The focus of this paper is the person-centered approach, which is the understanding of personality and human relationships in psychotherapy and counseling in the areas of client-centered therapy, education of student-centered learning, organizations, and other group settings. Even though psychoanalysis and behaviorism have made major contributions to psychology, it has influenced the understanding and practices of the humanistic movement, specifically with the therapies for the different mental disorders. Psychoanalysis understands the unconscious behavior, behaviorism focuses on the conditioning process that produces behavior. Humanistic psychology focuses on the person's potential to act as a whole person in a nurturing environment by choice with receiving a positive way of life.
The Humanistic Movement and Person Centered Approach to Psychology
The humanistic psychology approach allows the conditions to apply to the client situation for positive developments and goals however, not intended for the therapist. It is important that the therapist conduct sessions in a way where they are showing themselves in the session without pretense. This allows a growth-promoting climate with the psychoanalysis of the client’s behavior. An important reason for a successful person-centered therapy allows clients the freedom to develop and control their own lives, rather than being tied to their past (Goodwin, 2008). This method also denotes and consists of psychotherapy and humanistic therapy where the concentration is on the present and not the past, and the humanistic analyst tends to underlines awareness instead of being unaware. Both theories share a common method while patients and clients converse their feelings vocally and th...
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...approach as it relates not only to people but also to group therapy, it will span diverse populations including the areas of family counseling, couple relationships, education, politics, government, and business administration (Sollod, 1978).
Works Cited
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Centered Approach Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 42(1), 37-51.
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Rogers, C. (1980). A way of being. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company (pp.5- 160).
Sollod, R. (1978). Carl Rogers and the origins of client-centered therapy. Professional
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The humanistic theory had much influence after the time of World War II toward the late 1950’s (Hansell & Damour, 2008). According to Dombeck, (2006), the humanistic approach was defined to be consciously reflective, allowing one to have the ability to experience self-determination. The humanistic approach combines philosophy, existentialism, and the hierarchy of needs that motivates every individual person on a unique level of growth potential; it worked to find the importance of life’s true meaning’s in an individual’s life for human characteristic (Dombeck, 2006). For obsessional-compulsion disorder, the goal of humanistic therapy is to create a suitable environment for the patient that will allow him or her to develop, mature, and evolve
Let’s call this person Jake, a young man in his late 20’s, still in search for life’s plan. Jake lives in a quiet one bedroom apartment with no view. He has no girlfriend, but repeatedly tells everyone how much woman love and want him. He constantly belies he needs to help and guide people. One minute Jake is happy-go-lucky, and the next he is a belligerent, crazy maniac. Jake has resorted to drugs, alcohol and being alone, playing video games. Jakes problems do not end there, and because of his unorthodox behavior, has set himself back in life, because of a terrible accident five years ago. Jake was with his friends one night, drinking and doing drugs, a routine in Jakes life. Later that night, Jake went to the basement, but to get into the basement you would have to go
In consequence, humanists and existentialists argue that people who mostly receive judgment and criticism for their behaviors are more vulnerable to developing a psychological disorder because they fail to recognize their worth (Comer, 2016, pg. 110). Overall, the humanistic-existential treatment model objective is to change clients’ harsh self-standards as they gain self-awareness and self-acceptance by valuing and giving meaning to their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (Comer, 2016, pg. 110). The main types of therapy for this model are client-centered therapy, gestalt therapy, and existential therapy. In these type of treatments, practitioners avoid giving personal remarks and their opinions, because they allow the client to control the session by creating a supportive and warm atmosphere in which clients are able to accept their weaknesses as well as their strengths while critiquing themselves honestly in an attempt to find their own solutions (Comer, 2016,
Therapy is as unique and diverse as the people who seek it. There are many types of therapy that are used to treat different kinds of problems. There is no perfect or absolute form of therapy, because therapy varies for each person. One of the branches of therapy is humanistic therapy. This therapy is considered an insight therapy, along with psychoanalytic therapies. However, there are differences between humanistic and psychoanalytic therapy. Humanistic therapy focuses on self-development, personal growth and responsibilities. This type of therapy guides the client to find their own answers. The therapy focuses on emotional awareness: how the person feels versus why that person feels that way (Oltmanns & Emery, 2012).
Person-Centered Therapy is an optimistic theory that is categorized in the humanistic approaches to therapy. PC therapy believes that human beings are intrinsically good, and are motivated to be the best that they can be (Carver & Scheier, 2008, p. 346). The theory embodies respect for individuals and values of tolerance and understanding (Brodley, 2007, p. 140). As the name implies the client is responsible for his or her own growth and improvement (Carver & Scheier, 2008, p.344). Rogers' stated that the main assumption of his approach is that “individuals have within themselves vast resources for self-understanding and for altering their self-concepts, basic attitudes, and self- directed behavior” (Rogers, 1980, p.115). One of the underlying assumptions, and main motivation, of Person-Centered Therapy is that human beings possess an innate tendency to grow and meet their full potential, or to self-actualize. Self-actualization is the inherent motivation to reach our highest potential, both emotionally and intellectually (Kosslyn & Rosenberg, 2004, p. 464). Self-actualization moves one towards autonomous behavior and self-sufficiency, it enriches one’s life and enhances their creativity. It also promotes congruence, wholeness, and integration of the person. Rogers describes self-actualizing people as the fully functioning person (Carver & Scheier, 2008, p.322).
