Who is the founder of client-centered therapy?

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Client-centered therapy, a cornerstone of humanistic psychology, centers on the idea that the client is the best authority on their own experience and growth. The founder of this approach is Carl Rogers, who proposed a non-directive form of therapy in which the therapist creates a safe, accepting environment and acts as a facilitator rather than a director of change. Three hallmark features define this method: unconditional positive regard (positive acceptance of the client), empathic understanding (accurate reflection of the client’s feelings and experiences), and genuineness or congruence (the therapist’s real, transparent presence). By allowing clients to lead the conversation and discover solutions themselves, with the therapist offering understanding and support, this approach contrasts with other modalities that are more directive or interpretation-based, such as Freud’s psychoanalysis or Jung’s analytic psychology. Maslow contributed important ideas about motivation and self-actualization within humanistic thought, but he did not establish client-centered therapy.