CARL ROGERS
Person-centered Theory
Overview of the Client-Centered Theory
n Born out of being a consummate therapist and reluctant theorist – personal preference is
on his helping people rather than a constructor of theory
n Called for empirical approach to support both his theory and his therapeutic approach
BIOGRAPHY OF CARL ROGERS
n Personal info: Born on January 8, 1902, in Oak Park Illinois
n Family life: 4th of the 6th children of Walter and Julia Cushing Rogers, who are devoutly
religious and values hard work
n Interests in life: agriculture major at Uni. Of Wisconsin;
n Entered the Union Theological Seminary in NY while enrolled psychology and education
at Columbia Uni.; ended up majoring in clinical and educational
psychology at Teachers College, Columbia Uni.
n Fellow at the Institute for Child Guidance in NYC – oriented with Freudian Psychoanalysis;
attended lecture of Adler
n Received PhD in Columbia; early career was influenced by Otto Rank, a student of Freud
in views about psychotherapy – emotional-growth producing relationship
n Spent 12 years in Rochester Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children; Taught
sociology at Uni. of Rochester; Wrote first book The Clinical Treatment of the Problem
Child; offered full professorship by Ohio State Uni.
n At OSU – conceptualized his psychotherapy; published Counseling and Psychotherapy,
n 1945 – 1957 was the most productive years; evolved from nondirective technique to client-
therapist relationship
n Accepted position at Uni. Of Wisconsin
n Moved to California – Western Behavioral Sciences Institute (WBSI) – more interested in
encounter groups
, n 1st president of American Association for Applied Psychology and helped bring back
together with American Psychological Association
Person-centered Theory
n Earlier known as nondirective
n Later known as client-centered, person-centered, student-centered, group-centered, and
person to person
n Therapy: client-centered therapy
n Theory: person-centered theory
n If-then condition: If the therapist is congruent and communicates unconditional positive
regard and accurate empathy to the client, then therapeutic change will occur; If
therapeutic change will occur, then the client will experience more self-acceptance,
greater trust of self, and so on.
Basic Assumptions
Ø Formative Tendency – states that all matter, both organic and inorganic, tends to evolve
from simple to more complex forms
Ø Actualization Tendency – the predisposition to move toward completion or fulfillment
(Maintenance Need; Enhancement Need)
Ø Self-actualization – develops after people evolve a self-system and refers to the tendency
to move toward becoming a fully-functional person.
Ø Self-concept- includes all aspects of one’s being and experiences that are perceived in
awareness.
Ø Ideal Self- defined as one’s view of self as one wishes to be. A wide gap between the
ideal self and the self- concept indicates incongruence and an unhealthy personality.
Awareness- Rogers (1959) defined awareness as “the symbolic representation (not
necessarily in verbal symbols) of some portion of our experience.”
Three Levels of Awareness
Ignored or Denied- events experienced below the threshold of awareness.
Person-centered Theory
Overview of the Client-Centered Theory
n Born out of being a consummate therapist and reluctant theorist – personal preference is
on his helping people rather than a constructor of theory
n Called for empirical approach to support both his theory and his therapeutic approach
BIOGRAPHY OF CARL ROGERS
n Personal info: Born on January 8, 1902, in Oak Park Illinois
n Family life: 4th of the 6th children of Walter and Julia Cushing Rogers, who are devoutly
religious and values hard work
n Interests in life: agriculture major at Uni. Of Wisconsin;
n Entered the Union Theological Seminary in NY while enrolled psychology and education
at Columbia Uni.; ended up majoring in clinical and educational
psychology at Teachers College, Columbia Uni.
n Fellow at the Institute for Child Guidance in NYC – oriented with Freudian Psychoanalysis;
attended lecture of Adler
n Received PhD in Columbia; early career was influenced by Otto Rank, a student of Freud
in views about psychotherapy – emotional-growth producing relationship
n Spent 12 years in Rochester Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children; Taught
sociology at Uni. of Rochester; Wrote first book The Clinical Treatment of the Problem
Child; offered full professorship by Ohio State Uni.
n At OSU – conceptualized his psychotherapy; published Counseling and Psychotherapy,
n 1945 – 1957 was the most productive years; evolved from nondirective technique to client-
therapist relationship
n Accepted position at Uni. Of Wisconsin
n Moved to California – Western Behavioral Sciences Institute (WBSI) – more interested in
encounter groups
, n 1st president of American Association for Applied Psychology and helped bring back
together with American Psychological Association
Person-centered Theory
n Earlier known as nondirective
n Later known as client-centered, person-centered, student-centered, group-centered, and
person to person
n Therapy: client-centered therapy
n Theory: person-centered theory
n If-then condition: If the therapist is congruent and communicates unconditional positive
regard and accurate empathy to the client, then therapeutic change will occur; If
therapeutic change will occur, then the client will experience more self-acceptance,
greater trust of self, and so on.
Basic Assumptions
Ø Formative Tendency – states that all matter, both organic and inorganic, tends to evolve
from simple to more complex forms
Ø Actualization Tendency – the predisposition to move toward completion or fulfillment
(Maintenance Need; Enhancement Need)
Ø Self-actualization – develops after people evolve a self-system and refers to the tendency
to move toward becoming a fully-functional person.
Ø Self-concept- includes all aspects of one’s being and experiences that are perceived in
awareness.
Ø Ideal Self- defined as one’s view of self as one wishes to be. A wide gap between the
ideal self and the self- concept indicates incongruence and an unhealthy personality.
Awareness- Rogers (1959) defined awareness as “the symbolic representation (not
necessarily in verbal symbols) of some portion of our experience.”
Three Levels of Awareness
Ignored or Denied- events experienced below the threshold of awareness.
