HomeStudents
I often get e-mails from students asking for information - I have copied answers below:
INDEX
19 propositions (1)19 propositions (2)
A summary of basic theory
ADHD
Australia
BACP
Basic essays
Brief therapy
compare person centred and CBT
Competent to work a client - Compare PCA, CBT & PDT
Criticisms of the Person Centred Approach
Do the "core conditions" work?
Does this stuff work?
Drink drugs and suicide
Eating disorders
existential model
Feeling about another student
Importance of childhood experiences
Person Centred Planning (2)
Person Centred Planning (2.1)
Person Centred Planning. (1)
Personal development essay
Psycho-Sexual Therapy
Rogers 19 propositions (1)
Rogers 19 propositions (2)
Rogers seven stage process
Sex addiction
Stages of Client Centred Counselling
Suicide
Theoretical cause of anorexia
Trauma and Critical Incident Debrief (1)
Trauma and Critical Incident Debrief (2 - read 1 first)
treatment techniques for client-centered treatment
Use of metaphors in PCA
What is PCT good for?
Writing a Case Study
Writings on specificality in Client-Centred Therapy
19 propositions (1)
Question:-
Hi, I am currently looking for any information on Rogers 19 propositions, do you have any info or know of a web site where I may find some? Yvonne.
I'm not aware of them being on a web site anywhere. They are to be found in Client-Centered Therapy - Carl Rogers. ISBN 0 09 453990 1. The British Publisher is Constable. I'm afraid I do not know the American publisher.
Look in the last section - Part III. "Implications for Psychological Theory".
(PS. I now have a simplified version by Prof Dave Mearns - e-mail me if you need it.)
19 propositions (2)
Question:-
Hi Allan, my name is S..(England). I am a second year post graduate diploma student. I am currently doing (2nd draft) an essay of 5000 words on Rogers theory of personality and his nineteen propositions. How PCT compares to other theories and fits in to my own philosophy. My first draft was sent back for not quite meeting the criteria. Do you have any tips on where I can find stuff on the 19 props as I have really struggled to find any literature on it at all. Just need something which explains the propositions and links it in to personality change etc
Hi S
A simplified version of the 19 propositions is attached. This version was written by Professor Dave Mearns and he has given me permission to send it to students who may find it helpful.
Allan
A summary of basic theory
Question:-
I'm trying to understand the process of change from this theory model. There are many questions going through my mind. What are people like? How does change take place? How does change get complicated? What is the role of the counselor to assist in this change process? And where does the counselors role end in this process? FW South Dekota. USA.
I am going
to be a little bit lazy in replying to you in that I will cut and paste stuff I
have previously written, but I think it is close enough to your questions to
give you the information you are looking for.
The first
part comes from a workshop I ran on Accreditation. In Britain we have to name
the theoretical bases we are working from and then demonstrate that we are
doing what we said we were going to do. The next section is an example of how
an Accreditation candidate may approach the "philosophy" part. (they
would need to be more detailed than this, but it helped people to think in the
right direction.)
What
are people like?
"I
believe that people are essentially constructive and that they are motivated to
seek the truth. I assume that a person is doing their best to preserve
themselves and to emotionally grow, not withstanding their personal internal
and environmental circumstances."
What
causes people problems or disturbance?
From a young
age external conditions of worth are put on them. (I will only love you if you
do as I say.) Eventually a gap widens between the person’s true self and the
self necessary to meet the external conditions.
What
can help with these difficulties? How does counselling fit in with this?
The
counselling environment I offer tries to be free of conditions of worth. I
therefore place the minimum of restrictions or expectations upon a client other
than those necessary to preserve an ethical relationship and those which I need
for my own well being. I do not place my expectation of her getting better on
to my client.
How do I
have to be, what should / do as a counsellor to facilitate this?
I trust the client’s
ability to grow if I can offer a
safe, trusting, valuing environment. I do this by offering the core conditions
of empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard. I regard anything
else to be a condition of worth and therefore more a part of the problem than
the solution.
The next
section is longer and was written for a "time limited" workshop - I
do a lot of work for agencies who only allow a few (typically 6) sessions. In
this section I try to describe the basics of Client Centred therapy. (It
is often called the Person Centred Approach in this country - thus
reference to PCA)
The bold
bits are simply there for my guidance when I'm giving a lecture - I leave them
in because they may help you to find things.
Basic
Client Centred theory - the Actualising Tendency. What makes people tick?
Fundamental
to Person Centred theory is the Actualising
Tendency.
A belief
that within all life there is a tendency
towards growth, toward maximising potential.
This is a universal theory; there are no
exceptions, so we claim that it is a natural Law. This is a natural
science theory, not a moral concept.
It is
believed that this tendency exists in
all life forms, but is developed to a higher degree within human life
because humans are self aware
and aware of being self aware.
This
tendency is so fundamental that we claim that it is a law of nature.
In an
unpublished paper Prof Dave Mearns, of Strathclyde University, tries to
summarise Rogers’ 19 Propositions. He describes the Actualising Tendency in
this way.
This
proposition defines Rogers’ motivational concept: the "actualising
tendency". The human being (and indeed most animal and plant life) makes
the best job it can of surviving
and developing in whatever
circumstances it finds itself. This basic motivation towards survival and
development creates a pressure in the individual to move towards their potential. While this helps the person
to survive and also to develop, it can also result in frustration or depression
when the person finds him/herself unable to progress towards his or her
potential.
(Rogers
Propositions are in "Client-Centered Therapy" – Pages 483 – 533)
If the
emerging person, a child, receives
Unconditional Positive Regard, the Actualising Tendency is likely to grow constructively and, in turn, be
able to offer Unconditional
Positive Regard (Often shortened to UPR) to others.
The absence of Unconditional Positive
Regard disables the development of Unconditional Positive Regard in a person.
We can't
give to people things we do not possess our selves!
Thus the
Actualising Tendency is likely to develop
in anti-social ways and it is unlikely
that Unconditional Positive Regard will be offered to others if it is absent.
Humans have
both destructive and constructive
potential. In an environment
in which Unconditional Positive Regard
is lacking the actualisation of destructive potential is likely. (The
Hitler question).
Destructive
potential includes destructive behaviour to self and others.
Humans
also have strong constructive,
pro-social potentials. These potentials are likely to actualise in environments that contain
Unconditional Positive Regard.
Constructive, pro-social potentials include:
Nurturing
Parenting
Ability to create intimate relationships
Ability to empathically understand another person's subjective
experience.
What
happens in practice?
Instead of
receiving Unconditional Positive Regard, Conditions of Worth are placed upon us – especially when
we are children.
"I will only love you if…"
"I will not love you if you …"
"If you really love Mummy you will…"
"God expects you too…"
Faced with
those options the child is programmed
to reject her own feelings and seek
external approval.
