Does Person-Centred Therapy Differ from Other Helping Relationships?

How do soul-centred advocators use the therapeutic relationship to facilitate change- and in what way (s) does individual-centred therapy differ from other attend toing relationships? word count 2,495 soul centred counselling originated and was evolved on the ideas of Ameri piece of ass psychologist Carl Rogers. The influences on Carl Rogers and hes conceptuality of Person centred counselling be numerous, from his early family life living on a farm, his hobby and involvement in theology and his formative victor c atomic number 18er.One incident which appears to deliver had a particular impact on Carl Rogers was when operative in his first job as a psychologist, at Rochester New York, for an organisation for the prevention of cruelty to children, whilst belonging with a get up (Kirshenbaum H, et al. 1989). At this stage in his cargoner Carl Rogers, be trained in or influenced by the tradition of psychoanalysis, was essenti all in ally working in a diagnostic and interp retative way, helping a child or raise gain insight or an intellectual accord of their proclaim doings and what was unconsciously driving or motivating it (Thorne B 2002) .He formalistic that the problem with the child stemmed from the Mothers rejection of the child in his early years. But despite a number of sessions was unable to help the Mother gain this insight. He concluded that it wasnt working and at long last gave up. The Mother was difference when she asked Carl Rogers if he takes adults for counselling. He began working with the mother, where she subsequently uttered her despair of unhappiness and feelings of failure, which was more emotive and authentic in expression, than the antecedently intellectual and matter of fact account given previously of her explanation and current life.Carl Rogers said that real therapy began at this moment and concluded in a thriving outcome (Kirshenbaum H, et al. 1990). This is Carl Rogers view and what he erudite from this love This incident was one of a number which helped me to experience the fact- solely fully realized afterward- that is the invitee who knows what hurts, what directions to go, what problems ar crucial, what experiences have been deeply hide. It began to draw to me that unless I had a need to demonstrate my own cleverness and learning, I would do better to rely upon the client for the direction of movement in the operate. Kirshenbaum H, et al. 1990 p13). This statement is arguably the beginnings of what, in m both ways would after define and becomes a way of working at bottom psyche centred therapy that is a therapy that take ons the client to be whom the client is, without any active direction from the therapist. Carl Rogers with clinical experience, research and development later defined his model of therapy. He based it upon the principles of a someone as having at its a core an instinctive tendency towards rickth, to fulfilling their strength as a person in what he term ed self-importance actualisation (Mearns D, et al. 988). Carl Rogers believed that every living beingness has a desire to increase, widen and broaden. Essentially, a fundamental urge to emend upon itself and that although, in the case of human beings, this urge whitethorn be hide or hugger-mugger by multiple psychological complex body parts and conflicts, he strongly believed in the existence of this actualisation tendency in all of us and that given the correct designates, it could be freed and realised in all of us (Rogers C 1961- becoming a person).Personally, I have recognised a need to develop and grow within myself for nearlytime and this has again been highlighted to me during this term. The more I become informed of my insecurities and pre judgements, the greater the desire to become bigger than them just now becomes more app bent to me.Through my clinical experience working with adults with mental health problems, I have plasteredly recognised a desire in many, t o become bigger or more than their issues, although, I am non certain if that was a desire to escape from their practically intolerable suffering, or a fundamental need to self understand at the very least, I would suggest self actualisation is an only relative supposition and ordain differ from person to person, dependent upon their own experiences, circumstances and perchance even expectations.These correct conditions which are required within person centred therapy in order that the client chamberpot achieve self actualisation and personality change were outlined by Carl Rogers and he believed that if this 6 conditions were met, it would facilitate change within the client Two persons are in psychological contact- both client and counselor-at-law are present physically and psychologically.The client is in a state of incongruence, (which will be discussed in more detail) the communication of the counsellors empathetic understanding and savourless positively charged regar d is met at a minimal level. The last condition mentioned involves 3 other conditions, which are essential attitudes and qualities necessary for the counsellor to posses for successful therapy empathic understanding, unconditional positive regard and congruence. (Rogers C, 1957).Before looking at the latter 3 in more detail, it is important to understand Carl Rogerss view of the person and whitethornbe what is in conclusion bringing the client to therapy. Carl Rogers believed that in that respect is incongruence