Client-centered Therapy

You will recall that Carl Rogers believed people may come to accept the negative evaluations others have. Imposed on them and as a result develop a negative and limited self concept. Thus they do not feel the positive self regard that everyone needs. Over time they have developed a style of self-distortion selectively perceiving events and behaviors in a way that is consistent with their self view. Their inaccurate self-view and the energy invested in this constant self deception make it impossible for them so fulfill their potential.

The idea underlying Roger's Gent-centered therapy is that therapy must create a totally non-threatening atmosphere in which people can honestly look at and accept themselves and make relevant decisions. This follows from Rogers's assumption that all people are naturally good and effective and will function in an effective and moral way if given the freedom to do so More accurate self-awareness and acceptance will in turn lead to the more functional and productive life style of self actualization.

Thus the humanistic technique created by Rogers (1950, 1961, 1970) allows the client a large role in directing the course of the therapy For therapy to be effective the client must perceive the therapist as showing unconditional positive regard empathy and genuineness. Unconditional positive regard is essential to the concept of client centered therapy. The therapist must consider the client a worthy human being, without qualification. No Judgment should be passed, either against or in support of the client's viewpoint or actions (Rogers referred to this as AT&T or Attitude of Tentativeness and Tolerance). The therapist must, however show a deep faith in the ability of the client to discover the right path to follow. As a result of this unconditional positive regard, clients began to accept themselves partly because even when they reveal bizarre or seemingly terrible thoughts they still feel accepted by their therapist.

Unlike psychoanalysts in which the therapist attempts to observe and analyze the patient's conception of reality, the client-centered therapist empathizes with the client's world by trying to enter it and experience it from the same viewpoint as the client. When listening to their clients, therapists make remarks reflecting (he emotional content of what is being said. They do this to make sure they understand it but also to make sure that clients recognize all that they are saying, or the implications of what they're saying.

This has been described as ''mirroring'' clients' feelings so that they will see all that is there. Genuineness means that the therapist must establish a human-to-human relationship with the client not one that could be interpreted by the client as doctor-patient expert-amateur, or savior sinner. For Rogers the therapist must feel a genuine concern and empathy for the client in order for therapy to be effective.