In the area of solving the problem, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Person Centred Therapy differ.
PCT usually involves a considerable amount of two way knowledge flow including an emotional flow as well. The flow in CBT is often one-way where clients follow a programme, guidelines or take advice.
There may be two-way knowledge-flow up to a point in CBT, but if the knowledge from the client is incoherent or delivered in an angry manner it is often seen to be part of the problem.
Then it is moderated by the helper, the helper often coaching the client so that the anger can be expressed coherently, lessening the chance that it will get in the way of getting the help that is needed, and thereby contributing to the person’s problem solving abilities.
And that is very good!
In PCT, however, incoherence and anger have meaning and the meaning is explored by client and helper together – perhaps hidden in the anger or incoherence lie gifts or positive attributes, potential etc. that the practitioner has not spotted himself in his measured thinking that comes from years of formal education.
One-way knowledge-flow implies that positive regard is (almost always) biased towards those who accept the messages in the knowledge imparted to them by the practitioner. In this respect it is likely that the goal will be that they will develop skills so that they can feel happier within their circumstances, perform better and in that way solve the problems that they presented with in the first place.
On the other hand, two-way flow implies that the person has expertise herself to solve the problem, perhaps in a way that is different to that imagined by the practitioner – and that the practitioner will learn also. I believe that in cases where problems are symptoms of a greater dis-ease of the psyche, (a deeper distress, if you like), two-way knowledge flow is even more important.
There is a joke (well – maybe it’s only a joke to people like me) about a definition of what a therapist is. The answer is a person who knows what’s wrong with you but won’t tell you.
The practitioner does have expertise, but it is more in awareness, reflection, affirmation and presence rather than cognitive knowledge as such.
And inviting the person’s chaos into the therapeutic space – as PCT does – indicates, in itself, that the practitioner is willing to struggle with the person in distress to try and find a satisfactory solution.