---
title: Credo
url: 'https://acp.psyom.fr/en/credo'
markdown: 'https://acp.psyom.fr/en/credo.md'
lang: en
date: '2026-08-25'
description: "This “Counsellor's Creed” is taken from the seminal workMearns, D. and Thorne, B. (1988). Person-centred counselling in action. London: Sage Publications. by Dave Mearns and Brian Thorne on the practice of person-centredOriginal british spelling preserved. therapy. It synthesises a set of convi…"
---

# Credo

This “Counsellor's Creed” is taken from the seminal workMearns, D. and Thorne, B. (1988). Person-centred counselling in action. London: Sage Publications. by Dave Mearns and Brian Thorne on the practice of person-centredOriginal british spelling preserved. therapy. It synthesises a set of convictions which, in the authors’ view, form an essential foundation for any authentic practice of this approach. I believe it manages, with remarkable conciseness, to convey something of the essence and distinctiveness of the Person-Centered Approach.

> ### The person-centred counsellor believes :
> 
> - that every individual has the internal resources for growth ;
> - that when a counsellor offers the core conditions of congruence, unconditional positive regard and empathy, therapeutic movement will take place ;
> - that human nature is essentially constructive ;
> - that human nature is essentially social ;
> - that self-regard is a basic human need ;
> - that persons are motivated to seek the truth ;
> - that perceptions determine experience and behaviour ;
> - that the individual should be the primary reference point in any helping activity ;
> - that individuals should be related to as whole persons who are in the process of becoming ;
> - that persons should be treated as doing their best to grow and to preserve themselves given their current internal and external circumstances ;
> - that it is important to reject the pursuit of authority or control over others and to seek to share power.

---

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