Person-centred therapy is rooted in a philosophical and ethical tradition: the work of

In one of his first works published in English, Schmid (1998b: 38-52) explains the importance of the concept of the person and (p.  39) why the paradigm shift from an objective view of human beings (what is a human being?) he sees as underpinning much of psychology and psychotherapy to a subjective view (who are you?), which characterises the person-centred approach, is truly radical. Treating someone as an object leads in the direction of diagnosis, treatment and cure; attempting to discover who someone is involves the process of encounter. It is clear that for Schmid ‘encounter’ is different from ‘relationship’. In my view and in my interpretation of Schmid, it is in encounter that each of us may discover and change ourselves through interaction and dialogue with the Other (see below).