Introduction I have chosen humanistic existential as my theoretical orientation. Humanistic existentialists believe people are free to choose how to live and are responsible for the choices they make. They also believe we have a natural inclination to survive and grow and that we are social beings that have a powerful need to feel valued and belong. Humans are diverse in worldviews, lifestyles and beliefs but we all have an inherent tendency to develop our full potential (Wheeler, 2013, Kindle Location 11905). “Humanistic existential therapists attempt to receive clients with curiosity and openness, endeavoring to grasp their subjective world, and believing that clients are the experts on their own experience. They use the phenomenological …show more content…
Carl Rogers has reached more than 30 different countries. Also, Rogers’ writings have been translated into 12 different languages. Person Centered concepts have had a significant impact on European practice and education since the 1980’s (p.183). Corey (2012) states “Several writers consider person-centered therapy as being ideally suited to clients in a diverse world. Cain (2008) views this approach as being a potent way of working with individuals representing a wide range of cultural backgrounds because the core therapeutic conditions are qualities that are universal. Bohart (2003) claims that the person-centered philosophy makes this approach particularly appropriate for working with diverse client populations because the counselor does not assume the role of expert who is going to impose a “right way of being” on the client. Instead, the therapist is a “fellow explorer” who attempts to understand the client’s phenomenological world in an interested, accepting, and open way and checks with the client to confirm that the therapist’s perceptions are accurate” …show more content…
Person Centered Therapy is an excellent type of therapy because it promotes empathy. Rogers also uses a phenomenological approach. Reflection, self-understanding, genuineness and unconditional positive regard and acceptance are other positives. Although Person Centered Therapy is very helpful for an array of different patients, it has its drawbacks. The client is often not pushed or challenged much during therapy. Also, there are no interventions or techniques. The patient may also feel undirected and unable to find answers on their own. It generally requires a highly functioning patient who is able to drawn upon their own insight. Although research has been conducted on PCT since the 1960s, there are only a handful of quality articles that have been published. In addition, the theory has not evolved much since the mid 60’s. Corey (2012) states “Some clients seek professional help to deal with a crisis, to alleviate psychosomatic symptoms, or to learn coping skills in dealing with everyday problems.
When I first read the title of this book, Person-Centred Counselling in Action, it seems very interesting. This book is based on British community. The term ‘Counseling’ in Britain means ‘Psychotherapy’ in America. They use the term ‘counseling’ by confining their selves to relatively short-term therapeutic relationships (Mearns & Thorns, 2013). My personal reaction to Mearns and Thorns’ theory includes several concepts that I would like to implement in my career. After reading the book, I realize their theory is based on Rogers’ theory, Client-centered therapy. They quote Rogers’ terms to explain what it means and develop their own meanings.
This approach emphasizes the importance of the potential of humans and sought to make up for the missing component of conscious in the psychodynamic approach. The humanistic approach oriented psychologist has the belief that human behavior is guided by intent and the individual’s set of values (Association, 2014). Those who subscribe to this orientation believe there are both an unconscious and a conscious element to determining behavior. The unconscious element is considered to be the individual’s application of learned norms and experience, while the conscious element is applied by making deliberate choices and decisions. A humanistic oriented practitioner will use differing types of therapy such as client-centered therapy, Gestalt therapy, or existential therapy (American Psychological, 2015). Client-centered therapy or person-centered therapy was developed by Carl Rogers and places the client as the leader of the therapy. This approach allows for the growth and better understanding of self within the individual, as they solve their own problems, while the therapist is there to provide empathetic support (Australian, 2010). Gestalt therapy focuses on the responsibility of the individual for their current situation and considers relationships, environment, and social experiences occurring, and influencing behavior (Polster & Polster, 2010). This process consists of the practitioner acting as a guide and offer advise in helping the client to deal with their current issue. Existential therapy consists of allowing an individual the ability to live with their issues within their own existence (Price, 2011). This means a therapist uses this type of therapy to assist clients with understanding what the present problem is and learning to deal with the consequences of that issue in their every day life. With
I also have become passionate for person-centered therapy. As I start to work with students I will need to help the student to emphasis on how they act in their world with others, how they can move forward in a constructive directions, and how they can successfully deal with obstacles that are blocking their growth. The student may be dealing with obstacles from within themselves and outside of themselves. As the counselo...
Next, I am going to discuss the person-centred interventions I exercised through the therapeutic process with my client in session four. Within this I am going to explore how these interventions impacted my client’s responses and how I could improve my skills in future sessions.
My Philosophical Approach to Counseling Definition of Existential Therapy One survey taken by Corey suggests a definition of Existential Therapy include two key elements: Existential Therapy is essentially an approach to counseling and therapy rather than a firm theoretical model, it stresses core human conditions. Normally, personality development is based on the uniqueness of each individual.
Person-Centred Counselling established its origins in the late 1940 during a conference when Carl Rogers gave a talk entitled ‘New Concepts in Psychotherapy’. The summarisation of the talk resulted in the theory that the client in a counselling relationship should be at the center of the relationship and lead the counselling process. The Client, in effect became the expert on their life and/or problems. The fundamental belief is that an individual is capable of change, growth and fulfillment (self-concept). Person-Centred counselling looks at ‘the here and now’ and how to make changes that affect the future. Person-Centred Counselling generated a system known as the ‘Core Conditions Model’ which emphasized three key components: Empathy, Congruence and Acceptance.
