ABSTRACT
In the study of human relationships, power and influence are problematic. How they are understood has to do with theoretical and philosophical stance as well as practical experience (see Proctor et al. 2006 for thoughts about power written from a person-centred perspective). There is no way any of us can divorce ourselves from the power (or lack of it) bestowed on us by our gender, class, ability, wealth, ethnicity, education, professional role and so on. All these factors affect the practice of person-centred therapy and must be acknowledged and addressed. However, at the risk of appearing naively to set them aside, there is something worth saying about fundamental person-centred attitudes and ‘power’ in the therapeutic relationship.
