From the Room Where We Begin: Being Heard and How Therapy Works

Therapy is often spoken about in hushed tones, a mysterious space, a last resort or a brave beginning. But at its heart, it is something profoundly human: one person sitting with another, listening with care and making room for what has long gone unheard.

If you’ve ever wondered what actually happens in therapy, you’re not alone. Many people feel unsure about what to expect or whether talking can really help.

In this blog, I want to explore how therapy works, specifically, Person-Centred Experiential Therapy (PCE). It’s the foundation of my practice and I’ll be drawing on both clinical research and my own experience in the therapy room to offer you a clear, honest picture of what this kind of therapy involves, why it helps and how it might feel for you as a client.

I'll also reference the academic foundations of the approach including recent UK-based research and key ideas from Carl Rogers, the founder of person-centred therapy.

The Basics: What Is Person-Centred Experiential Therapy?

PCE is a form of humanistic talking therapy grounded in the belief that people have an innate capacity to grow and heal. Carl Rogers described this as the "actualising tendency", "the inherent tendency of the organism to develop all its capacities in ways which serve to maintain or enhance the organism" (Rogers, 1959).

In simple terms, person-centred therapists trust that clients are experts in their own lives. Our job is to provide the right conditions for self-understanding and growth to unfold naturally. The therapist does not impose techniques or interpretations but instead works in a non-directive, collaborative and deeply respectful way.

This therapeutic style focuses on the client’s here-and-now emotional experience, encouraging a deeper exploration of feelings and perceptions. The "experiential" element refers to the emphasis on emotional processing and moment-to-moment awareness in the therapeutic relationship.

The Core Conditions: How the Relationship Heals

Carl Rogers identified six conditions that he believed were both necessary and sufficient for therapeutic change. That means if these conditions are present, growth will naturally occur without the need for specific techniques or interpretations.

The six conditions are:

1. Psychological contact between client and therapist

2. Client incongruence – where the client is vulnerable or anxious

3. Therapist congruence – the therapist is real and genuine

4. Therapist unconditional positive regard – complete acceptance of the client

5. Therapist empathic understanding – a deep and accurate understanding of the client’s internal frame of reference

6. Client perception of the therapist's empathy and unconditional positive regard

   
   

These are not just theoretical ideals. When these conditions are present, research shows that people feel safer, more open and more able to explore parts of themselves that have been hidden, hurt or held in shame. And from that place, transformation becomes possible.

"If I can provide a certain type of relationship, the other person will discover within himself the capacity to use that relationship for growth and change and personal development will occur." Carl Rogers

How Change Happens: Emotional Processing, Self-Acceptance and Insight

PCE works by helping clients access and process their emotions in a safe, supportive environment. When emotions that were previously suppressed or denied are expressed and understood, this can lead to a sense of relief, integration and greater psychological flexibility.

Emotion-focused researchers such as Leslie Greenberg (1994) have shown that engaging with authentic emotional experience is key to therapeutic change. When clients feel truly heard and accepted, they often become more self-compassionate and less self-critical.

This process leads to what Rogers called congruence — a state in which there is alignment between the client’s self-perception and lived experience. Many clients describe this as "finding myself" or feeling more whole.

The Evidence Base: Does It Work?

Yes, and this is increasingly recognised within UK mental health services.

A major randomised controlled trial known as the PRaCTICED study (Lancet Psychiatry, 2021) compared Person-Centred Experiential Therapy to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for depression. The results showed that PCE was non-inferior to CBT, meaning it was just as effective in reducing symptoms of depression over a six-month period.

This challenges assumptions that directive or structured therapy is always better and supports the inclusion of PCE in NHS services. The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) funded the trial and has advocated for greater choice in therapy provision as a result.

Meta-analyses by Elliott and Freire (2008) reviewed 60 years of person-centred and experiential therapy studies and found large sustained improvements across a range of client presentations. These outcomes were comparable to those from CBT and psychodynamic therapies.

In Practice: What It Feels Like for Clients

As a therapist, I often hear from clients that the most powerful part of our work isn’t advice or solutions, it’s the feeling of being deeply understood.

In a session, I’ll follow your lead. You might bring in something you’ve been struggling with for years or something that’s come up today. There’s no agenda but your own. Together, we make space for you to explore your thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations at your own pace.

This might involve:

• Sitting with difficult emotions like grief, shame or anxiety

• Making sense of contradictory feelings

• Gently untangling long-held patterns or stories

• Noticing what comes up in the therapeutic relationship itself

  
  

The idea isn’t to "fix" anything but to offer the kind of relationship where things can start to soften, shift or make sense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the therapist give me advice?

Not in the traditional sense. In person-centred therapy, the focus is on helping you access your own wisdom. Rather than telling you what to do, I’ll help you explore what feels right for you.

How long does therapy take?

That depends on you. Some people come for a few sessions, others stay longer-term. We can review as we go to make sure the process is working for you.

Is this approach suitable for anxiety or depression?

Yes. Research shows that person-centred experiential therapy is just as effective as CBT for issues like anxiety and depression. It’s especially helpful if you value emotional depth and a strong therapeutic relationship.

What if I don’t know what to talk about?

That’s completely okay. Therapy isn’t a performance. Sometimes people sit in silence, cry or start with "I don’t know what I’m doing here". All of it is welcome.

Final Reflections

Therapy doesn’t always offer quick fixes. But what it can offer is something deeper: a safe relationship in which you can feel heard, accepted and supported as you grow. For many, that’s transformative.

"When someone really hears you without passing judgement... it is astonishing how elements that seem insoluble become soluble." — Carl Rogers

That’s what I aim to offer. And that, at its heart, is how therapy works.

Interested in Therapy?

If this approach speaks to you, I’d be happy to chat. I offer in person appointments (Liverpool) and online sessions across the UK and Europe for individuals looking to explore therapy.

Contact me: https://www.lawrencetherapy.co.uk/contact