Shedding the stigma of their problems, the client is able to step back and examine themself as a whole person and become aware of not only who they are, but who they have the capacity to become as well. Rogers believed this was achievable in a few specific ways: 1) by displaying congruency, or being genuine with clients and allowing the client to experience the counselor as who they really are, not as someone hiding behind a stoic façade, 2) by demonstrating unconditional positive regard, or caring deeply and genuinely for the client and their well being, regardless of their choices and actions and 3) by being empathetic and understanding towards the client (Prochaska & Norcross, 2014). In a recent 2011 study of twenty people who reported psychotic processes (I.e- hearing voices, hallucinating, paranoia and unusual and sometimes harmful processes of thinking or behavior), researchers found that a specific method used in the person centered approach, namely unconditional positive regard, was the main component that was able to bring about positive change in these particular people. By the therapist not labeling their illness and
It is important to engage in the client’s world so they are able to express their feelings. This will then lead for exploration, to be able to accept previously denied aspects of self-involving checking with the client which should be natural and free flowing. Respecting the individuality for the client (Mearns and Thorne, 2007). Rogers considered empathy as a ''state of being'', however Truax and Carkhuff defined empathy as a communication skill. A number of difficulties arose within the concept of empathy.
I believe that Person-Centred Therapy offers the therapist many great tools to treat the client successfully, but at the same time am convinced that this approach on its own will not suit all clients but will work extremely well in combination with other types of therapy. Rogers identified core conditions for changes in clients to happen, the first of these being that there needs to be a relationship between the client and therapist in which the client shows certain vulnerabilities or incongruence. The therapist on the other hand will show complete genuineness and will not hide behind the role of a professional. He should be real and able to express his feelings genuinely and act on their life’s experiences with relevant self disclosures. The therapist should hide nothing and the client should be able to see through her.
Counselling and Self Awareness Because of the intimately private counselling work that qualified counsellors and psychotherapists do with clients, it is vitally important that a counselling professional is fully self-aware. Being able to self-reflect enables a counsellor to identify and develop personal awareness, and to remain emotionally detached from the relationship he/she is developing with a client. Relating to Others Counsellors will naturally draw their own conclusions about self-awareness. Their work with clients may present many personal challenges, but also an on-going opportunity to assess personal strengths, feelings, thoughts and limitations, as they relate to other people. Understandably a counsellor may also experience a sense of personal familiarity, whilst counselling clients, but must remain emotionally detached at all times.
Rogers discovered that for an individual to be able to express themselves fully and to experience therapeutic change, three 'core conditions' must be established within the counselling environment, (McLeod, 2008). These core conditions are unconditional positive regard, empathic understanding and congruence. Unconditional positive regard relates to the counsellor's non-judgemental acceptance of client. The client must be able to express him or herself freely without fear of rejection or a negative response. Empathic understanding from the counsellor demonstrates to the client an
Person centred psychology is a humanistic approach developed from humanistic philosophy that deals with the ways in which clients perceive themselves consciously, rather than how a therapist can interpret their unconscious thoughts or feelings. According to Saul McLeod, 2008, Carl Rogers rejected the deterministic nature of both psychoanalysis and behavioural and maintain we behave as we do because of the way each perceive own situation is different. "As no one else know how we perceive, we are the best experts on ourselves." Unlike other therapist, person-centred therapist refer those in therapy as clients, instead of patients. This is due to the fact that the therapist and client are seen as equal partners rather than as an expert treating a patient (McLeod, 2008).
The therapist would see me as a client which is the reason this type of therapy is also know as client-centered therapy. He/she would see us as equals developing a relationship to help me find some of the issues I am dealing with. Person-centered therapy, developed by Carl Rogers, is based on three principles. The first principle is that the therapist is congruent with the client. The second principle is that the therapist provides the client with unconditional positive regard.
It is my desire to support clients' efforts to gain insight and identify solutions for their areas of concern and believe that most of the answers lie within. From my perspective, the counselor's role is to create a climate in which clients can examine their thoughts, feelings, and actions and eventually arrive at solutions that are best for them. As a counselor, it is important to be non-judgmental, when counseling or helping another person, regardless of how open-minded I may consider myself to be. Personality attributes of professional counselors has a great impact in the counseling process. Being nonjudgmental and accepting are important attributes in any of the helping professions.
This essay concentrates on Carl Rogers’ person centred approach suggesting that therapeutic conditions such as congruence, unconditional positive regard and empathy are key to successful personal counselling and growth. Along with this are the basic micro skills used in counselling such as attentive listening, paraphrasing, reflective responses, probing and summarising. It is essential to realise the importance of using basic counselling skills. According to Palmer (2000) in order to be an effective helper it is important that the skills are identified, understood, learned and practiced repeatedly. It is also critical to recognize that the “ use of counselling skills is properly associated with therapeutic, helping or healing ends and not with self centred agendas” ( p. 4).
Comment on the idea that the client knows what is hurting and the best way forward for them? This is the central truth as it is the task of the counsellor is to be kind of companion and who can relate to the client in such a way that he or she can access their own wisdom and recover self-direction. What is self-actualisation? Rogers tended to agree with Maslow's theory, self- actualisation is the desire for self-fulfilment, namely the tendency for him [the individual] to become actualized in what he is potentially but added some twists of his own. Self-actualization to Rogers was an inborn drive to grow and develop to our highest level of human beingness; self-actualization is unique for each person because we all have different traits and talents.