Learning and Being in Person-Centred Counselling (third edition)

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The self-concept does not always fit with reality, though, and how we see ourselves may differ greatly from how others see us.

However, unlike a flower, the potential of the individual human is unique, and we are meant to develop in different ways according to our personality. Rogers believed that people are inherently good and creative. Without these qualities, relationships and healthy personalities will not develop as they should, much like a tree will not grow without sunlight and water. Critics also argue that it may not allow for the challenging of unhelpful behaviors or attitudes, which can be useful in some therapeutic approaches. The therapist does not have a façade (like psychoanalysis); that is, the therapist’s internal and external experiences are one and the same. In short, the therapist is authentic. Unconditional Positive Regard It includes all the goals, values, and traits a person deems ideal or desirable. It’s their vision of “who I want to be.”The state of empathy, or being empathic, is to perceive the internal frame of reference of another with accuracy and with the emotional components and meanings which pertain thereto as if one were the person, but without ever losing the “as if” condition. Thus it means to sense the hurt or the pleasure of another as he senses it and to perceive the causes thereof as he perceives them, but without ever losing the recognition that it is as if I were hurt or pleased and so forth. If this “as if” quality is lost, then the state is one of identification” (p. 210-211). Conclusion For example, if parents only show love and approval when a child gets good grades or behaves in ways they approve, the child may grow up believing they are only worthy of love and positive regard when they meet certain standards. This method involves removing obstacles so the client can move forward, freeing him or her for normal growth and development. By using non-directive techniques, Rogers assisted people in taking responsibility for themselves. A person whose self-concept is incongruent with her or his real feelings and experiences will defend himself because the truth hurts. Self Actualization

Person-centered therapy can be used in various settings, including individual, group, and family therapy, or as part of play therapy with young children. There are no set guidelines on the length or frequency of person-centered therapy, but it may be used for short-term or long-term treatment. Person-centered therapy may be a good choice for patients who are not suitable for other forms of therapy, such ascognitive-behavioral therapy (CBPT)or psychoanalysis, which require homework assignments and the ability to tolerate high levels of distress that may occur when elucidating unconscious processes. [6] How we think about ourselves and our feelings of self-worth are of fundamental importance to psychological health and the likelihood that we can achieve goals and ambitions in life and self-actualization.Rogers believed that one of the reasons that people struggled in their lives was because they were working to conditions of worth and introjected values. However, there were fewer severe adverse events with nonspecific supportive psychotherapy. [12][Level 1] Follow-up two years posttreatment found the benefits of the two treatments were comparable on multiple measures,includingthe number of asymptomatic weeks. [13][Level 1]