We call this
inner knowing our organismic self - that which is inherent
in our own organism.
The level of
psychological disturbance increases as the gap between the needs of the
organismic self and the "external conditions of worth" increase.
How can
Client Centred Therapy help?
(There are 6
conditions – not 3!)
In the
integration statement of 1957, Rogers said
1 . Two
persons are in psychological contact.
2. The
first, whom we shall term the client, is in a state of incongruence, being
vulnerable or anxious.
3. The
second person, whom we shall term the therapist, is congruent or integrated in
the relationship.
4. The
therapist experiences unconditional positive regard for the client.
5. The
therapist experiences an empathic understanding of the client's internal frame
of reference and endeavours to communicate this experience to the client.
6. The
communication to the client of the therapist's empathic understanding and
unconditional positive regard is to a minimal degree achieved.
I see this
as creating the OPPOSITE from
the conditions of worth
that caused the damage in the first place.
We often (misleadingly) summarise this as the 3 core conditions.
I believe
that the closer we can stay to these
conditions, the more therapeutic
and helpful we can be.
We create
the conditions that increase the
likelihood the actualising
tendency can be put back on
course for constructive growth.
This healthy growth potential is already
there, waiting to have a healthy
environment in which it can develop and flourish.
Anything
that is counter to those growth conditions is a part of the problem, not a part of the solution.
Therefore:
If I claim
to understand my client’s internal frame of reference, but actually don’t, I run
the risk of making my client worse.
If I fake
honesty and openness, with my client, I am a part of her problem, not a part of
the solution. Obviously any kind of paradoxical instruction is out of the
question.
Worst of all, it was "external conditions of
worth" which caused the problem in the first place, so it is VITAL that I
act unconditionally.
-----------------------------------------------
What it
isn't.
In my
experience the PCA is often misunderstood, (even by some who
claim to teach it!).
Rogers’
"integration statement" is breathtaking in its simplicity , but that
isn't all.
Rogers
claimed that these conditions were not only necessary but sufficient.
He claimed
that therapeutic change will not take
place if these conditions
are not present – even more shockingly, he claimed that they are sufficient
– you need do nothing else!
Because the
Person Centred counsellor has no desired outcome she has no need to set
targets, knowing that targets are akin to a 'condition of worth', and it was
this which caused the psychological disturbance in the first place.
ADHD
Question:-
Dear Allan, Could you sign post me to anything you may have worked on or come across in relation to the person centred approach and working with children with ADHD. I am currently studying a Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (in yr 2) and both my son's have been diagnosed in the last 6 weeks with ADHD and ADD respectively. As part of my second year research unit I want to use this opportunity to extend my knowledge of the effectiveness person centred counselling (as a parent and counsellor) on this disorder. Many thanks D
Hi D
Australia
Question:-
I have just completed my B.A. in psychology at M...... University, Australia. I plan on completing my honours in psychology next year. I am very interested in Client-Centred Therapy. I lived in England a few years ago, where I undertook a few seminars in Rogerian theory from M........., London. If you have any information on Client-Centred/Rogerian organizations in Melbourne, Australia would you please e-mail me. Do you have a newsletter available on a regular basis? AN
My original answer was: "I'm afraid that I can't provide you with any information about Client-Centred/Rogerian organizations in Melbourne, Australia."
However Sara Callen has kindly provided the following information via Dr Bernie Neville, who says:
"We established a local chapter of the WAPCEPC last year. Goff Barrett- Lennard has been unable to continue chairing so Melissa Harte has taken the chair and I have taken the secretary role.
We are not many, and we are spread over the whole of Australia and both island of New Zealand, so we don't see much of each other, but I'm pretty sure there is no other avowedly person-centered organization in this part of the galaxy.
Dr Bernie Neville (B.Neville@latrobe.edu.au)
Adjunct Professor of Education
La Trobe University
Victoria 3086
Australia (Information provided in Sep 2011)
There are three associations you may be interested in joining - I'll give you the web site addresses for each.
World Association for Person Centered and Experiential Psychotherapy and Counselling - www.pce-world.org
British
Association for the Person Centred Approach. - www.bapca.org.uk
Association for the Development of the Person Centered Approach - http://www.adpca.org
All three Associations produce quarterly newsletters and WAPCEPC & ADPCA Produce two professional journals a year. (Membership of BAPCA includes the WAPCEPC Journal.) The
international cost of joining is GBP65 for the British Association & US$65 for the
ADPCA. Both journal attract contributions from around the world. WAPCEPC cost EU50, but reduced to EU20 for BAPCA, IPS (Austria), VVCEPC, APPCPC members.
You will get details of
how to join, discounts, couple and organisational membership all available from the respective web sites. (Prices updated 2011)
BACP
Question:-
I am a counsellor presently living in Cyprus and am eligible for membership of the BACP. I am wondering if you could inform me if the BACP has a web page? YT Cyprus.
Yes BACP does have a web site. If you return to my page & follow "Links - Others" there is a hyperlink & the address. It is www.bacp.co.uk or www.counselling.co.uk
Basic essays
Question:-
I am a first year student on a Person Centred BA course. My Essay question is: The essay title : Explore 2/3 key concepts of Rogerian and PC theory .ie The concept of self, personality development, the actualising tendency , seven stages of process, conditions of worth. SF. UK
Normally I avoid writing essay answers for students - to do so wouldn't help them in the slightest. However this answer will serve many students very well.
Dear S
Thanks for your e-mail. There is a really simply solution to your problem that will be of benefit to you and all your class mates. Buy:
The Person-Centred Counselling Primer: A Steps in Counselling Supplement (Counselling Primers) by Pete Sanders
This excellent book is designed for students starting out and I'm sure you will find it invaluable and the best ten quid you have spent in a long time.
Pete is the CEO of a publishing house that focuses of Person-centred books called PCCS Books (http://www.pccs-books.co.uk) and I am sure that it will benefit you greatly to discover this publisher at this stage in your career.
Good luck with your essay.
Allan
Brief therapy
Question:-
Is it possible to do brief therapy from within the person-centred approach? Given that the person-centred approach's central premise is non-directiveness (and this means that the person-centred therapist must have little by way of a "game plan" before a session but rather must start from where the client is and accompany the client) how is it possible to formulate a helpful, person-centred way of being with the client for a set number of sessions? I ask this because I am working for one day a week in a clinic which offers the maximum of 12 weeks' counselling/therapy. For the first time I am having to deal with issues around ending when the client may not feel ready to end. This is not a problem in my private practice, because I start and work from the assumption that my clients will know when they are ready to finish and they and I contract to work together until that time. I have therefore never felt it necessary to broach the subject of ending with my private clients; I work hard to create an accepting environment where they feel able to discuss the matter without fear that they are disappointing me in any way. SV. England.
