Non-directive therapy, or non-directive counseling, is an approach to mental health treatment that involves helping clients to understand and comprehend their own emotions, past and present actions, and values. The goal of non-directive psychotherapy is to foster personality growth by having a deeper understanding of themselves.
Carl Rogers, inspired by psychoanalysis and therapists before him, first penned the term non-directive therapy in the 1940s. His goal in doing such was to separate himself and his practice from the traditional therapy practice of the time, directive therapy, which is when a therapist or counselor takes charge and guides a patient through the session, influencing and establishing requirements that the patient might have not thought about before. This type of psychological practice highlights the importance of a therapist, who is viewed by the client as a doctor of sorts who can prescribe a “cure” for their patients. Of course, this has the potential of dismissing the unique environment a specific individual exists in and has been shaped by, and the unique viewpoint every patient has, which is what client-centered therapy, or non-directive counseling, is all about.
Non-directive therapy is effective because it helps to prioritize the self-importance of the client, and in a few important ways can result in psychological breakthroughs:
Non-directive counseling can be a great way to introduce patients to psychotherapy because it quickly establishes the importance a client holds in their own path towards psychological breakthroughs. First-time patients may come to counseling with preconceived notions about what therapy is and who it is meant for, but non-directive therapy makes it clear that a therapist is there to assist you, not direct you.
Unlike directive counseling, the objectives behind non-directive counseling can only be achieved if there is an established relationship between the counselor and the patient. This helps to eliminate any power imbalance that may make a patient feel uncomfortable and unable to open up fully about themselves and their personal struggles.
Once a counselor has established and earned the trust of a patient, one of the most difficult aspects of counseling is making sure a patient follows through with advice and reflections from a psychotherapy session. With non-directive counseling, a patient is more inclined to follow through with breakthroughs that occurred during a therapy session because, while a counselor helped them towards a realization, it is the patient that took those final–and most important–steps towards learning a little more about themselves and the steps they can take next to potentially live a happier and healthier life.
Becoming a clinical counselor or psychotherapist is a healthcare profession where psychological practices like non-directive can not only help improve lives, it can change them for the better. Getting either your Master’s in Clinical Counseling and Psychotherapy or your PhD in Clinical Social Work from ICSW of Chicago can set you up for a career in healthcare where your hard work results in helping other people and making a real difference.
