Humanistic Therapy

Humanistic Therapy An insight-oriented psychotherapy; conscious thoughts are more important than unconscious Believes people are basically good with self- actualizing tendencies Boost people’s self-awareness and self-acceptance and personal growth

Humanistic Therapy Carl Rogers developed client-centered therapy, using acceptance, genuineness and empathy to help clients drop facades and express true feelings. This grace-filled environment provides unconditional positive regard. General ideology: Everyone has a real self and ideal self; the closer the match-up, the happier the person

Ideal self: What one should or would like to be Humanistic Therapy Real self: One’s perception of actual characteristics, traits, and abilities Ideal self: What one should or would like to be REAL SELF IDEAL SELF REAL SELF IDEAL SELF According to Rogers, the self-concept includes the real self and the ideal self. The real self is a person’s actual perception of traits and abilities, whereas the ideal self is the perception of what a person would like to be or thinks he or she should be. When the ideal self and the real self are very similar (matching), the person experiences harmony and contentment. When there is a mismatch between the two selves, the person experiences anxiety and may engage in neurotic behavior. Match = Harmony Mismatch = Anxiety

Humanistic Therapy Rogers’s person-centered therapy: Methodology: Therapist to provide the unconditional positive regard during treatment Nondirective therapy: Client talks out problems and concerns; therapist acts as a sounding board Recognition of discrepancies between the real and ideal selves

Humanistic Therapy Rogers’s person-centered therapy (continued): Three elements: Authenticity: providing genuine, open, and honest response to the client without being judgmental Unconditional positive regard: the warm, accepting, and completely uncritical atmosphere created for the client Empathy: listening to and understanding the client’s feelings

Humanistic Therapy Reflection: a technique therapists use to allow clients to continue to talk and have insights without the interference of interpretations and possible biases Carl Rogers session

Humanistic Therapy Evaluation of humanistic therapies: “Hands-off” form of therapy; the therapist runs a lower risk of misinterpretation Little experimental research to support therapy’s ideology Use of case studies to build theories