The
question you ask interests me very much because I do a lot of short term work and I only
work in a Person Centred way.
The real point is that you must see the limitation of session as a boundary and you must
be careful to ensure that this boundary is communicated to your client. Therefore, right
from the first session, the client must know that she only has a maximum of, in this cases
12, sessions. I regard 12 sessions as a luxury, the shortest number I work to is 3 and the
maximum allowed under the EAP Charter is 8. Therefore in the first session I tell the
client that we have a MAXIMUM of 12 sessions, we don't have to use them all, but we can
use them all if that is what the client would like. The scheme we are seeing each under
means that we can not exceed 12 sessions.
I say words like these to new clients about 4 times a week. I have various observations
which may interest you:
1. By seeing the limitation of sessions as a boundary imposed by others, not a condition
imposed by me, and clearly communicating this to my client, I believe that I am very much
leaving her in control of how that time is used. Therefore this not a condition of worth
that I have imposed. This is very different from a "six session contract, which is
reviewed and extended". I see this as totally unacceptable from a person centred
point of view. I translate that to "I'll see you 6 times and if you are good I let
you come a bit longer" - clearly a condition of worth and therefore more a part of
the problem than the solution.
2. I have a sneaky suspicion that the number of sessions necessary to complete the work
expands to fill the amount of time available.
3. I am constantly amazed by the degree to which people take enormous strides in the few
sessions available, even in as few as 4 sessions sometimes. (Also
there is a lot of research to suggest that most movement takes place in the
first few sessions. I think this so for much counselling, but not so for deeper
work with badly damaged people who may take many months to even build up trust.
Added in Jan 2004.)
4. If you have a limited number of sessions available I believe that the PCA is
overwhelmingly the best approach to use. By making clients very aware of the externally
imposed session limitation on US I expect my client to take responsibility for choosing
what subject to talk about. I do not want to waste her time going off on jaunts of my own
when the client already knows what hurts and what isn't working. Contrary to the popular
misunderstanding by other approaches I think the PCA is the approach of choice when time
is limited - if you have the courage to trust your client.
5. Sometimes with this short term work I get the feeling that there is time for the client
to explore the issues, rehearse the arguments, but I do not get the luxury and privilege
of watching them do it - which I think I often do get with long terms work.
Allan. 24Jul1999
compare person centred and CBT
Question:-
Hi, I am currently in my first year training to be a phycotherapist and i came across your site whilst reviewing Person Centred Therapy. I wondered in your opinion what books you would recommend to enable me to compare and contrast person centred therapy against Cognitive Behavioral Therapy using the Six Category Intervention Analysis by John Heron? I look forward to hearing from you. Regards C. (probably United Kingdom)
Hello C
The two approaches could hardly be further apart. I am not aware of a modern book which compares them, but John Heron's paper doesn't look very recent either. Try "Individual Therapy in Britain" edited by Windy Dryden. CBT had not conquered the world back in 1984, when the book was published. The person centred case is put by Brian Thorne and the Rational-Emotive Therapy case is put by Windy Dryden. You may find that close enough to CBT to be useful.
The editor asked the contributors to respond to the same concepts. In this case "the image of the person", "concepts of psychological health and disturbance", "the acquisition of psychological disturbance", "the perpetuation of psychological disturbance", "goals of therapy", "the person of the therapist", "therapeutic style", "major therapeutic techniques" and "the change process in therapy”. Each chapter is rounded off with a case example.
I think this is likely to address the points you are interested in.
Allan
Competent to work a client - Compare PCA, CBT & PDT
Question:-
Dear Allan My name is L A and I am a 2nd year diploma student of Rogerian Person Centred Counselling and Psychotherapy at an English University. Currently I am working with 5 other co-students within a 'Self Directive Learning Group'. Our chosen presentation topic as a group is: "What evidence does the therapist need to be gathering in order to make the decision that they are competent to work with the client and the client is accessible? How does this differ across the three modalities. (Person-centred; Cognitive Behavioural and Psychodynamic)" We have found plenty of evidence from both the Cognitive Behavioural and Psychodynamic modalities to give us food for thought. Our identified difficulty has been 'filling in' the Person-centred pieces. Where diagnosis and assessment is little documented within Person centred texts. It is a process that is ongoing within our modality and it is a process that is very hard to back up with hard evidence. Many thanks for your time and attention. Kindest regards. LA. England. Feb 2003 (This e-mail was shortened to protect the sender's identity)
Criticisms of the Person Centred Approach
Question:-
Hi Allan, Thanks so much for writing back to me, much appreciated. Yes, I was in agreement with you regarding Rogerian counselling, that was up until a few years ago. When I was approaching my finish stop of my Diploma studies, I came across some research, which looked at the PCA. I am writing a brief but which I hope to be a concise review of the criticisms levelled at it. First of all, McConnaughty (1987) has reviewed much of the data regarding the PCA and argues that there is more variability among therapists within one technique, than there is among the techniques themselves. Hence, it appears to be the therapist not the technique, that is important for improvement.
I have merged questions and answers together here in addressing a correspondent's criticism of the PCA
Dear
C
This is an
interesting subject although I’m not sure how much time I have to debate it.
Never the less I’ll add a few comments in your text.
Hi
Allan,
Thanks
so much for writing back to me, much appreciated. Yes, I was in agreement
with you regarding Rogerian counselling, that was up until a few years ago.
When I was approaching my finish stop of my Diploma studies, I came across
some research, which looked at the PCA. I am writing a brief but which I
hope to be a concise review of the criticisms levelled at it.
First
of all, McConnaughty (1987) has reviewed much of the data regarding the PCA
and argues that there is more variability among therapists within one
technique, than there is among the techniques themselves. Hence, it appears
to be the therapist not the technique, that is important for
improvement.
I
agree with this, but do not see it as a criticism of CCT (Client Centred Therapy
– everyone and their uncle claims to be PCA with little or no understanding of
it’s theory). CCT is NOT a technique, it is a way of being with clients. When
the concept of variability is applies to CCT the point is that some therapists
are good at it and some are not. I have been practicing CCT for almost 20 years
and my knowledge and ability is still improving. CCT theory is relatively simple
to express but it’s application is a life long quest.
Garfield
and Bergin (1971) found that therapists low in emotional disturbance themselves
were more effective at lowering depression and defensiveness in clients.
Yes,
that is consistent with my experience. I don’t think the concept has to be
limited to depression. It is a blinding glimpse of the obvious. You can not take
a client to a place you are unable to visit yourself.
Whilst
LaCrosse (1980) found characteristics such as attractiveness and expertness
were essential ingredients in client well-being.
Not
certain what attractiveness means. The CCT tries to move away from the
superficial falseness of expertness. It is the refuse of those who do not have
the courage to genuinely engage a client’s condition.
