The Rogerian School of Thought

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The Rogerian school of thought was developed by Carl Rogers and deviated from Freud’s psychoanalytic and the behavioral theories that were popular at the time. The Rogerian or client-centered approach was seen as an alternative to the then-dominant models in American psychology of behaviorism and psychoanalysis and as such became aligned with the emerging third force of humanistic psychology (Joseph & Murphy, 2012). The Rogerian approach does not rely on stages of development or conditioned responses to create a behavior change in the client. The Rogerian approach is primarily focused on the individual personal experience of the client. Behavior change is accomplished through the process of self-actualization. Self-actualization motivates an individual to seek the full potential of their abilities. Rogers views human beings as inherently good and they desire to self-actualize (Peltier, 2009). Rogerian thought is also commonly referred to as person-centered, client based, or the emphatic approach.

The true purpose of coaching is to facilitate a behavioral change through a client’s self-awareness and discovery. The Rogerian approach aligns particularly well with this purpose by allowing the coaching process, itself, to lead the client in discovering his or her own solutions. Self-awareness is achieved through empowerment in this approach. The coach, in this instance, empowers the client to recognize their own capabilities and potentiality.

The Rogerian school of thought realizes the client is the expert of his/her experience, therefore, the client is the best judge of his/her reality. The coach merely acts as a facilitator for raising this self-awareness. The Rogerian, person-centered, or client-based approach empl...

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