50 years ago Carl Rogers published an article in a psychology journal about how he does psychotherapy. It was a revolutionary article for its time as it broke away from the model of the "analyst" who knew more about the patient than the patient did about himself.
The article has been re-published in a journal this month. Reading it over I can see how much his thinking, and the thinking of the "Humanist School" as it was called at that time, has had an influence on my work, and on my standing as a person among people.
Roger's position is that the basics of therapy is that the therapist needs to be caring, that is giving unconditional positive regard; and understanding, the therapist needs to be able to be accurately empathetic about what the client is experiencing, and to know how this is affecting the client.
Underlying this is the belief that the client is a whole, valuable person, who has the capacity to determine what is best for him or herself. They have the best chance of figuring this out if they are given a safe and non-judgmental place to do so.
I have learned, through reading, practice, colleagues, work experience and life that these conditions are helpful to everyone, everywhere. If you don't challenge, bully, boss, or criticize someone, they have a much better chance of finding their own solution to whatever the problem is.
If you immediately come off as the expert you run a much greater risk of people telling you to go fuck yourself.
I have learned, through reading, practice, colleagues, work experience and life that successful psychotherapy involves much more than the conditions Rogers offers, but it can't really work without them.
5 comments:
I have learned unfortunately, that not all professionals in your postion agree with you. Keep up the great work, Therapist. Have a good week.
Oh yes, "a safe and non-judgmental place" can go a long way. Even if it's "just a blog."
everyone deserves to be treated as though they are as human as you are. when that doesn't happen, people really won't give a crap what you say to them, and really - why should they?
all doctors and therapists should be humanists, and when they're not, i don't go back.
and it's better for people not to know too early that it can take a looooooong time to trust that the space is safe and non-judgmental. which journal is it published in again?
Ahhhh...Good ole unconditional positive regard. My VERY favorite thing about therapy! The rest of life too, come to think of it.
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