The severe limitations of rogerians approach to therapy

The severe limitations of rogerians attempt to therapyThis essay reflects on the to a higher place statement, and start ups by defining what we mean by supportive and reconstructive, when relating these to the subject of commission and psychotherapy. In then identifying the key theories of the Rogerian antenna, and exploring some of these theories in greater detail, this leads to a deeper discussion and consideration of the head t for each wizer.Feeling supported in the therapeutic surroundings is a key element to how successful and publicationive therapy rear end be. Having an clear, equal, innocent descent between node and therapist is the specimen situation, and where this kind of relationship exists it mint greatly enhance the healing process. When the therapist is able to digest a safe space, the invitee encounters able to express him self freely, with let out fear of beingness judged. If supportiveness is lacking, this negatively wallops the knob. Feelin g judged, fearful of what the therapist might be thinking, creates barriers and an aviation that feels unsafe and non conducive to effective therapy.The term reconstructive can be used to draw and quarter the process where major changes occur for the node during therapy. For c staynts suffering from post-traumatic conditions, including complex grief fight backions, reconstructive therapy focuses on facilitating the leaf node to recognise, represent and accept their feelings and reactions. Deeper self appreciation can enable clients to see they feel choices, and to regain responsibility for themselves and their reactions.The concept of being supportive can be clearly identified in spite of appearance several Rogerian theories, namely The Core Conditions, The self Actualising Tendency, and the Organismic Valuing process. The connections to supportive, seen in Rogers theories argon lookd and discussed in more detail later. former(a) key Rogerian theories considered in more detail include the idea of Phenomenology, The Self-Concept (or self), and Conditions of Worth.I observe the supportive disposition towards growth as being powerfully embedded within the Rogerian approach. I also identify Rogers approach as reconstructive in the sense that major irrefutables shifts and changes rattling much occur during therapy. Considering the question of limitations this is harder to answer. As is the case with in all psychological theories in that respect will evermore be limitations and exceptions to effectiveness. For a great m either clients and therapists the Rogerian way of functional offers some(prenominal) a gentle and powerful therapy, that has stood the test of date.The Rogerian approach is also know as Person Centred charge or Client Centred therapy. It originated from the pioneering work rootage in the 1930s which continued through six decades, of American psychologist and writer, Dr Carl save Rogers (1902 1987). ( Mearns and Thorne 1999). Rogers talked about client centred or person centred therapy as not clean a therapeutic way of working, but more as a way of being. Being real, genuine and true to himself.(Rogers, 1980)Rogers belief was that the client knows best. His approach was a radical move away from the analytical approaches of the time, where the therapist was pattern of as the expert. Rogers was convinced that we each call for within us the association and resources to move forward, and that the role of the therapist is to offer the conditions that facilitate clients to help themselves. (Mearns and Thorne 1999).A helpful description of the Person Centred approach is offered by J K Wood.. it is neither a psychotherapy nor a psychology. It is not a school itself, it is not a movement it is not a philosophy. Nor is it any number of other things frequently imagined. It is merely, as its name implies, an approach, zero more, nothing less. It is a psychological posture, if you bid, from which thought or ac tion whitethorn cabbage and experience be organised. It is a way of being.(Wood 1996, cited in Embleton Tudor, Keemar, Tudor, Valentine, Worrall, 2004)Phenomenology comes from the work of Edmund Husseri (1859 1938), Martin Heidegger (1889 1976), and Maurice Merleau-Ponty (1907 1961).(cited in Embleton Tudor, Keemar, Tudor, Valentine, Worrall, 2004, pp 18 24).Phenomenology is based around the idea that reality is not fixed. We each perceive our aver reality, which is informed by our tone experiences, biases, prejudices, and perceptual filters. We all experience reality in our induce unique way. (Embleton Tudor, Keemar, Tudor, Valentine, Worrall, 2004)Rogers said I do not react to some absolute reality, but to my perceptual experience of this reality. It is this perception which for me is reality. (Rogers, 1951)Empathic understanding can be houndd as a process of attending phenomenologically to the phenomenological world of another. From phenomenological thinking comes the p henomenological method, which contains three measure enabling us to be as open as come-at-able to each new experience.The first step is to bracket all our pre-conceptions that we exact start outn on board and tend to automatically believe. Our challenge is to case-hardened these beliefs to the side on the basis that they ar limiting and unhelpful and likely to impede our experience of this moment now.The next step is for us to describe rather than judge our experience. Our tendency is to analyse, evaluate and judge. The challenge here is to describe what we observe, rather than posture our pre-conceived interpretation and judgement onto the experience. By staying smashed to matt-up senses we can be more open to accurately describing what we experience.The last step is to avoid putting a hierarchy on what we notice and experience. To be open to valuing e realthing we study noticed equally.These three steps combined, boost non judgemental receptivity to experiencing, which sits well within Rogers Person Centred approach.Rogers believed that all human beings have within them an inherent tendency towards growth and fulfilment. He called this directional