between the self that is the actualisation part, that has a desire to grow, is move over to experiencing in the moment and in the end psychological well being and the actual experience of the self. He believed this effect was caused by conditions of worth, by external expectations, such(prenominal) as by parents and teachers, i. e. f you behave in a certain way that pleases me, that perhaps doesnt evoke anxieties in me, you are a good boy- there are certain conditions attached to being in this relationship- the child tries to indispensableise these conditions in order to maintain the relationship (Mearns D 1994- developing PC). Consequently, people deny or distort the experiences to their selves, which differ to how we are supposed or are conditioned to be. Therefore, Carl Rogers believed that we begin to believe in what we are not and refute who we really are (Mearns D 1994). The person has a fixed and inflexible view, or self concept (Rogers C 1980).Its just most as if the person is driven in implementing or adopting certain behaviours in order to be holded or love and denying, or at the cost of their true self and feelings. This is the state of incongruence Rogers was referring as apart of the necessary conditions. Carl Rogers recognised, through his development of this approach, that distinctive and essential qualities are necessary within the therapist, for successful therapy and to facilitate character change. The emphasis being on the therapists attitude towards the client, as opposed to any technical skills or interventions, in comparison to many other modalities.As already mentioned, the key attitudes or qualities being empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard (Rogers C 1980). Empathy whoremonger be considered as having an ability to dig and understand in the other person their feelings, experiences and their substance to that person. To understand the internal world of that person, to be fully aware of the feelings they are experiencing, their anger or sadness for example, as if they are your own, but being aware that they are the clients, in order that your own feelings do not become the management or blur the clients own experiencing (Rogers C, 1957).To absolutely see from the clients view, the feelings they may have from their position or personal experiencing, but recognising them as separate from your own. I recall a moment during this term, when in skills practise, being in the client ro le, when I received empathy. I was speaking about a personal situation, which I was aware on some level had meaning to me, but wasnt fully aware of, or experiencing the feelings relating to this meaning.My perception later was that the person listened so intently, was so with me in trying to make thought of my situation, that they really did know and fully understand how it must feel for me. It was almost if I had no choice in allowing my feelings to be present, to come to my sentience and I was left with a sense of loss, feelings of loss, that I wasnt aware of and made tremendous sense to my circumstances and why I had some fear and confusion in relation to this particular issue.This highlights for me how powerful empathy can be, as well as actively listening to and showing an interest sufficient in trying to understand the client, but also how it has the potential to provoke in the client in becoming aware of hidden feelings or realisations. Unconditional positive regard (UPR) is another important perspective and described as having total acceptance of the client, without conditions, whoever and whatever the client is, or how they may behave. An acceptance of not what they may or could be, but as they are now, regardless of what desired qualities the counsellor may wish for.It centre total respect and valuing the person, without judgement. It also involves a sense of genuine interest and wanting the best for them, including warmth for the person (Rogers C 1961). David Mearns talks about the often confusion in trainees, when understanding UPR, with a statement such as, how is it possible to like all my clients? He makes a distinction that thirst is generally selective, as we perceive a similarity in determine and complementary needs and UPR and liking are two very disparate concepts (Mearns D 1994).Unconditional positive regard is completely about valuing the person, without conditions, with all the facets of the person, their struggles, protective l ayers, confusion and perhaps inconsistencies. This unconditional stance is a contradiction in terms to the conditions of worth spoken of earlier and is a vital component of person centred counselling (Kulewicz S, 1989). If a client is holding a believe that they will only be accepted, depending on the condition of others, essentially they do not see themselves as being wholly acceptable.The stance and communication of UPR can break this believe and the client is able to be in a relationship, with the counsellor accepting them without conditions (Rogers C 1961). If the counsellor is consistently valuing the client, the client perhaps has no reason for the protective layers and can be more generate to their own inner experiences. Also, I wonder if the counsellor is almost grownup permission and communicating a message to the client that it is ok to accept who they truly are.Another essential attitude for the counsellor, recognised by Rogers is congruence. This is the counsellor bein g who they are, no facade or professional barrier. The counsellor