so that they can move in the same direction. In the paper, the differences and the
similarities of these two counseling theories will be discussed.
The two theories have some contrasts which include; in psychoanalytic therapy the
founder Sigmund Freud expressed his views on the deterministic view of an individual by stating
that the role played in childhood development in the individuals determines his or her personality
in development. While in the theory developed by Carl Rogers the person-centered therapy has
an opposing view which is considered to be more optimistic. The theory asserts that each role of
an individual lies in a positive centre in that every individual strives for growth and personal
fulfilment in life (Nye, 2018).
The theories also vary on the interpretations of human nature. In that, they both establish
different roles in their mode of practice. this means they both differ in the goals they establish. In
psychoanalytic therapy, its main goal is to establish light to the people who are unconscious in

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their thoughts. This means the psychoanalytic therapists assume that every individual should
behave in a neutral way (Hogan, 2015). Moreover, the therapist acts as an interpreter and
employs various techniques which deal away with unconsciousness hence making an individual
to behave in the right manner. On the other hand, the goal of the person-centered therapy is to
create a calm environment which allows the client to actualize the growth. The person-centered
therapist creates an environment which makes both client and the therapist be equal meaning that
in this theory the therapist does not hold any role. In these they understand their three
characteristics which include being genuine and honest with themselves, learn to accept their
clients positively and have empathic and show compassion to their clients (Horvath, 2018).
It is also evident that psychoanalytic therapy assumes the role of post-developmental of
an individual with the issue. Hence this means there are limited therapies to follow up. On the
other hand, person-centered therapy plays a significant role in the client by following up to the
proceedings and hence making the individual has experienced a change in her life. The
psychoanalytic therapy uses the new therapeutic approach which its main goal is to utilize time
and also the cost and also taking care of the inner psyche (Tolan and Cameron, 2016). While in
the person-centered therapy it uses the multicultural perspective which is widely used and uses
some cultural techniques so that the issues will be solved by the therapists. In the psychoanalytic
therapy, it offers a non-directive stance hence this means the therapist may not offer enough
guidance to the client while the person-centered therapy is asserted by many because it offers the
key therapeutic conditions of empathy and also the therapist offers the essential care needed by
the clients. The mode of approach in the two theories differs in that in the psychoanalytic therapy
Freud uses the deterministic approach while in the person-centered therapy carl rogers uses
humanistic approach (Joseph, 2015).

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On the similarities between the two counseling theories, it is depicted that the personal
development in two theories is similar. They are similar because both of the theories tend to
bring the individual in regard to the idea of bringing awareness to the client. On this, according
to Freud, he proposed that the client should understand that energy is gained by moving out from
the ego character. When the clients understand this he or she is able to make changes accordingly
(Haugh, 2018). Likewise, it is evident in the person-centered theory Rogers proposed that
therapist creating awareness to the client and trusting of the OVS must be presented to the client
so that he or she can develop the aspect of change. This means that when the behavior has
changed, there is the movement in self-actualization and hence the behavior of a human being
changes. In instances when a human being behaves in a way that goes against the OVS it means
this hinders the self-actualization of the human being. This means in all these both theories
enhances the personality structures of the human being (Cooper et al., 2016).
In both theories, the nature of the problem formation is the same. In that, in both theories,
it includes the therapist and the client and in both, the problem is solved. These means that the
nature of the problem formation is the same because both therapists seek to understand the
individual hence giving substantial answers to the issues presented (Corey, 2017). In person-
centered therapy, the therapist offers compassion and also provides an environment where the
client will present all the issue in an open way hence giving grounds to solve the problem.
Likewise, in the psychoanalytic therapy, the therapist considers the childhood practices of the
individual hence formulating the techniques which the unconscious state of the patient will be
solved. This means in all the theories the problems of the client are solved in the corrective way
(Capuzzi and Stauffer, 2016).

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In both, the process of learning and change is the same. This can be reflected in the
person-centered therapy where the therapies where the therapist creates an environment where
the client will open up hence creating grounds where the problem will be solved by the therapist
(Sharf, 2015) In these when an environment is created by the therapist it creates an environment
where the therapist and the client will learn each other minds hence eventually leading to
development process. Likewise, in the psychoanalytic process when the therapist analyses the
development of the individual from childhood towards the current state. This is also a process of
learning and problem-solving process (Shechtman, 2017)
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is true that both the theories have similarities and also the differences,
the focus of the similarities in the paper lied on the method and the nature of problem solution,
there is a similarity in the process of learning and change of the individual and the personal
structure of the human being as described in the same way by the founder of the theories. On the
contrasting points, the nature of interpretation in the two theories contrast. The way of approach
and also their goals differ in that in psychoanalytic therapy its main goal is to foster light to the
unconscious individual while in the person-centered approach their main goal is to create a
nurturing environment which will allow the client to be open hence the problem being solved. In
all these, this theory was created to foster counselling therapies to the clients.

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References
Capuzzi, D., & Stauffer, M. D. (2016). Counseling and psychotherapy: Theories and
interventions. John Wiley & Sons.
Cooper, M., Messow, C. M., McConnachie, A., Freire, E., Elliott, R., Heard, D., ... & Morrison,
J. (2018). Patient preference as a predictor of outcomes in a pilot trial of person-centred
counselling versus low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy for persistent sub-
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Corey, G. (2017). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Nelson Education.
Haugh, S. (2018). The handbook of person-centred therapy and mental health: theory, research
and practice. Person-Centered & Experiential Psychotherapies, 17(2), 188-190.
Hogan, S. (2015). Art therapy theories: A critical introduction. Routledge.
Horvath, A. O. (2018). Research on the alliance: Knowledge in search of a
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Joseph, S. (2015). Positive therapy: Building bridges between positive psychology and person-
centred psychotherapy. Routledge.
Marmor, J. (2018). Modern psychoanalysis: New directions and perspectives. Routledge.
Nye, A., Connell, J., Haake, R., & Barkham, M. (2018). Person-centred experiential therapy
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Sharf, R. S. (2015). Theories of psychotherapy & counseling: Concepts and cases. Cengage
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Shechtman, Z. (2017). Group counseling and psychotherapy with children and adolescents:
Theory, research, and practice. Routledge.
Tolan, J., & Cameron, R. (2016). Skills in person-centred counselling & psychotherapy. Sage.