Person-Centred Counselling established its origins in the late 1940 during a conference when Carl Rogers gave a talk entitled ‘New Concepts in Psychotherapy’. The summarisation of the talk resulted in the theory that the client in a counselling relationship should be at the center of the relationship and lead the counselling process. The Client, in effect became the expert on their life and/or problems. The fundamental belief is that an individual is capable of change, growth and fulfillment (self-concept). Person-Centred counselling looks at ‘the here and now’ and how to make changes that affect the future. Person-Centred Counselling generated a system known as the ‘Core Conditions Model’ which emphasized three key components: Empathy, Congruence and Acceptance.
The focus of Rogers of psychology was different to the other, such as Skinner (behavior), Freud (unconscious), Wundt (thinking), but focused psychology to the study of the self. This approach opposed the limitations of the behaviorist and psychodynamic psychology, therefore it is seen as the third force in psychology. As it is study towards the unique aspects of individual human experiences(idiographic), it values the subjective feelings and conscious thought of the person. There are five core features in the humanistic approach; first, human beings must be viewed as a whole and not reduced to component parts, second human beings are unique and must be valued as such, third human consciousness includes an awareness of oneself in the context of the other people, forth, human beings
Person-centered therapy developed at the forefront of the humanistic psychology movement, and has influenced many therapeutic techniques in the mental health field today. The purpose of this form of therapy is to increase a person’s feelings of self–worth, reduce the level of incongruence between the ideal and actual self, and help a person become fully functioning. Another, more common form of therapy, relies heavily on behavior. Behavior therapy is focused on aiding an individual in understanding how changing their behavior can lead to positive feelings or emotions. The goal of behavior therapy is focused on increasing a persons engagement in positive or socially reinforcing activities.
Humanistic Theory studies a person’s strength and virtues and explored human behaviour at its best, not worst. It emphasizes human strengths and aspirations, conscious free will and the fulfilment of our potential. They present a flattering and optimistic image of human nature and describe people as active, creative beings concerned with growth and self-actualization (Schultz & Schultz, 2008). With these, it is said that humanistic psychologists try to see people’s lives in the way people would see them. They tend to have an optimistic perspective on man as they focus on man’s capability to think consciously and rationally.
Unique perspective on psychopathology Humanist therapies posit that clients are resilient beings that possess natural inclinations to survive and grow, even in the face of adverse circumstances (Cain, 2002). Although humanistic therapies, do not deny that psychopathology exists, they tend to look beyond the medical model of psychology when working with clients (Cain, 2002). They take a non-pathologizing view. Clients have complex life stories, emotions, and behaviors (Angus et al., 2015). While these patterns of living may be representative of a clinical diagnostic category, clients are never reduced to one.
...roblems. On the other hand, the humanistic approach, introduced by Abraham Maslow, states that individuals have the freedom and capacity to direct his or her own future. Although it is a theory, it is apparant that the psychoanalytic approach is accepted in our society through observations of our speech and procedures of our criminal justice system. As a result, it is conclusive that it is more instrumental in the treatment of mental disorders.
The humanistic approach has both supporters and those who feel it is unsound. Focus on the fact that people are generally positive and emphasis on individual choice and responsibility, are some of the strengths of this theory (Heffner, 2015). Humanism also places a great deal of value on personal ideals and self-fulfillment (Heffenr, 2015). Maslow, Rogers, and others saw the individual as being good and very powerful and so felt that treatment should concentrate on the positive rather than the negative. The biggest criticism of humanistic psychology is that it is not a true science because it involves too much common sense and not enough objectivity and that conclusions drawn from subjective experiences are not able to be verified (“Criticisms
The last article for review was written by Carl Rogers, another humanistic psychologist, in 2007, much more recent than the other two articles. The article’s title, The Necessary and Sufficient Conditions of Therapeutic Personality Change, is almost a summary in itself. In the article Rogers tries to answer the question he proposes, “Is it possible to state, in terms which are clearly definable and measurable, the psychological conditions which are both necessary and sufficient to bring about constructive personality change?” (Rogers, 2007). Rogers proceeds to describe the relationship and interaction between the client and the therapist that must be in place in order for positive personality change to take place.
The humanistic approach has been used in the area of therapeutic counselling for over five decades. Even with the existence of various other forms of counselling, the humanistic methodology has proved to be exceedingly successful.
This psychology perspective emphasizes individuals ' inherent drive towards self-actualization, the process of realizing and expressing one 's own capabilities and creativity. It helps the client gain the belief that all people are inherently good. It adopts a holistic approach to human existence and pays special attention to such phenomena as creativity, free will, and positive human potential. It encourages viewing ourselves as a "whole person" greater than the sum of our parts and encourages self exploration rather than the study of behavior in other people. Humanistic psychology acknowledges spiritual aspiration as an integral part of the human psyche. It is linked to the emerging field of transpersonal psychology. As per usual, there are advantages and limitations to this particular theory. One of the greatest strengths of humanistic psychology is that it emphasizes individual choice and responsibility. Humanistic psychology satisfies most people 's idea of what being human means because it values personal ideals and self-fulfillment. Finally, humanistic psychology provides researchers with a flexible framework for observing human behavior because it considers a person in the context of his environment and in conjunction with his personal perceptions and feelings. As with any viewpoint, humanistic psychology has its critics. One major criticism of humanistic psychology is that its concepts are too vague. Critics