is open and genuine in the relationship, allowing all feelings and thoughts to be in his awareness and operable to him (Rogers C 1961). Its being present with yourself and owning your feelings, not necessarily expressing what you are experiencing at the time to the client, but also not denying it.How congruence is conveyed is ultimately depended upon the counsellor themselves and when appropriate. It is about allowing a trust to be formed with the client, without pretences, where the counsellor is being human and willing to be seen (Thorne B 2002). If the counsellor is willing to acknowledge his feelings, strengths, perhaps their mistakes or weakness, it can not only allow for a more open and flowing relationship, but again I see this as perhaps giving permission to the client to drag in themselves, their strengths and weaknesses.How this differs from a helping relationship, are mainly the quality of contact and th e reputation of the differences in relationship. What if our client seeks help from a non person centred counsellor, perhaps a professionally respected person, a Doctor, teacher, perhaps even a work place manager, or colleague. They will listen, perhaps are sympathetic, are believably to offer advice and some direction the person may take in order to resolve their problem. But there is no ongoing process, no consistency of a relationship, with all the qualities discussed, empathy, UPR and congruence.The person centred therapist offers a natural rubber and non judgemental relationship, with the client being valued for who they are, where they can grow in understanding of themselves, gain insight and become psychological stronger and independent. A helping relationship, although perhaps useful and supportive, will not facilitate change and allow a person to grow. In conclusion, person centred therapy is about an effective relationship, or aspires to be one, in which a person throug h experiencing a positive continuative with another person, namely the therapist, receives deep empathy, understanding and genuine care.This enables a person to question or challenge their self concepts, to begin to experience buried or hidden feelings and gain a deeper understanding of themselves, with more acceptances and the self-sufficiency to live without fear of their own feelings and perhaps their truer selves. It is without any difficulty from me to approve the sheer humanity of what Carl Rogers achieved with person centred therapy, the whole ethos of accepting and allowing the person to grow through such a positive and caring relationship. It appears to me that this is an incredibly challenge model of therapy, for both client and therapist.For the client the person centred therapist may appear safe and accepting, even inoffensive or unchallenging to his protective mechanisms or fixed self concepts, but that is perhaps the greatest challenge to the client, who may want a nswers or ways of dealing with their issues, perhaps unbearable anxiety and will perhaps look to the therapist for solutions and will find the person centred therapist completely and deeply sharing their distress, but essentially leaving it with client to be able to tolerate and accept for themselves, with of course as discussed, with the intention for the client to grow, understand the meaning behind their distress and ultimately in becoming psychologically independent.I would imagine, at least initially or in the short term, it must be difficult for the client, who is in time searching and looking outside of himself, for the apparent safety and false conditions that will make it all well again. For the therapist, the challenge is potentially numerous, but what I recognise is the trust he must have in the process of person centred therapy, in maintaining all the attitudes as discussed and consistently so. I can see that taking great strength and discipline, when he could perhaps seductively turn to direction and advice giving. I am also left inquire if the strengths within PC therapy are also its weaknesses.The quality of therapy can only be as effective as the quality of therapist, or the limitations of the therapist. This could be said of other therapies, but for example, the CBT therapist has a direction and structure to fall back on. The challenge to the PC therapist is to be eer growing and developing, as there is such a dependence upon who they are in the relationship. References Kirshenbaum, H. and Henderson, V. L. (1989) The Carl Rogers reader Bury St. Edmunds St Edmundsbury Press Limited. Kulewicz, S. F. (1989) The twelve core functions of a Counselor (5th Edn). Marlborough, CT Counselor Publications. Mearns, D. and Thorne, B. (1988) Person-centred counselling in Action (3rd Edn). capital of the United Kingdom Sage Publications Ltd. Mearns, D. 1994) Developing Person Centred counselling (2nd Edn). London Sage Publications Ltd. Rogers, C. R. (1957 ) The required and Sufficient Conditions of Therapeutic Personality Change Journal of Consulting and Clinical psychological science Vol. 60, No. 6, 827-832. Rogers, C. R. (1961) On Becoming a Person London constable & Robinson Ltd. Rogers, C. R. (1980) A way of Being Boston Houghton and Mifflin Company. Rogers, C. R. (1980) Client Centred psychotherapy In Kaplan, H. I. et al, ceds, Comprehensive text book of Psychiatry (3rd Edn). Baltimore Williams & Wilkins Co. Thorne, B. Dryden, W. (2002) Person Centred Counselling in W. Dryden Handbook of Individual Therapy (4th Edn). London Sage. pp. 131-157.