Person Centered Theory Essay Example

the client, with the therapist providing the client with the three core therapeutic attitudes of congruence (connecting psychologically with the client), unconditional positive regard (showing and letting the client feel acceptance, warmth, and care without expecting anything in return), and empathy(to understand client’s feelings and emotions and being able to verbalize them, as stated by Pescitelli (1996). ), the client would most likely be able to have a significant therapeutic change like being less defensive, being more open with their emotions that were previously denied, hidden or unconscious.

The therapist’s role here would be more towards a “facilitator”, providing clients with a setting with these attributes in which the client would feel psychologically connected with the therapist, and thus be able to get rid of any forms (if present) of anxiety, vulnerabilities or incongruence, in order to achieve Self Actualization. According to Thorne (1992, p. 21, as cited in Corey, 2009, p. 169), Rogers firmly believed that “human beings are essentially forward-moving organisms drawn to the fulfillment of their own creative natures and to the pursuit of truth and social responsiveness”. Thus telling us that human are actually able to make positive and pro-social decisions. They have it within them, and it would be the therapist’s job here to guide them to it.

One of the strengths of Person Centered Theory is Carl Rogers’s belief about Human Nature being positive, because this lets the client feel recognized and valued as a whole, as stated by Coyle (2008). Clients would feel that way when they are allowed to speak freely about their problem without the therapists being directive right from the beginning of therapy.

Another strength of this approach is, according to Corey (2009), “its impact on the field of human relations with diverse cultural groups”(p. 183). As respecting the values of the clients are one of the important skills in counseling clients with diverse cultures, Empathy being present is important. Empathy, being one of the core therapeutic attitudes in Person Centered therapy, would then be the therapy that is best suited to most people in the diverse world.

According to Cain (2008, as cited in Corey, 2009), 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”(p. 184). As counseling is using a therapy to help people, and Person Centered Therapy was able to reach out and accepted by so many and even diverse client populations, and proven to have positive impact, I feel that it is an effective therapy to be used. Even though the therapy was able to reach out, and had significant contributions to many, every theory would have their shortcomings and limitations, and Person Centered Therapy would, of course have its very own limitations. One of which would be the therapist having unconditional positive regard for the client.

This topic was questioned in other therapies, and even in Socialism. According to Le Blanc (year unknown), “It is possible, but not always easy, to transcend such kinks in our nature, but it seems to me that such sinful limitations are deeply rooted in the human condition”. Therapists, being humans, and being seen as such negative organisms, being able to judge, would definitely have their

very own perspective or views of their clients after listening to them. It is understandable as to how unconditional positive regard could still be given to the client if the initial impression given to the therapists by the client was already not a good one.

Another limitation to Carl Rogers’s Person Centered Therapy would be that it does not have a structure strong enough for some because, according to Corey (2009), “when these clients do seek professional help, it may be as a last resort. They expect a directive counselor and can be put off by one who does not provide sufficient structure”(p. 185). As this approach focuses more on the client’s self, and some people have a culture of collectivists, they might not be able to be motivated by what they want. They would much prefer if the therapist could, or would, tell them exactly what to do. Even though Person Centered Therapy has its limitations, and not heavily scientifically proven, the fact that it had reached out and helped so many people shows that it is in fact effective.

I personally feel that this approach would be much better in helping clients with their problems, as I do agree with Carl Rogers that trust between the therapist and the client is indeed important and rather essential in letting the client relax, thus able to verbalize what is on their mind better. Only when trust is present, will the client be able to be less defensive and speak their mind, because trust is able to rid people of anxiety. In the current social world, people are educated to a certain extent, and

it would mean that they would have a mind on their own. Therefore directing them, I feel, would not be as effective as letting them speak what is on their mind.

According to Corey (2009), “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”(p. 184). People in the present, I think, would be more receptive to having a therapist who walks “alongside” them and guides them along the way, than to have one who directs them and tell them what to do, because being empathetic, and letting the clients feel safe, is the key to get anyone to speak freely. And only by knowing, from the client’s perception, what their problems are like, would the therapists be able to immerse themselves in the client’s world and understand fully how they feel, start building a relationship, which in this case, would be a therapeutic one, with the client.

According to Smith (2004), he stated that “When the teacher has the ability to understand the student’s reactions from the inside, has a sensitive awareness of the way the process of education and learning seems to the student, then again the likelihood of significant learning is increased…. ”(n. p. ). It shows that people generally have a tendency to respond positively and more pro-socially as long as their environment allows them to, even in a school setting between a teacher and student. This shows that human nature is definitely positive and it would be in them to behave in a positive

manner. It would be due to different issues, or blocks of growth, that caused the positive traits to be denied, or distorted. Therefore this therapy, that encourages them, would allow them to move towards openness, to gain a higher level of trust in themselves, thus letting them understand the hidden aspects of emotions in them.