Exploring how everyday language helps make space for healing

One of the things that often sets person-centred therapy apart from other types of therapy is that it tends to be relatively free from jargon. What that means in practice is that when I’m sitting with a client, I’m not usually introducing psychological theories, technical labels, or diagnostic frameworks into the conversation. Instead, the focus stays firmly on what the client is feeling, noticing, wondering about — in their own words.

This can sometimes take people by surprise. Clients might come into therapy expecting to hear about stages of grief, or attachment styles, or maladaptive coping mechanisms. And of course, all of those concepts can be valid and useful in some contexts. But in person-centred therapy, we tend to work from a different foundation — one that places the client, rather than the theory, at the centre.

There are a few key reasons why I choose to keep the therapy space as jargon-free as I can:

1. Keeping the power where it belongs

One of the core beliefs of the person-centred approach is that the client is the expert in their own experience. The therapist is there not to interpret or explain, but to walk alongside, offering presence, empathy, and care.

When therapists introduce technical terms or frameworks too quickly, it can create a sense that the therapist knows more than the client — about what the client is feeling or what it “means.” This can quietly shift the balance of power in the relationship, suggesting that the therapist holds special knowledge the client doesn’t. I try to avoid that wherever possible, because I believe real healing happens when the client feels trusted, empowered, and in charge of their own process.

2. Staying close to the client’s world

Empathy — as I wrote about in my last blog post — means really doing the work of trying to understand what it’s like to be in someone else’s shoes. Part of that involves listening carefully to how someone talks about their world: the words they choose, the metaphors they use, the rhythms of their speech.

If I were to suddenly start talking in clinical or academic terms, it could pull us away from the client’s lived experience — and even risk making the client feel misunderstood. Instead, I aim to use the language my client uses. I want to meet them where they are, and to stay there with them.

3. Building a relationship that feels human

For many clients, especially those new to therapy, the idea of sitting down with a professional to talk about feelings can already feel intimidating. When the conversation is full of unfamiliar or overly technical terms, it can reinforce a sense of distance — as though the therapist is a kind of expert analyst rather than another human being offering presence and support.

By using ordinary, everyday language, I hope to make therapy feel more like a real, grounded, human relationship — one where it’s safe to be yourself, without having to “learn the lingo” first.

4. Letting theory emerge when it’s useful

That said, there are times when theory can be helpful. Some of my clients have spent time reading about therapeutic ideas, and they might find a particular model or phrase useful in helping them make sense of their experience. In these cases, I follow their lead — we can explore how that framework supports their understanding, or whether there are parts of it that don’t quite fit.

The difference here is that it’s client-led, not therapist-imposed. The theory becomes a tool, not a rule.

---

Thanks for reading — I hope this offers a little insight into why I believe that ordinary language can be one of the most powerful tools in therapy.