The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.
-- Carl Rogers
Person Centered Psychology
Basic Principles
Person centered psychology is the life work of the great psychologist Carl Rogers. Early in his professional life, Rogers was studying at the liberal Union Theological Seminary, where he took several psychology classes. He realized that through psychology, he could achieve his goal of helping people grow, develop, and live more satisfying lives. Rogers was a very influential leader in his field, and he was often thought of as the physical embodiment of the very theory he built.
Person centered theory is a comprehensive one, and is based on the idea that people are inherently good and have a natural propensity for growth and development. Central to this theory is understanding, relating to, and appreciating others in positive ways. For Rogers, the concepts of human potential, conditions of worth, organismic values, fully functioning person, and phenomenological perspectives are all very important to understand when taking a person-centered approach.
Person centered theory is a comprehensive one, and is based on the idea that people are inherently good and have a natural propensity for growth and development. Central to this theory is understanding, relating to, and appreciating others in positive ways. For Rogers, the concepts of human potential, conditions of worth, organismic values, fully functioning person, and phenomenological perspectives are all very important to understand when taking a person-centered approach.
Techniques:
EMPATHY:
Empathy is less a technique and more a way of being for clinicians. By temporarily putting oneself in another persons shoes, a person is able to understand where that person is coming from and what they are experiencing. Carl Rogers believed that through active listening, a clinician could truly grasp the "subjective world of another person" and transmit that understanding to enhance that person's own self awareness. The empathetic mind-set is a tremendously powerful force for facilitating positive change for a client. |
CONGRUENCE:
The clinicians' ability to be genuinely authentic, well integrated and cognizant of who they are on the inside, and how others perceive them. Rogers thought that in order to be congruent one's inner and outer self must mirror each other, and there should be no facade on the part of the clinician. This technique serves to strengthen the therapeutic relationship because the client will feel as though the clinician is being honest, real, and genuine and therefore feel more comfortable being the same way. |
UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD:
This is the concept of respecting, liking, and accepting people for exactly who they are. A central component of this technique is to practice in such a way that does not make the client feel as if they are required to act, feel, or think in any specific way in order to please the clinician. This does not mean, however, that the clinician has to see everything that the client does or thinks as good, rather they see the client as doing their best given their current situation. The overall goal of this practice is to help people believe that they are worthy and able to trust their own thoughts, logic, and feelings. Making the client feel worthwhile, while changing negative behavior, thoughts, or feelings is what really allows the client to feel comfortable disclosing uncomfortable material to the clinician.
This is the concept of respecting, liking, and accepting people for exactly who they are. A central component of this technique is to practice in such a way that does not make the client feel as if they are required to act, feel, or think in any specific way in order to please the clinician. This does not mean, however, that the clinician has to see everything that the client does or thinks as good, rather they see the client as doing their best given their current situation. The overall goal of this practice is to help people believe that they are worthy and able to trust their own thoughts, logic, and feelings. Making the client feel worthwhile, while changing negative behavior, thoughts, or feelings is what really allows the client to feel comfortable disclosing uncomfortable material to the clinician.
Source:
Seligman, L., & Reichenberg, L. (2014). Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy (4th ed., pp. 40-110). Pearson Publishing.
Seligman, L., & Reichenberg, L. (2014). Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy (4th ed., pp. 40-110). Pearson Publishing.