Clients’ experiences of relational depth in person-centred counselling

Abstract

This study explored clients’ experiences of relational depth using a qualitative methodology. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 participants who had been clients of predominately person-centred counselling. Participants were asked to focus on specific moments which they had experienced as relational depth. The clients’ descriptions of those experiences showed some similarity to therapists’ descriptions, including feelings of aliveness, realness, and openness, although there were also some significant differences described. Participants experienced their therapists as being holding, accepting, and ‘really real’, and as offering something over and above what they had expected from a professional therapeutic relationship. Such moments were often seen by participants as being highly significant moments in the therapy with an enduring positive effect. The implications of these findings are discussed and areas for further research highlighted.

Keywords:

• Clients' experiences
• person-centred therapy
• presence
• qualitative research
• relational depth

Acknowledgements

With thanks to all the participants for speaking so openly about their experiences, and to Professors Mick Cooper and Robert Elliott for their support.