Other
research conducted by Silfe and Williams (1995) point out that humanistic
principles cannot avoid the issue of determinism completely. A person's
inborn potential is seen as exerting considerable influence over the way he
or she acts. If this potential is based on our biology, Slife and Williams
argue, there is not much we can do about it. Therefore, in the sense that
this potential lies outside of our control, yet exerts an influence on our
behaviour. Thus, the humanistic approach must be seen to a certain extent,
as being deterministic.
From
my experience as a therapist and in life generally it is obvious that peoples
personalities are influenced by genetic factors. I assume that I can not
influence these and so I do not see them as a relevant variable when considering
different approaches. I think that conditions within the autism spectrum are
particularly challenging to CCT. I still suspect that the basic concepts are
valid, but I wonder if they need adaptation here.
Another
criticism that Slife and Williams make is the morality of a person's
behaviour. If, they argue, we are the only ones who know what is right for
us, then we are the only ones able to judge the rightness or wrongness of our
behaviour. If we must pursue our own needs, then we can only be held
accountable for whether or not we are acting according to those needs.
This introduces a moral position known as 'moral relativism' in that what is
right or wrong can only be judged in terms of what is right or wrong for that
particular person. According to this perspective, there can be no universal
standards of right or wrong behaviour, with morality being regarded as
unique to each individual and determined by their own unique needs. As
each person is different, and we are denied knowledge of the unique potential
and needs of any other, this is a further problem when applying humanistic
principles to the explanation of intimate relations.
I
agree with all of this except the conclusion. To claim that each person is
unique and is thus subject to moral relativism is pure Rogers. Ironically I see
this as a criticism of PCA theory which I sometimes find too Western, and
particularly too American. It seems to me that there are universal human rights
that must take precedence over individual moral positions if they come into
conflict. To be controversial in my position I see the concept of a State that
exercises the death sentence as being in breach of universal human rights, which
must take precedence. It is obvious that I cannot claim that killing you is
morally acceptable to me and therefore it is ok.
Having said that, I do not see it as being a criticism of the therapeutic
approaches spectrum.
Another
important finding and probably the one that has many implications for anyone
interested in explaining human behaviour is that many different schools of
thoughts have explanations of the same event. Thus, when
trying to theorise as to why someone is doing something, i.e., taking
illegal substances, we can look at such behaviour using Theology,
Sociology, Social Psychology, Human Biology, PCA... perspectives. The
problem for many students is finding which one fits. That is where the
problem is. This is because each one is right in its own way.
Personally, this is where a lot of students (PCA's in particular) tend to go
wrong. I have found that with nearly all the students I've met on PCA
courses, they get so hung up on explaining things the 'Rogerian way'
that they develop a 'mindset.' Other forms of thinking then become
either a threat due to the dissonance produce onto themselves (no
one really likes to be wrong, especially if one has invested so much of
themselves into something) or they just downplay the facts. I find
this quite sad.
I
agree with that. I don’t see it as a criticism of the basic concept of PCA
theory, but it is try that many PCA people can get narrow in their thinking.
The
thing is this, Rogers was brilliant. He had many great ideas and I've
always seen his model as an excellent way of providing insight for
the client.
Remember
that the concept of offering insight is NOT a CCT one, it is psychodynamic and
analytical.
His ideas have
been enormously influential in the work of the brilliant scientist
William Ickes, whose book entitled 'Everyday Mind Reading' shows how Rogers work
can be used as a base for other studies looking at empathy. But he
was not right about a lot of things.
Unfortunately
you have not yet said what he was wrong about.
The latest area I am looking at is Trauma recovery. My experience is that
CCT is extremely valuable with traumatised clients but CCT theory does not make
sense. Put simply, the problems suffered by traumatised clients were not caused
by "conditions of worth”. The approach appears to be working, and very
certainly is not causing damage, but I am far from convinced that our theory
explains what we are doing.
Anyway,
I must go now, I'm sure you've read enough of my letter. Thanks again
Allan, for taking time out to write back. I hope the information that I've
provided will help you see my point of view. Even if you do not agree
with it, I hope you'll be able to understand where I coming from.
Yours
sincerely,
CM (Manchester UK)
Do the "core conditions" work?
Question:-
How are the core conditions supposed to facilitate change? Do they? MM. Leicestershire, UK
I asked you whether you were doing a Person-centred course to give me an idea of where to pitch my answer.
It is very misleading to call them the "core conditions”. This seems to have become a particularly popular phrase in Britain in the 80s and 90s. It is very misleading but has, unfortunately, stuck in some places.
Rogers talked about the six conditions which are "necessary and sufficient” for therapeutic change to take place the "core conditions" relate to the ‘therapist provided’ interventions and they will not work on their own if the other three conditions are not present.
• Two people in psychological contact
• The first, whom we shall term the client, is in a state of incongruence, being vulnerable or anxious.
• The second person, whom we shall term the therapist, is congruent or integrated in the relationship.
• The therapist experiences unconditional positive regard for the client.
• The therapist experiences an empathic understanding of the client’s frame of reference and endeavours to communicate this experience to the client.
• The communication to the client of the therapist’s empathic understanding and unconditional positive regard is, to a minimal degree, perceived.
You can see that the core conditions are something of a misnomer in that they are conditions 4 and 5 with a bit of 3 (although that is quoted out of context).
Part of Rogers genius was to break down the components which he believed caused therapeutic change into these neat, and of particular importance, researchable, conditions. It is far from clear to me why only conditions 3, 4 & 5 were seen as important a couple of decades later. The point is that as you come to practice person centred counselling you discover that those three conditions merge one into another and it is extremely difficult to say where one ends and another starts.
If you do not already have it I would recommend you obtain a copy of Jerold Bozarth’s "Person-Centered Therapy: a Revolutionary Paradigm (Person-centred approach & client-centred therapy essential readers)”. I disagree with some of the points in Jerold’s book but I do find it a useful reference book and it does summarise the classical theory quite well. (I speak in such familiar terms because I know him personally.)
Whilst I have said that all six conditions must be taken together if you asked me to pick one which I think is particularly important, and really the answer to your question, it is condition 4. If the client feels unconditionally valued, precious and accepted - therapeutic change is highly likely to take place. It is also astonishing that "one is enough”. What I mean by that is if the client experiences condition for with you, if the client believes that you truly understand her and value, her this causes such profound change that it affects other relationships outside of the counselling room.
Lastly, it is worth emphasising that these conditions are "necessary and sufficient”. Rogers did not define them in order to tell us how client centred/person centred therapy worked. What he was saying was that all therapeutic change relies on these six conditions, no matter what approach is applied. The Person centred argument is that if these conditions are "sufficient” why do we need anything else? Anything else we add will only be a distraction and may take us away from that which is really causing therapeutic change. As John M. Shlien (To Lead an Honorable Life: Invitations to Think About Client-Centred Therapy and the Person-Centred Approach) says, we have a "one size fits all” solution to all presenting problems. And as Jerold Bozarth says, this is a pretty revolutionary idea!