process in life the actualising tendency. (Rogers, 1980).Rogers saw life as an active process, and that find outless of the milieu living things can be counted on to move towards maintaining and enhancing themselves.He recognise that the actualising tendency can be frustrated by adverse quite a little and fifty-fiftyts, but saw that this striving for growth always remains make up in the most difficult of conditions. An standard he gives is of the potatoes kept in the cellar of his pip-squeakhood home that still grew in the semi-darkness, desperate to live, maturement sad spindly sprouts towards the distant light in little cellar window. (Rogers, 1980).According to Rogers, humans have the ability within themselves to know what is skillful for them. He termed this ability organismic valuing. Tr usting in our inner association and intuition supports our self actualising tendency.The self actualising tendency becomes suppressed when organismic valuing sounds woolly-headed through negative introjects and limiting beliefs. This usually stems from childhood, as a expiry of taking on conditions of price from significant close others (for example parents, siblings, teachers). When worth or distinguish is only expressed if we conform to true conditions impose by others, we affect on board negative and distorted beliefs, often carrying them throughout our lives. Our locus of evaluation becomes external, constantly seeking direction, approval and reassurance of others. The Rogerian ideal is to have an internal locus of evaluation. With an internal locus of evaluation we are able to trust our experience judgement, rely on our gut feelings, and have confidence in our testify ability to know what is right. (Rogers, 1951)The self-concept is a persons conceptual construction of themself. Self-concepts often are not in balance with the actualising tendency and the organisimic valuing process. Self-concepts begin in infancy and develop over time. They are do by our perception of the attitudes and behaviours towards us of significant others. The destiny for positive interpret and to feel approved of by others is a fundamental and powerful want. fight occurs when this need isnt fulfilled, and negative self-concepts become embedded. (Dryden 2007, pp 149 151).Rogers believed that peoples personalities are made up of dickens components, the organismic self and the self concept. The organismic self is the self I was born with, the real me. The self concept is the person I have become during my life in order to receive positive self regard from others. Introjects from those close to me, like my parents and others, have forced values inwardly me that arent in harmony with my organismic self. These become conditions of worth, causing me to behave in certain w ays in order to receive the positive self regard from those close to me that I need. Small children have an in create need to be loved by their parents. The child will feel like it is going to die if this need is denied. The locus of evaluation for the organismic self is internal, inside me. The locus of evaluation for the self concept is external approval is sought from outside.An example of organsimic self verses self concept comes from my own lifeWhen I was in my mid teens I came under the influence of a powerful older man. For many years I felt controlled by him. I sought his approval in all areas of my life and my own personality became more and more subdued. He influenced my work, my social life, my romantic / internal relationships, my family life my opinions and values. I felt I didnt have any of my own opinions any more. When I attempted to break free from his influence, he would react very badly and wear down my self esteem even further, making me feel powerless, worthle ss and useless. I suffered a lot of fretfulness and unhappiness during those years. He also had the power to make me feel very good, if he chose to. His approval was so important to me. It was only in my thirties I managed to fully break free from his influence. I was able to begin returning to the real me, to re-discover my organism self, and accept myself as a worthy person with my own candidates and values.The following two examples illustrate the power of interjects in creating conditions of worthJake talked about his experience as a grim child where he didnt want to eat and would find any excuse to get out of eating. As a punishment for refusing to eat his parents would shut him out of the flat, leaving him on the landing outside the flat, locked out. Jake expound how this made him feel I felt completely rejected, I was thrown out of my house. This example shows how in this case the behaviour of his parents had a very negative effect on the his sense of worth and self conc ept, as a small child. Jake felt that a minor misdemeanour could take away the love of his parents and the security of his home of which he was not worthy anymore. These events seriously negatively affected Jakes conditions of worth for many years.When I became pregnant in my late teens I felt very frightened and alone and not able to share this traumatic event with my parents. Shortly after having a termination my secret came out. The reaction from my scram was angry and judging, I immortalize her words how could you do such a thing. I took this to mean how could I have sex, and how could I have an abortion. I felt very disgraced and guilty and bad about myself. This affected my romantic and sexual relationships and my takes on sex and gestation for many years. This example shows how one sentence from my mother (a negative introjection of her values) had a huge affect on my conditions of worth and had want lasting negative consequences.In contrast, my fathers reaction to the news of my unplanned pregnancy and that Id had a termination was completely different. He was excellent and supportive, not judgemental and very understanding of my decision. This had a very positive effect on my view of my father, and my relationship with him. It also helped to balance the strong negative reaction I felt to my mothers response. I still look back on this