W4-Rogers, Person-Centered Therapy

Post#1 by Kerith Pocock - Rogers, Person-Centered Therapy

Carl Rogers is the founder of the Patient (or Person) Centered Approach to therapy. He proposed that therapists could be more optimistic and non-authoritarian approach to therapy. In his theory, therapists act as a facilitator to acknowledge the client’s feelings and experiences without being judgmental and directing the conversation (Psychology Today, 2021). As the name suggests, the patient participating in this type of therapy requires a lot of work to be done for oneself and must be motivated to succeed.

The Patient-Centered Approach can be used alone or in combination with other therapy models for those who suffer from grief, depression, anxiety, stress, and abuse. Rogers considered positive regard (PR) as a necessary and sufficient condition for therapeutic outcome (Suzuki et al., 2019). He believed that for a person to for growth to occur, patients need an environment which provides them with openness and self-disclosure, acceptance, and empathy. When a person does not reach their goals, they are unable to reach self-actualization (Corey, 2015). In order for a therapeutic relationship to occur, Suzuki (2019) suggested that therapists should convey a warm, respectful environment with genuine interest in a patient. I agree that as a therapist, we should have a positive and peaceful environment when a patient enters therapy. This can start with the way in which an office is set up and how patients are greeted when entering an office for therapy. Therapy can be scary for many patients to consider and having the welcoming environment can make it more tolerable.

Some areas of concern that I have regarding the Patient Centered Approach is I do not agree that it works for all people. People who have hallucinations, delusions, other breaks in reality, psychopaths and sociopaths would not do well with the Patient-Centered Approach. The DSM 5 Criteria for a personality disorder includes significant impairments in self and interpersonal functioning (DSM-5, 2017). I do believe aspects of the approach can be used in therapy, but the Patient Centered Approach cannot be used alone for patients who have these symptoms or diagnoses.

I also do not completely agree that patients are unable to solve problems on their own, or at least not all the time. I believe people do try to problem solve first, or find their own coping skills, but when they cannot or they need additional help, they seek out therapy. The last part of the theory I do not agree with is that everyone has an innate ability to be creative and other people should not be judgmental on someone else’s creativity (Corey, 2015). I believe people want to be creative and have aspects of creativity, but that does not necessarily mean we are good at it.

The part of the Patient-Centered Approach that I do like is that it is a growth-promoting climate and self-directed (Corey, 2015). I agree patients need to be motivated to help solve their concerns and should help to guide therapy. If I were to use this approach and I am able to help a patient accept who they are, and grow as an individual, I have achieved success in therapy. This of course may be difficult, and may not be the best form of therapy for all individuals, but I believe people can grow and change through life. The quote from Carl Rogers stating, “The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change,” is a great idea of his theory.

I also like the approach of motivational interviewing (MI) evolved from the Patient Centered Approach. MI has continued to evolve but research has shown it to be effective and MI practices are linked to positive clinical outcomes such as therapist empathy (Miller & Moyers, 2017). MI is already a technique we use in nursing and something we can continue in therapy.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2017). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: Dsm-5.

Martin, J. (2017). Carl Rogers’ and B F Skinner’s approaches to personal and societal improvement: A study in the psychological humanities. Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, 37(4), 214–229. https://doi.org/10.1037/teo0000072

Miller, W. R., & Moyers, T. B. (2017). Motivational interviewing and the clinical science of Carl Rogers. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 85(8), 757–766. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000179

Sussex Publishers. (2021). Person-Centered Therapy. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/person-centered-therapy.

Suzuki, J. Y., Mandavia, A., & Farber, B. A. (2019). Clients’ perceptions of positive regard across four therapeutic orientations. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration. https://doi.org/10.1037/int0000186