Does this stuff work?
Question:-
I am a student in pcc i hope you can help me. When i review client work am i assessing whether the organismic valuing process is taking control, or does the client review their own work. Thus lets me know what is working for them, or do i use the seven stage model that Roger's wrote to gauge where the client is , with regard to the client owning his/her feelings.
Drink drugs and suicide
Question:-
I'm currently doing a study on drug issues and suicide and how it relates to a client centred setting. I would be grateful if you could send me any information that you might have on Carl Rogers concept of suicide idealogy, suicide contracts, impact of drug issues on therapy, etc. PR. Eire
Central to client centred work is the concept of not imposing any conditions WHAT SO EVER on clients. I do not feel able to speak for Carl Rogers, but I can speak for myself. I would never dream of using a suicide contract, it is a condition of worth and therefore more a part of the problem that the solution.
In many situations I see suicide as logical and rational. If I thought that I was utterly alone in the world and that not a soul understood me I thing I would want to leave this world. My options would be to go mad or commit suicide. I think my own preference would be suicide.
When my client comes to me and tells me that he or she is considering suicide I attempt to enter her world. To understand the hopelessness which has brought her to this point. If I can succeed in truly doing that, and convey my knowing of the client's world to her, then I think it unlikely that she will commit suicide. I attempt nothing else - just that. It is hard and enough.
Similar considerations apply to drink and drugs. It is very rare that they are really the problem, usually a symptom of a deeper problem. I therefore ignore drink and drugs and leave the client to talk about his real problem. Often to concentrate on drink and drugs is a way of colluding with the client in avoiding the real issues.
Eating disorders
Question:-
I am a student at **** College, (in England) and I am researching Eating Disorders and how person centered counselling can be used to help. My research points mainly to cognitive behaviour therapy as a treatment but I cannot believe that CCT cannot be used. I have read your Q&A regarding drugs and alcohol and it is my understanding that eating disorders often stem from low self esteem and therefore I was wondering if that is what you would focus on within a CCT session. Any help would be appreciated. KT. Kent. England. Oct 2002.
Yes, I agree with your thinking. As with drugs and alcohol there can be a
chemical & addictive component, but CBT does not address that anyway. As with
drugs and alcohol the important thing is the underlying causes, not the surface
symptoms. It's a bit like a doctor treating symptoms, without stopping to
consider the cause. (Actually this is what GP's do with mental & emotional
difficulties). What you say about low self esteem is true, but don't get too hooked up on
that, it is actually another symptom. It is more important to address the reason
for the low self esteem & also to meet the client in that place of low esteem -
how does it actually feel to be in that place - rather than standing on the
outside giving instructions. I don't "focus on" the low self esteem - but you
probably did not mean it is that context. I will closely track a client & if
self esteem issues come up I will happily follow them. In my experience they
often do. It sometimes seems to me that (as with many phobias) that
it is actually colluding with the problem to focus on the eating
disorder. This is precisely (in part at least) the function of the eating
disorder - to call for attention, whilst at the same time concealing (or
distracting) from the real problem. I therefore argue that non-holistic
approaches, which focus on a narrow aspect of the
difficulty (such as CBT), are more a part of the
problem that the solution. Allan PS. Another correspondent writes the following after
reading the above:
existential model
Question:-
would be grateful if you could guide me toward any useful info/books/websites about existential model. FG
Feeling about another student
Question:-
Hi Allan, I am a student in the first year of the Diploma Course and seeking your help. I have scoured the books and cannot find any information that I am desperate to find. I am married with young children. I have developed feelings towards another course member and the feeling is mutual. We are at present considering our feelings but are finding it difficult as they seem to be getting stronger. Please can you tell me if this is typical of these courses and if there will be disasters ahead if we follow our feelings. Also can you please suggest a book or web page that can help me. Can you be kind enough to e-mail me on this one. S - UK (Jan 2002)
Dear
S
I can’t think of any reference documents to refer you to. The psychodynamics
would probably call this "erotic transference” if that helps.
I
think that such experiences are common. Many counselling courses result in
participants engaging deep feelings within themselves and becoming aware of
parts of themselves they were scarcely aware of before. This is often an
important part of the training because you are likely to encounter many deep
feelings, when working with clients; both those of your clients and your own.
I
guess the ideal way to try to "be” with your feelings is to discuss them
with your fellow student, but not to act upon them. Things like this will happen
to you when you are a counsellor – any experienced counsellor will be able to
tell you about the first client they fell in love with and the first one who
loved them. We have to be able to survive such experiences and maintain the
necessary boundaries. To not hold such a boundary would be both unethical and
likely to be harmful to your client. In a way you can see this as a dry run.
You
have told me that you are married with children, so there is a plain indication
that you are worried about the future for your family and I think you are very
right to have these concerns in your mind.
You
have not said whether the other person is male or female. If female this may be
introducing even more complicated feeling for you.
Good
luck, Allan.
PS The other student was male -
Importance of childhood experiences
Question:-
To Allan I have been ask to discuss the relevance of childhood experience in forming adult personality and describe the significance attached to this by the counsellor. Carl Rogers didn't seem to say much about childhood, and I'm finding it difficult to understand the significance attached by the counsellor. am I right in thinking, this is (what the counsellor needs to be aware of). Little confused about the statement. Could you help as I would really appreciate this. S. (England)
Dear S,
I suspect that the real problem here is confusion between theories. The Client Centred approach claims that the cause of disturbance in a client is ‘external conditions of worth’ – and not subconscious processes, which are favoured by the Analytical, Psychodynamic schools. Childhood is not seen to be especially important within CCT and thus you have not been able to find much written by Rogers (or more recent British authors) about it. I bet you are doing a duel theory, or integrative course, where such confusion is common.
Assuming that you are trying to view this from a Client/Person Centred perspective the answer is that we do not attach a great deal of significance to childhood experiences – unless the client does! Obviously it may evolve that the external conditions of worth, which we claims have caused so much damage, are very important to the client and thus they will become important to a CCT counsellor too. I suppose that, from that point of view, it could be argues that childhood experiences are important in forming personality, but I suspect that your questioner was looking for some more direct cause and effect.
If you are trying to answer this question from a Psychodynamic perspective you are likely to say that a person’s childhood experiences have greatly influenced the sub-conscious and there wish to pay great attention to them.
These are the reasons why the respective approaches take such different views on the importance of childhood experiences to a client.
