Can you tell me anything about Humanistic Counselling Theories or Carl Rogers?

Question

I am having a significant amount of trouble finding out any information on either Carl Rogers or his Humanisitic Couselling Theory. My local library nor the uni library have anything of use yet I am suposed to do a presentation on this next week. Can anyone give me any pointers on the theory? Name some books? Useful websites or journals? Thanks!

Answer 1

I searched in Yahoo search for this topic on the net and found this document which seems good for your study needs. The URL is
http://www.sageofasheville.com/pub_downloads/CARL_ROGERS_AND_HUMANISTIC_EDUCATION.pdf#search='Carl%20Rogers%20humanistic%20theory'.

I opened the pdf document and it looks informative for your topic, Good Luck

Answer 2

I studied rogers a few years ago, his theory rogerian, is also called the person centred approach or client centred approach and has the belief that the client is the most important part of the therapeutic relationship and the role of the counsellor is to provide a safe environment for the client. The counsellor or therapist deliberatly refrains from making interpretations and conveys an attitude of unconditional positive regard and clarification, reflecting back the feelings, emotions that lie behind the clients words and behaviour and working on an assumption that a client is capable of working out solutions for themselves once they are free from their anxiety and insecurities.
Enjoy Rogers he is the father of the humanistic movement. Done properly a very beautiful experience for client and Counsellor.
Book you need to get your hands on is Client Centred Therapy - Carl R Rogers - Pub Constable - isbn 009453990 I. that is the "bible" in regards to rogers.
Look at the BACP websites code of ethics this is a good guide to humanistic counselling.
Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Alright, guess i can give you a few pointers. First of all you might want to note that Carl Rogers did not set anything in stone, did not lay out a specific, standardised approach to counselling. He just proposed some new ideas about the therapeutic process, based on his view of human nature. Probably the most important aspect of his humanistic counselling is that Rogers placed the highest importance on the clients own resources and ability to change, not the therapists education or therapeutic tools. The therapeutic relationship is important, and the therapists job is to aid the client in his/her selfactualisation through his/her instrinsic strength and wisdom. The client knows him/herself best, and has all the tools and well as the responsibility to 'heal' him/herself. Rogers believed that people are trustworthy, naturally resourceful, and capable of finding their own direction and leading healthy, efficient, happy lives. By being honest, real, non-judgemental and compassionate, a therapist can foster a relationship and create an environment which can help promote a client's natural ability and tendency to grow and change. The aim is not to 'fix' the client's presenting problem(s), but help him/her achieve independence, and to help him/her find the tools to solve their own problems, now and in the future. It is an empowering approach, not one in which the therapist is the expert and the client merely the thing being expertly operated on :-) According to Rogers therapy will not work if there is no real, honest relationship between the client and therapist. The latter cannot be aloof or secretly judgemental, s/he can and must honestly share him/herself with the client, not hide behind the mask of the professional. Also, the therapist must be 'accurately empathetic', must be able to not only hear what the client is saying but be able to feel what the client feels, semi-conscious undercurrents and all. By reflecting these feelings back to the client it is hoped that the client will achieve a better understanding of him/herself and the incongruencies within him/her that are causing them trouble. This is one of the most important aspects of the humanistic/person-centred approach. Empathy for the client on all levels (congnitive, affective, and interpersonal) is believed to be the one greatest tool for progress in therapy.

uhm, yeah. Gosh, this is not well done - am a bit stressed and confused today. But to quickly rehash the most important concepts: Empathy and reflection to promote clients self-understanding; Real engagement with client, building relationship that is honest, respectful, and true (faking it will not work); Believing in the client's ability to heal him/herself, find his/her own direction and meaning; Non-directive, cooperative therapeutic process, making joint decisions with client as to where therapy should go and what tools to use, and trusting client to assess him/herself, therapeutic progress, etc.
Hope that helps a little.