Person-Centered Therapy/Theory

 

 

Founder: Carl Rogers (1902-1987)

 

(Wyett-Simmonds)

 

Key Concepts: Once again we look at the view of human nature (just like existentialist), focusing on the client's growth toward adjustment and moving away from maladjustment. Rogers maintained the three therapist attributes to this growth include; congruence (genuineness, or realness), unconditional positive regard (acceptance and caring), and accurate empathic understanding (an ability to deeply grasp the subjective world of another person) (Corey, 2009).  Here the emphasis is on the clients world and how he deals with the challenges in his life. Abraham Maslows self actualizing studies helped shape Rogers look at self-reflection and self-awareness (Corey,2009). For further information on Abraham Maslow see http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html. 

Therapeutic Goals: Most people come to therapy for someone to fix them and their problems, but person-centered therapy focuses on the person not on the problems.  The underlying aim of therapy is to provide a climate conductive to helping the individual strive toward self-actualization (Corey, 2009). Rogers, 1961 (as cited by Corey, 2009) states that when people become increasingly actualized as having these attributes; an openness to experience, a trust in themselves, an internal source of evaluation, and a willingness to continue growing.  Through unconditional positive regard (genuinely caring for the client) and having deep empathy the therapist can build a relationship that is trusting and safe.  Though this relationship between therapist and client are important the therapist never gives off the role of expert or being over them or better then them (being judgemental).  Rogers, 1961 (as cited by Corey, 2009) also says that research done on person-centered therapy seems to indicate that the attitude of therapists, rather than their knowledge, theories, or techniques facilitate personality change in the client. 

Expansions on Person-centered Therapy: Natalie Rogers expanded on her fathers theories with Expressive Art Therapy.  Rogers, 1993 (as cited by Corey, 2009) included these principles...

• All people have an innate ability to be creative
• The creative process is transformative and healing. The healing aspects involve activities such as meditation, movement, art, music, and journal writing.
• Personal growth and higher states of consciousness are achieved through self-awareness, self-understanding, and insight.
• Self-awareness, understanding, and insight are achieved by delving into our feelings of grief, anger, pain, fear, joy and ecstasy.
• Our feelings and emotions are an energy source that can be channeled into the expressive arts to be released and transformed.
• The expressive arts lead us into the unconscious, thereby enabling us to express previously unknown facets of ourselves and bring to light new information and awareness.
• One art from stimulates and nurtures the other, bringing us to an inner core or essence that is our life energy.
• A connection exists between our life force-- our inner core, or soul--and the essence of all beings.
• As we journey inward to discover our essence or wholeness, we discover our relatedness to the outer world, and the inner and outer become one.

Here is her website for further information, http://www.nrogers.com/.

Motivational Interviewing (MI)- In the early 1980's William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnick developed a counseling approach that was humanistic, client-centered, psychosocial, and directive based of Rogers Person-centered theories (Corey, 2009). Expanding on Person-centered MI uses a directive approach versus the non-directive in Rogers therapy. Counselors will use open-ended questions, employing reflective listening, affirming and supporting the client, responding to resistance in nonconfrontaional manner, guiding a discussion of ambivalence, summarizing and linking at the end of sessions, and eliciting and reinforcing change talk (Corey, 2009). According to Corey 2009, the five following stages that people go through during counseling include...

1. Precontemplation stage=no intention of changing a behavior pattern in the near future.
2. Contemplation stage=people are aware of problem and are considering overcoming it, but have not yet made a commitment to take action to bring about change.
3. Preparation stage-=individuals intend to take action immediately and report some small behavioral changes.
4. Action stage=individuals are taking steps to modify their behavior to solve their problems.
5. Maintenance stage=people work to consolidate their gains and prevent relapse.

The following link has further information on Motivational Interviewing, http://www.motivationalinterview.org/index.html.

Key Terms: Actualizing tendency, therapeutic core conditions, unconditional positive regard, empathy, accurate empathic understanding, presence, immediacy, motivational interviewing (MI)

I've included a series from YouTube with Carl Rogers using his person-centered therapy with his client Gloria. Containing five parts it is very informational, if you have time check it out.

(Batchilder, 2010)

 



Resources

 

Corey, G. (2013). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. (9 ed., pp. 137-171). Belmont, CA: BROOKS/COLE CENGAGE Learning.

 

 

Batchilder, R. (2010). The great carl rogers - person centred therapy [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjTpEL8acfo 

 

 

Wyett-Simmonds, M. (Photographer). (n.d.). Carl rogers. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://person-centred.co.uk/