Allan
Person Centred Planning (2)
Question:-
I am a first year diploma student studying at zyz College, (in England). I work within a residential care home for adults with physical and sometimes learning disabilities. As an organisation, it is felt that we must strive to become more person centred, particularly as we attempt to comply to the (then Labour) new Government national required standards. As you can probably imagine, I whooped with delight until I was asked to put forward recommendations on how best we could implement this!!! The only source of reference I could find was Marlis Pörtner's "Trust and Understanding" which proved incredibly useful as a starting point. (see book page for more details) As I see things, the starting point for me would be to look at residents' care plans. I therefore write to ask if you know of any resources or organisations that may have or be striving to work with residents/clients in a person centred way, particularly with respect to care plans? Any information you may have would be more than gratefully received. L. Coventry, England.
Dear L
The present government seems to be introducing something called "Person Centred Planning", which sounds great. However, as far as I can tell, it seems to have been an accidental coincidence of name and no one anywhere near the government has the slightest idea what the Person Centred Approach is.
The point I am making here is that our theory says that the core conditions are necessary and SUFFICIENT. There is no understanding of this concept in what the government has in mind. So this is not PCA as we know it. ("Life, but not as we know it Jim." - Bones in Star Trek 1)
Having said that, let's not be pessimistic, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. As far as I understand it there is some genuine attempt to understand the client's needs and to listen to the client, and this is progress. Having said that, I think you will find that, in truth, those doing the planning will still think they are the experts - so there is no real trust of the client.
The dilemma with someone who has learning or physical disabilities is that they genuinely need help in various areas. With physical disabilities it is often possible to ask clients - i.e. genuinely treat them as clients, instead of just paying lip service to the concept. The concept becomes much more challenging with learning difficulties because the person may have great difficulties in communicating their needs. Surely the person centred bit is to work hard to learn what the client really wants. Marlis has loads of practical examples of this her book.
I am not aware of any other books on the subject in English, but you may try e-mailing Jan Hawkins - jan@thefdp.demon.co.uk. I think I have a link to her web site on mine. She runs workshops. Check my book list for her name too.
Allan
Person Centred Planning (2.1)
Question:-
Hi! I am considering doing a Phd in the area of person-centered planning. I am a PCP facilitator myself and so have a pretty good working knowledge, however, I would appreciate any advice on specific issues where there is a lack of research, or further research is needed. Thanks!
I don't think I can help you. When the UK government came up with the phrase Person Centred Planning I don't think they had the slightest idea that there was a long established approach to Psychotherapy called the Person Centred Approach. The Person Centred Approach has nothing to do with Person Centred Planning.
Allan
More
Thank you for replying,
I think that the term 'Person-Centered Planning' originates from North America, not the UK - in fact, it is only vaguely mentioned by the UK government who do not seem to understand the real meaning of the term.
The relationship between PCP and Person Centered Approaches seems to be confusing and controversial.
Michael Smull and Susie Burke Harrison (who are from Maryland), have done a great deal of work with PCP, as has John O'Brien and Connie Lyle O'Brien. If you are interested, you might like to read the following article that explains the origins of PCP, written by John O'Brien.
Person Centred Planning. (1)
Question:-
I am a first year diploma student studying at Tile Hill College, Coventry. I work within a residential care home for adults with physical and sometimes learning disabilities. As an organisation, it is felt that we must strive to become more person centred, particularly as we attempt to comply to the new Government national required standards. As you can probably imagine, I whooped with delight until I was asked to put forward recommendations on how best we could implement this!!! The only source of reference I could find was Marlis Pörtner's "Trust and Understanding" which proved incredibly useful as a starting point. (see book page for more details) As I see things, the starting point for me would be to look at residents' care plans. I therefore write to ask if you know of any resources or organisations that may have or be striving to work with residents/clients in a person centred way, particularly with respect to care plans? Any information you may have would be more than gratefully received. L. Coventry, England.
Dear L The present government seems to be introducing something
called "Person Centred Planning", which sounds great. However, as far
as I can tell, it seems to have been an accidental coincidence of name and no
one anywhere near the government has the slightest idea what the Person Centred
Approach is. The point I am making here is that our theory says that the
core conditions are necessary and SUFFICIENT. There is no understanding of this
concept in what the government has in mind. So this is not PCA as we know it.
("Life, but not as we know it Jim." - Bones in Star Trek 1) Having said that, let's not be pessimistic, imitation is the
sincerest form of flattery. As far as I understand it there is some genuine
attempt to understand the client's needs and to listen to the client, and this
is progress. Having said that, I think you will find that, in truth, those doing
the planning will still think they are the experts - so there is no real trust
of the client. The dilemma with someone who has learning or physical
disabilities is that they genuinely need help in various areas. With physical
disabilities it is often possible to ask clients - i.e. genuinely treat them as
clients, instead of just paying lip service to the concept. The concept becomes
much more challenging with learning difficulties because the person may have
great difficulties in communicating their needs. Surely the person centred bit
is to work hard to learn what the client really wants. Marlis has loads of
practical examples of this her book. I am not aware of any other books on the subject in English,
but you may try e-mailing Jan Hawkins - jan@thefdp.demon.co.uk. I think I have a
link to her web site on mine. She runs workshops. Check my book list for her
name too. Allan
Personal development essay
Question:-
I am in my final year of my advanced diploma in person-centred counselling and I have been asked to write a personal development essay and I don't have any idea where to start. Can You help EB (UK)
Dear E
I’m
surprised that this essay has come so late in your course, it is a favourite
"first” essay. I guess one good way to describe it would be a sort of
"This is Your Life”, but focused at counselling. For me, I discovered that I
was enormously interested in people & personal issues through listening to
late night phone-in’s to local radio stations and training to be a counsellor
became an outlet for that. However I realised that I don’t like controlling
people so an approach to counselling which didn’t seek to do that was very
attractive to me. I thought I was interested in sex therapy but soon discovered
that it was far to directive for my taste. I realise that my own dyslexia and
having a child with special needs has been an important influence on my
development as a counsellor. A stable marriage for many years has also been very
important.
That’s just
a few examples, but it may start to point you in the right direction. Good luck.
Psycho-Sexual Therapy
Question:-
Dear Allan, Would you be prepared to say, in brief terms, whether you think the person centred approach can be a suitable vehicle for PST? (Psycho-Sexual Therapy) I am having a debate with a counsellor about this and would appreciate your view. MC. England 20 Jan 2002
Dear
M
I think it
depends on what you mean by Psycho-Sexual
Therapy. If you mean the sort of programme often favoured in sex therapy where
the therapist takes control – no sexual contact in week one, light petting in
week two, heavy petting in week three, etc, I answer no. It seems to me that in
such cases the therapist is controlling things. The locus of evaluation is
external from the client – the therapist says what to do & what not to do,
irrespective of the client’s wishes.
