The assignmentIn this essay I will compare person-centered counseling with cognitive-behavioral counseling and their different approaches and explain why the counseling relationship is so important. We will briefly explain what person-centered and cognitive-behavioral therapy is. Person-centered counseling had its origins in the late 1940s during a conference where Carl Rogers gave a speech entitled "New Concepts in Psychotherapy." The synthesis of the discourse led to the theory that the client in a counseling relationship should be at the center of the relationship and guide the counseling process. The Client, in effect, became the expert on his own life and/or problems. The fundamental belief is that an individual is capable of change, growth and fulfillment (self-concept). Person-centered counseling looks at the “here and now” and how to make changes that impact the future. Person-Centered Counseling has generated a system known as the “Core Conditions Model” that emphasizes three key components: empathy, congruence, and acceptance. Cognitive behavioral therapy has its basis in two distinct therapeutic theories, cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy. Cognitive therapy (CT) believes that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected. CT states and an individual with help; can identify a problem that is causing a behavioral or emotional response and correct that thought to achieve the desired outcome. Behavioral Therapy believes that the individual's behavior is due to conditioning that occurred in the first years of life and as such can be altered with conscious awareness. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a combination of both of these theories and is based on an individual's thought history and... halfway down the page... the therapy is over. The relationship between the consultant and the client is critical to the success of the consulting experience and the results that follow. The consultant and the client must build a relationship and trust. The client must feel comfortable enough to open up and discuss their innermost thoughts and fears in the knowledge that the discussion is confidential and non-judgmental. The resulting relationship should be based on mutual respect.Part BThe assignmentReflect and write which of the two models attracts you more and why.AnswerI like the philosophy that person-centred counseling looks at the "here and now" and ensures that people take personal responsibility for their actions, I believe cognitive behavioral counseling has more to offer a client as there are more tools and techniques available to help them.