Carl Rogers Person-Centered Humanistic & Existential 1902-1987 Rogers (1959) Maintains that the human “organism” has the underlying actualizing tendency, which aims to develop all capacities in ways that maintain or enhance the organism toward autonomy All creatures strive to make the very best of their existence: Weeds will grow through the sidewalk Saplings crack boulders, or animals survive desert conditions or the frozen north! The course of ACTUALIZING creates society and culture

Major ConceptsPeople are basically good or healthy- or at the least not ill or bad! People are trustworthy The self as a process, ever changing The Ideal of self (society) vs. Real self Potential for self- understanding Inherent drive for self- actualization Personal power, solve own problems Congruence & incongruence, degree of accuracy between experience and self picture

The evolution Rogers’ PCT Nondirective- focus on understanding the client and communicating understanding Client-centered- theoretical development of therapeutic change Person-centered- application to family, groups and political activism as well as the individual

Influences on the development of PCT Early theological training: Otto Rank - creativity of individuals Alfred Adler - value of the individual and good relationships Abraham Maslow - self-actualization Martin Buber - “I-Thou” Rollo May - existentialism

PCT view of psychological development Infancy - monitoring of pleasantness of environment Children - develop trust in their reactions to the environment Older children - develop a need for positive regard from others Teens/Adults - develop a sense of self worth

Person-Centered Theory of Personality Conditions of worth - lead to incongruence Conditional regard - a sense of alienation Psychological disturbance is related to the amount of incongruence between individual experience and self worth Congruent relationships - a sense of being heard and understood Fully functioning person - provide positive regard to others and receive it from others- a goal Psychological maturity - openness, creativity and responsibility

The Fully Functioning Person The need for positive regard from others and positive self-regard would match organism evaluation and there would be congruence between self and experience, with full psychology adjustment as a result. The ideal human condition is embodied in the “fully functioning person” who is trusting in self, expresses feelings freely, acts independently, is creative and lives a rich live. Carl Rogers, 1959

Goals of Person Centered Therapy Client determines the goal More deeply understand various aspects of oneself Accepts oneself and others More self-direction which leads to better problem solving ability and less defensiveness

Person Centered counselor… Acts as a facilitator, collaborator Unconditional positive regard and acceptance Accurate empathetic understanding Authentic responses to client Provides necessary and sufficient conditions for change Listens and understands Holistic counseling, valuing and respecting

6 Necessary and sufficient conditions for therapeutic change 1. Psychological contact between two people 2. Client is incongruent Therapist provides: 3. Congruence and genuineness 4. Unconditional positive regard or acceptance 5. Empathy The client perceives: 6. Empathy and acceptance

EMPATHY Acquired Skill Listener loses distance Identification of feeling “Hearing the Person” Accurate interpretation of facial expressions and vocal cues Responding accurately NOT sympathetic or fact finding Four Part Process Tuning into your feelings Expressing your feelings Tuning into other’s feelings Responding with understanding Listen Verbal and non-verbal cues Acknowledge YOU FEEL_______ YOU SEEM_______ Feeling + Content Clarify Are you feeling--------? Can you tell me more? Can you give me an example? Can you tell me how you feel? I’m not sure I understand Check Out What you are saying is______ Let’s see if I understand

What the client experiences in therapy Responsibility for self The therapist’s empathy and unconditional positive regard which stimulates The process of exploring oneself which allows the client to Experience oneself Experience therapeutic change

Contributions Talking Therapy Concept of the importance of client counselor relationship Genuineness, unconditional positive regard and empathetic understanding Emotional focus of therapy, importance of affect Active Listening technique Empathetic responses

Limitations Too simple, support without challenge Limited techniques of attending and Active listening Ineffective skills leads a client “rambling” Not focused on problem- solving Not effective cross gender or culture Not all individuals have the ability for: Growth and self-actualization Awareness of subjective knowledge, intuition, gut feeling Questionable benefits of reflective listening

DVD Person Centered Counseling