Having
said that, I do a lot of work in the area of sex with clients. In my experience
it is almost always the case that sexual problems are simply evidence of some
other problem. Poor communication, earlier sexual abuse, unexpressed anger and
resentment are all typical examples – there are many others. In my experience
the sexual difficulties clear up spontaneously if the REAL problem is addressed.
By offering the core conditions I find that sufficient safety is created for
these other important difficulties to be addressed by the client at his or her
own safe pace.
Clients
have often reported significant improvements in their sex life as a consequence
of counselling even though we have seldom talked about sex.
Does
that answer your question?
Allan
Rogers 19 propositions (1)
Question:-
Hi, I am currently looking for any information on Rogers 19 propositions, do you have any info or know of a web site where I may find some? Yvonne
I'm not
aware of them being on a web site anywhere. They are to be found in Client-Centered
Therapy - Carl Rogers. ISBN 0 09 453990 1. The British Publisher is Constable. I'm afraid
I do not know the American publisher.
Look in the last section - Part III. "Implications for Psychological Theory".
(PS. I now have a simplified version by Prof Dave Mearns - e-mail me if you need it.)
Rogers 19 propositions (2)
Question:-
Hi Allan, my name is S..(England). I am a second year post graduate diploma student. I am currently doing (2nd draft) an essay of 5000 words on Rogers theory of personality and his nineteen propositions. How PCT compares to other theories and fits in to my own philosophy. My first draft was sent back for not quite meeting the criteria. Do you have any tips on where I can find stuff on the 19 props as I have really struggled to find any literature on it at all. Just need something which explains the propositions and links it in to personality change etc
Hi S
A simplified version of the 19 propositions is attached. This version was written by Professor Dave Mearns and he has given me permission to send it to students who may find it helpful.
Allan
Rogers seven stage process
Question:-
Hi Allan Can you help? I am a first year student on a Diploma in Counselling course. I am writing up my first case study and have spent ages trying to find a way to describe Rogers seven stage process which we have to include in our study. I feel I need to say what it is before I can refer to it. I understand what the different proposed stages are and that it is not meant as a clear step-by-step process but a description of what is likely to take places at different stages. Does it make sense to say that, Rogers proposed seven stages of process that describes characteristic change or movement in therapy? Have I understood what it's purpose is. I would be very grateful for your comments. Regards G. (UK)
Hi G
I think you have
certainly grasped the point here, or pretty well anyway. Don’t get too hooked up
on the seven stages. Look in On Becoming a Person (I bought my copy is an
America,
so the page numbers are probably different) but look at the section before the
seven stages where Rogers says that he is describing a continuum – which could
be discriminated into three or fifty stages. Even at fifty, says
Rogers
"there would still be all the intermediate points”. So don’t see this in a rigid
way at all. He is describing a process whereby a client moves from "fixity”
(rigid thinking, where it feels like harm would be done if doubt crept in) to "changingness”,
a sort of fluidity (where thinking and understanding is so open and accepting
that almost any new idea can be contemplated with out threatening the integrity
of the psychological self). Paradoxically, I believe that in this distant end
of the continuum rigidity become a treat to the new fluid self.
This is one of the
core concepts within our theory. Not the seven stages, but the concept of
movement toward fluidity. It is this that you should try to convey in your case
study.
Sex addiction
Question:-
I am a counselling student in my final year of my course and I am doing this research project on sex addiction and wondered if you have counselled in this area if it is possible for my group to set up an interview with you?
Stages of Client Centred Counselling
Question:-
i am specifically looking for person centred beginnings middle and endings but will continue to look. my personal view is there is not any as the session is client led and the client will know when they would like to end the sessions but as i need to find this for my presentation i will keep looking.( J. UK Student. Jan 2004)
I think you will find that Dave Mearns and Brian Thorne wrote on this subject in their first book – Person Centred Counselling in Action. (See my books section). I think they did talk about beginnings, middles and ends. I also recall that Rogers wrote about it in a much more complicated way – probably in Client Centered Therapy. He had a 7 step model. (It's actually in On Becoming a Person, Chapter 7 - and describes a continuum of change)
As Client Centred practioners I don’t think we want to become prescriptive about stages with clients, but it may help us to understand what is happening in the client’s world, especially whilst still in training. Allan
Suicide
Question:-
My name is Mary. Can you recommend any books about applying Person-Centered Approach for suicide prevention? MA. Russia
No, I can't recommend a book on the suject of suicide prevention. The concept does not make sense from a person-centred perspective. There are two reason:
1. The theory is a "one size fits all" theory. In other words the theoretical position is that the 6 conditions are both necessary and SUFFICIENT. The concept of a book aimed at suicide prevention does not make sense, it implies that the conditions are not sufficient.
2. Many person-centred practitioners would take the view that a person has the right to commit suicide if they choose to. To try to prevent it is a "condition of worth", which, from a Person-centred perspective is the cause of disturbance - in other words any kind of intervention would be more a part of the problem that the solution.
So, what do I do if my client speaks of suicide. I offer the 6 conditions. I try as hard as I can to understand the client, to grasp what has led the client to that place. Up till now I have never had a client commit suicide, but I believe people have that right if they desire it. We are in a very fortunate position in Britain whereby there is no legal requirement to report a client's expressed desire to kill themselves and suicide is not illegal, so there is no question of preventing crime (which also is not a legal requirement.) May 2014.
Theoretical cause of anorexia
Question:-
I am really hoping you may be able to help me with an aspect of the dissertation I am writing. The subject matter is Anorexia. Part of this work is to observe causality from a person centred perspective (humanistic). As diagnosis is not part of person centred therapy it is difficult to locate any information regarding causality. Can you help? Do you know of any work that has been done with person centred theory linking the causality of anorexia? DH - United Kingdom. (Sep 2011)
Trauma and Critical Incident Debrief (1)
Question:-
I am a second year student on a Diploma in Counselling course and I am trying to find any information on counselling trauma victims using the Person Centred Approach. I would appreciate any information you may know of regarding this subject. (CK - England. Oct 1999)
I should be having a chapter on this subject published in a new
book by Sage "Client Issues in Counselling and Psychotherapy:
Person-centred Practice" (2011) later this year.
Also
look at Stephen Joseph in Person-centred Psychopathology - A Positive
Psychology of Mental Health. PCCS Books. Ross-on-Wye. 2005.
It is possible that your question is simply one of "is the
Person Centred Approach suitable for this kind of work?" For trauma
counselling I have no doubt that the answer is yes. In the strictest sense of
the word, I do not think that critical incident debriefing can be described as
counselling - although it is obvious that sensitivity, empathy and counselling
skills are necessary. (Updated in 2011)
Trauma and Critical Incident Debrief (2 - read 1 first)
Question:-
You were right in suggesting that my question could be "is the P.C approach suitable for this kind of work?" and I shall go further and ask "is it enough?" There have been many suggestions in various books about using cognitive or behavioral interventions some of which make me shudder! In my research so far I am beginning to discover a corollary between the behaviour of traumatised veterans and traumatised children, but lots more research to be done in that area.
