Embracing the Tides Within: The Power of Person-Centred Counselling in Aotearoa

Person-centred counselling, originally developed by Carl Rogers, is a therapeutic approach grounded in the belief that every individual possesses the innate capacity for growth, healing, and self-understanding. Unlike directive models of counselling, person-centred therapy places the client at the heart of the process, offering a space defined by empathy, unconditional positive regard, and congruence (genuineness). These three "core conditions" enable clients to explore their inner world safely, build self-awareness, and find their own paths to well-being.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, person-centred counselling holds particular relevance due to its alignment with core values embedded in bicultural and multicultural practice. The approach’s respect for the client’s autonomy and worldview sits well alongside Māori concepts of mana (dignity, authority, and self-determination), whanaungatanga (relational connectedness), and tino rangatiratanga (self-leadership and sovereignty). By honouring a client’s lived experience and right to define their own meaning, person-centred counselling becomes a respectful, collaborative, and empowering method of support.

A unique strength of this approach lies in its non-pathologising stance. Rather than diagnosing or ‘fixing’ the client, the counsellor offers an accepting and empathetic presence, trusting that given the right conditions, the client will move toward growth. This is especially important in the New Zealand context, where communities often experience intergenerational trauma, systemic oppression, and marginalisation. For tangata whenua (indigenous Māori), Pacific peoples, and migrant communities, the person-centred approach can offer a space that acknowledges their holistic identity without reducing them to a diagnosis or label.

Person-centred counselling also complements indigenous models of wellbeing, such as Te Whare Tapa Whā, which frames wellbeing as a whare (house) with four dimensions: taha tinana (physical health), taha wairua (spiritual health), taha hinengaro (mental/emotional health), and taha whānau (family/social health). The person-centred approach supports the client to explore each of these areas, allowing room for cultural narratives, spiritual beliefs, and family dynamics to surface without judgment. In doing so, it upholds culturally responsive practice, an ethical responsibility for counsellors in Aotearoa under the Code of Ethics from the New Zealand Association of Counsellors.

Another key strength is that person-centred counselling fosters a genuine, relational connection between counsellor and client. In a world where many clients feel unseen or dismissed by institutional systems, the power of being truly heard can be transformative. It reinforces the client’s sense of value and encourages the development of trust, an essential foundation for effective therapy.

In conclusion, person-centred counselling is more than just a technique—it is a way of being with clients that honours their dignity, trusts their inner wisdom, and embraces their cultural identity. In the diverse landscape of Aotearoa New Zealand, this approach continues to offer a respectful, inclusive, and deeply human way to support healing and growth.

Wilbyn Mitchell

Counsellor and Art Practitioner