Roxanne Lewington
Firstly I am going to outline my understanding of Carl Rogers, the Person Centred Approach and the Core Conditions, which are the three basic principles for the Person Centred Approach. Then I will continue with explaining what Carl Rogers’s theories means to me, referring to the person centred concepts that impact me. Next I will show how these theories have contributed to changes in myself. Lastly I will identify and reflect on how the theories have impacted my use of counselling skills.
My understanding of Carl Roger’s PCA is that he believed for a person too ‘grow’ they needed an environment that provided them with congruence, empathy and unconditional regard. Without these, healthy relationships and personalities will not be able to develop as they should. Like a flower will not grow without sunlight and water. He believed that the term patient implied that the person was sick. By using the term client instead it made both the client and counsellor sort of equal. Rogers believed that counsellors should remain non-directive. The counsellor should not offer suggestions or solutions. Instead, the client should be in control. Rogers believed that humans have a Self-Actualising tendency, something that pushes the person to fulfil their potential.
Congruence was one of his key theories he believed that the therapist had to be completely honest and genuine, that the therapist should not relate one client to another .Another was Empathy the therapist must be able to feel what the client feels this is the only thing that will allow the client to feel as if they are genuinely understood. Lastly unconditional regard to be able to accept the client for what they are, no judgment should be made they should be treated as if they are a brand new picture. Self-Actualisation is the belief that all humans will pursue what is best for