Person-centred (or Rogerian) therapy works from the belief that all human beings have the capacity and impulse to struggle towards the realization of their full potential.
When the counsellor provides enough acceptance, transparency and warmth a sufficiently therapeutic context is created in which the client feels safe enough to look at whatever issues are uppermost for them. Gradually, these can then be resolved allowing the client to come to some measure of self acceptance.
Clients may wish to explore events in their past or they may wish to concentrate on what is happening to them right now. Sometimes it may be more relevant to focus on how to go forward from now rather than look at what has past.
In the end it is the relationship between client and counsellor that provides the basis for the client to explore, to learn to trust themselves and to find their own meaning.