The clinicians that use the approach of the humanistic-existential model believe that to function properly, humans, throughout their lives, have a need to develop perceptions and beliefs about oneself and to accept and value their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors regardless of the consequences (Comer, 2016, pg. 58). Humanists argue that people are born good and over the course of their lives, they seek to fulfill their potential known as self-actualization (Comer, 2016, pg. 58). Existentialists believe that human comes to this world with the ability and freedom to choose their destiny and give purpose to their lives (Comer, 2016, pg. 58). From both perspectives, practitioners consider abnormality to be rooted in childhood as a result of
I want to explore Client/Person Centered Therapy. This is a type of therapy that was pioneered by Carl Rogers. This therapy is different because as the name suggests it solely focuses on the client. 'In focusing on the client, the client’s feelings are deeply explored. The assumption is however, that the client was never able to have their feelings heard by the people surrounding them. Person Centered Therapy would allow the client to then be able to express their feelings openly. According to Strupp (1971), “psychotherapeutic relationship is in principle indistinguishable from any good human relationship in which a person feels fully accepted, respected, and prized” (p. 39). Thus, there must be a therapeutic alliance between therapist and client. This therapeutic alliance should creative an environment for the client in which the client feels the therapist is judgment-free. I find that Roger's theory to be interesting and seemingly affective. It makes sense that a change in a clients negative relationship patterns would allow freedom for the client to express themselves emotionally.
...entation, or several, in which they choose to practice in their professional career. Psychoanalysis and Person-Centered Therapy are just two, out of over four hundred types, of counseling approaches in use today. The constructs and theories are extremely different, however, neither can be considered right nor wrong. They are simply based on different beliefs, assumptions and viewpoints of human development and their behavior. Although, however different and unique, there are still similarities between the two types of therapy approaches. Through case examples, such as the case of D and the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder, the techniques and outcomes of different treatment approaches can be see in real life examples. Past research and writing support brings about contradictions, criticism and treatment outcomes to the theories and those who developed them.
The important aspect of person-centered therapy is the relationship between the therapist and client. The therapist is very empathic and understanding towards the client, and the way they communicate with a client is very nonjudgmental. This is usually why this type of therapy is very successful because it allows the clients to become very open and trusting towards their therapist. The therapist tries to provide the client with a safe, responsive, and caring relationship to develop self-exploration, growth, and healing. (Corey, pg. 177) Person-centered therapy core is that all humans are trustworthy and positive. That people can make changes in the way they live and have effective lives, and try to strive toward self-actualization. The reason for this therapeutic type is to strive towards the right growth conditions for the client, and to help a client move forward and fulfill their creative nature. The main theorist behind person-centered therapy is humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow. This therapy is based off of Carl Rogers’s belief that everyone strives to be the best they can be, and reach their maximum potential. He explains a therapist has to encourage certain characteristics in order to reach a certain
There are many different techniques and approaches to group counseling. The approach that I found to be the most interesting is the existential approach. “The existential perspective holds that we define ourselves by our choices” (Corey & Corey, 2014, p.114). This approach can be successful in therapy because it allows one to oversee one’s future. In this paper, I’m going to generally discuss the existential approach to therapy and where it can be used.
In the second part of the book Rogers speaks of his ideas of his theory of the person-centered approach to therapy. This is the part of the book that I felt really spoke to me. Person-centered theory is a lot of what I would like to do. I enjoy the ideas and concepts that Rogers presents in his theory. I think that it is extremely important to be able to take into consideration not only the diagnosis of the patient/client with whom you are working, but that it is more important to be able to take the time to sit back and to listen to them. I have realized in the year that I have been working in the psychiatric hospital how important it is for the patient/client to just sit back and listen to what it is they're saying to you. This however does not mean I am only hearing their words, but that I am listening at a much deeper level and actually he...
Reflecting on the Person-Centered Therapy, it is similar to the Existential Therapy because it focuses on the client/therapist relationship, where the therapist needs to be totally genuine, empathetic and non-judgmental toward their clients in order to gain the client’s trust. I like the fact that the Person-Centered Therapy views the client as their best authority on their own experience, and being fully capable of fulfilling their own potential for growth. I also like the fact that the therapist is non-directive, does not give advice and there is no specific technique involved. Person Centered Therapy can basically develop their own technique as their relationship develop with the client.
Humanistic approach focuses on human existence, where people have unique qualities that include creativity, freewill or freedom, potential and personal growth. People like Carl Rogers who have brought about person-centred theory and Abraham Maslow who has developed a hierarchy of needs, where he emphasized on self-actualization. There is an evaluation on both Rogers and Maslow theories, on how they are based on their own assumptions and views, and I apply Maslow’s theory of self-actualization into my own personal life.
1. Person-centred counselling according to Carl Rogers is where the the therapy is client centred, uses a non directive approach and puts the client in charge of the therapeutic process. His quote “the good life is a process, not a state of being” (Rogers, 2004 p183-196) was the starting point for my journey into looking at the theory and concept behind this therapeutic approach. Learning outcomes I wish to demonstrate in this text my understanding of the development and function of personality and the process for therapeutic growth towards self- actualisation for the client when using the person centred approach. I will focus on the six conditions which are deemed to be necessary and sufficient to promote change in the client.