Compare And Contrast Rogerian Theory And Person-Centered Counselling

God’s Way or Man’s Way:
Christ-Centered v. Self-Centered Counseling
Elizabeth Raver
Liberty University

The objective of personal counseling is to set goals and to move towards them in a positive manner, while gaining valuable knowledge and coping skills along the way. There are numerous counseling methods in practical use today. This comparative will focus on biblical-counseling methods versus established alternative methods, such as Cognitive-behavior therapy and the “Rogerian theory.” Rogerian theory focuses on the work of Carl Rogers, who developed “person-centered” therapy (Kensit, 2000). There are notable differences in each approach; biblical counselors must acknowledge
29). Man is, at the base of his being, a selfish creature. If you observe a baby, you can see this selfishness in full force. We are hard-wired to seek fulfillment of our own needs above all else. Crabb suggests using Scripture to obtain answers in order to refocus this selfish behavior, effecting change on the internal workings of the human heart and soul. In doing so, Christians reach a level where the focus is on living a life emulating the ways of Jesus Christ. Crabb also emphasizes the importance of spiritual and psychological maturity. In his writings, he describes maturity as involving two elements: “immediate obedience in specific situations, and long-range character growth” (Crabb, 1977, pg. 23). He outlines a biblical methodology important to attaining this maturity, based on a strong foundation of justification through Jesus Christ, which is the standard by which God deems a person acceptable. This acceptability centers not on the actions of the person, but on Christ’s actions during His lifetime, and how His death for mankind’s sins in turn, bestowed God’s righteousness to all. Being worthy of God’s righteousness has no bearing on the actions of man; it is directly reflective of Christ and how He lived His perfect and
The counselor does not challenge the client’s self-involved thinking. The “multiple reality theory,” is “a subjective view of the world, constructed by each individual’s collective experiences” (Rogers, 1951). “No other human being can possibly determine what is the correct or incorrect behavior for any other individual…. [the therapist] must remain non-directive and supportive, and allow each individual the freedom to live according to this reality and to make all decisions about their growth and direction” (Kensit, 2000). Roger’s method is to let the person make decisions for their life freely, without interference or confrontation, and follow whatever road they feel will lead them to happiness. This opposes Crabb’s belief in placing Jesus at the center of our lives by focusing on humanity’s selfishness, and desire to put self-image and personal happiness