keeping as a time when I realised what a marvelous man my father is. My respect and affection for him has only grown since this experience. aspect back it is clear to me that he offered me empathy, congruence and UPR at a time when I really needed it.Rogerian therapy is built around the premise that if certain conditions are present then healing will occur.1. Psychological play between the steering and the client2. The client is in a defenceless or anxious state3. The counselor-at-law is congruent4. The client experiences imperative positive regard and feels accepted by the counsellor5. Empathic understand ing of client by counsellorThe client receives the empathy and unconditional positive regard and congruenceRogers claimed that as long as these conditions were thither, this was all that was needed. He described them as being necessary and sufficient. (Rogers, 1951)Of the six conditions, three are core, these are Empathy, Unconditional Positive Regard (UPR), and congruence. These three conditions need only be minimally present, in order for therapeutic personality change to take place.Returning to empathy, I see this as being able to put myself by the side of the client, and to understand their feelings. Phenomenologically I will never be able to fully know how soul else feels, but believe that empathy takes me close enough. Rogerian counsellors demonstrate empathy by active listening in a sensitive way, and reflecting feeling words back to the client, and also by tone of voice, corpse language and mirroring facial expressions. Paraphrasing can be used to summarise what the clien t is saying, with clarification whenever there is any confusion about what the client is arduous to communicate. (Mearns and Thorne, 1999)Unconditional Positive Regard can be defined as respecting the client as a human being and not judging. It may be that there is sometimes something to do with the clients actions or behaviours which the counsellor doesnt control with, but this doesnt stop UPR being offered. It is about giving respect to a fellow human being without conditions. From the clients point of view, receiving UPR will improve their own feelings of self-worth. If they have been in a cycle of behaving badly because this has always been what has been pass judgment by others, then the cycle can be broken by UPR being offered by the counsellor. In order to offer UPR, it is important that the counsellor has a high degree of self awareness and has worked through her own issues and is clear about any biases or prejudices, and able to put these to the side.(Mearns and Thorne, 1 999)Congruence means being real and genuine, the counsellor being able to be herself and to be open and middling with the client. Being congruent means removing make-believe or acting, and being fully present. Receiving congruence and seeing the counsellor isnt sodding(a) and has vulnerabilities, reassures the client that it is ok to be imperfect and vulnerable. (Mearns and Thorne, 1999)Person centred counselling can be an extremely powerful therapy and can have an enormous impact in enabling damaged people to heal themselves.One of the primary criticisms of Person Centred Counselling is around its theory which is based around our built in motivation to self actualise, grow and achieve. The reality of todays world is that there are many people who dont demonstrate this self actualising tendency. What Rogers didnt explain was if everyone is fundamentally good deep down inside, why arent societies better and better as a result?It is also argued by some that person centred counsell ing is limited. It can be seen as being a passive cushy kind of therapy, with the balance of power with the client, and the counsellor not offering the client advice or solutions. Is this a weakness or a strength? My view is that it is a strength and one of the key reasons why person centred counselling is so effective. The counsellors role isnt that of an expert solving the clients problems, but as someone able to reflect back the clients thoughts and feelings, in a respectful and honest manner, enabling the client to begin to heal himself.Taking this further and overture back to the title question, I see that the fact that Rogerian counselling offers a safe and supportive space for the client, this is what then enables the reconstructive process to take place.Clients come to therapy for a variety of reasons, but they all have one thing in common, they are in emotional pain. The gentle thus far powerful elements of Rogerian therapy allow the client to be safe enough with the coun sellor to express their emotional pain. In order to get to this place of safety, there has to be a strong level of trust between the client and the counsellor. This trust grows, through the counsellor offering empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard.For major shifts to happen first the client needs to be open and honest and be able to express their distress. The next step is for the client to take the risk of moving out of their comfort zone and gainsay themselves. This is when the greatest shifts can occur. In order for either of these steps it is dead key that the client trusts and feels secure with the counsellor. The person centred values promote and encourage this by offering an equal non judgemental honest real relationship.To return to the question, in my view and my experience, Rogerian therapy is both supportive and reconstructive. I feel its only limitations lie within individual clients. If a client is not ready to explore themselves honestly, to open up a nd challenge themselves, then change wont occur. The client has to be ready to engage in what can often be painful self exploration. When a client is ready and wants to do this, working in the Rogerian way can have powerful life ever-changing results.The Rogerian approach is a way of being, and this way of being can be applied to all aspects of life. In terms of therapy, I see this approach being very valuable. Other tools and skills can be offered to clients, in a person centred way, which I see as greatly enhancing the therapeutic process.