Background

 

The Person Centred Association arose following the near-demise of the British Association for the Person-Centred Approach (BAPCA) which had been in existence since 1989.  Key BAPCA members supported and encouraged the formation of tPCA in order to give the person-centred community a fresh start and new energy.

One aim in creating a person-centred organisation was to ensure that the national policy makers would not overlook the approach. In October 2020, we sent an open letter to BACP objecting to the distortion and marginalisation of person-centred therapies within the SCoPEd project.

The Person Centred Association is a member of PCE-Europe, which is a Chapter of the World Association for Person-Centred and Experiential Psychotherapy and Counselling (WAPCAPC).  Additionally, Association members can join Division 52, the Humanistic Section of American Psychological Association (APA) and benefit from a reduced membership fee for the first year.

The Person Centred Association/BAPCA has been instrumental in developing the person-centred approach both in the UK and abroad. The vibrancy of the organisation has turned it from a small stand-alone organisation, to one with international links and standing.

Although the Person Centred Association is growing beyond its modest beginnings, with a vibrant and mixed membership, the radical ideology and philosophy of respect and trust still remains at its core.