I feel that a critical
incident has three separate stages from a "counselling" point of view.
1 An immediate response. Immediately after an incident "counselling skills" are
used. People are shocked and there is a great deal of disbelief. They have been exposed to
an experience which, in the true meaning of the word, is extraordinary. They need a way to
contain feelings which are overwhelming and to try to start the process of incorporating
these extraordinary events into their understanding of the world. It is good for them to
talk but difficult to find people who are prepared to hear their stories and who will not
be harmed by them. This is where the counsellor comes in, but, by a strict definition he
or she will be using "counselling skills", rather than counselling. There is no
ongoing contract or (client) process.
2. The next stage is the Critical Incident Debriefing. It is recommended that this is done
approximately seven days after the incident. Forty eight hours is too soon because people
are still too much in shock and are unlikely to be ready to assimilate their experience.
The purpose of CID is to let the person work through the emotions of the event with the
intention of avoiding Post Traumatic Stress later.
Once again, I think that "counselling skills" and sensitivities are used, but I
do not consider this to the counselling.
3. PTS counselling will only be necessary for some victims of a critical incident. These
may be the people who have not been able to take part in Critical Incident Debriefing
(either because it was not offered or they declined it) or people who have not been able
to sufficiently incorporates the critical event into their understanding of the world, in
spite of the Critical Incident Debriefing.
Next to the question of whether the Person Centred approach is suitable or sufficient for
this kind of work. I think the question is irrelevant in the case of points one and two
above because I do not think that this is counselling. I think that offering the core
conditions is plainly of utmost important in all three cases above. Beyond that I think we
are running into the "specificality myth". (See Jerald Bozarth - the Person
Centred Approach, a revolutionary paradigm) which claims that there are specific solutions
for specific problems. When Bozarth investigated these claims it turns out that there is
almost no research evidence to support them. He argues that the whole of our psychology
services in the Western world are based on a myth.
I am not surprised by the links between traumatised veterans and traumatised (could I say
abused?) children. I think that in both cases the person's understanding of the world is
overwhelmed and I would therefore expect similar consequences. Margaret Warner (Professor
of counselling in Chicago) argues that a child under seven is unable to make emotional
sense of abuse and disassociation frequently occurs (previously called multiple
personality). Also Professor Dave Mearns describes what he calls
"configurations", which I think is a similar concept.
Allan
treatment techniques for client-centered treatment
Question:-
A visitor to my website asks for "actual treatment techniques for client-centered treatment.". CC. MI. USA. Sep 2002.
There are not treatment techniques as such. When a client arrives I try to welcome them, but avoid saying anything which will suggest what they should talk about, so in a first session I might ask "What brings you here?". I don't even want to suggest that they have a "problem", that is a judgement I don't feel able to make. In later sessions I will specifically say that I don't want to say anything that will suggest a direction the client should take but I will try to understand as deeply as possible, and from their frame of reference, whatever they would like me to know. I don't mind if there is silence and will not attempt to fill it unless I think that the client is uncomfortable. If they are I will say that I don't want to deliberately make them unaffordable but I also don't want to suggest what they want to talk about. I genuinely believe that their wisdom about themselves is greater than mine. The client is therefore far more likely to know what is important than me.
Use of metaphors in PCA
Question:-
What could possible responses be to a clients use of image and metaphors , and what are the importance of these in counselling.
What is PCT good for?
Question:-
Hi Allan, I'm studying my HND in PCT and stumbled across your site and found it of much use . Part of my assignment is to research where PCT is used and how it supports certain different issues ie; drug, relationships , mental health ,GP hospitals and I somehow can't find ways of knowing where PCT is greatly used ! can you help? Probably UK. August 2012
Hello A
Writing a Case Study
Question:-
My name is A*** we have been asked by our tutors to present a case study of our placements. Although this is something I have looked forward to our tutors have given us no structure on how to present a person-centred case study, apart from read Rogers. Although Rogers has some really good case studies I don't think that they will help my case study as the assessor is looking at my abilities as a therapist, where Rogers was clearly better. Do you have any information that could help me structure a person-centred case study or any web sites that could help? Yours thankfully A. United Kingdom.
Briefly describe the client & his or her presenting problem. This should be in sufficient detail that the reader has a real sense of the client.
Since your work is Client/Person Centred you will be offering the core conditions and being non-directive. You will not be trying to cause anything to happen, or prevent any thing from happening. This is so important within the approach that I think it should be talked about in a case study.
In my experience different aspects of the conditions are of differing importance to different clients. For example a client who feels they have been frequently ill judged in the past is likely to feel that your unconditional acceptance in extremely importance. A client who has never really been listened to & understood may find your empathy very important. example - The client I saw this morning has always tried to win favour with her mother by working out what her mother wants & doing it before her mother asks. Gradually the client stopped knowing what she wanted herself, but was very good at knowing what her mother wanted. In PCA terms her mother had become the 'external locus of evaluation' which then produced a strong incongruence between what my client wanted for herself & what her mother wanted. When she slept with a new boyfriend on the night of a first date she enjoyed it very much, but also felt very guilty knowing that her mother would disapprove. By contrast I do not judge her morals - my unconditional acceptance.
If the case is finished you can review the progress on the case, again referring back to client/person centred theory.
It is not terribly important to demonstrate a "good outcome". You are trying to demonstrate that you understand what you are doing & why you are doing it.
Writings on specificality in Client-Centred Therapy
Question:-
Two questions which essentially have the same answer: I am currently writing a paper on Client/Person Centered Therapy and need to include information on how the theory differentiates between clients of different ages or developmental stages. I'm having a very hard time finding info. Can you help? CA England. and My Groups are mainly women and I have a high proportion of Black and Asian Counsellors. We are looking for papers/references/evidence of Trans- Cultural aspects of the Person Centred Approach. I would be grateful for any advice. PE Wolverhampton, England.
I think that the reason why you can't find
anything is that there isn't anything. It is a "fit all" theory.
John Shlien, a close associate of Rogers says "But client-centered therapy has only
one treatment for all cases". (Shlien, J.M (1989) Boy's person-centered perspective
on psychodiagnosis. Person-Centered Review, 4(2), p161)
If you have time, an excellent book, which I think may surprise you in many ways, is
Person-Centred Therapy: A Revolutionary Paradigm - Jerold Bozarth. ISBN 1 898059 22 5.
PCCS Books. Phone 01 989 770 707, with credit card to hand. They will mail order it to
you.