A Perspective On Person Centered Therapy - 2244 Words

Abstract Within the conglomerate of counseling theories and techniques, this paper seeks to generate objective research that informs the reader on Person-Centered Therapy. This paper endeavors to educate the reader on the historical beginnings of this approach, drawing especially from the life and contributions of Carl Rogers. The author highlights the types of issues that the theory addresses best, discussing in detail some of the ways that Person-Centered Therapy has produced positive outcomes. While recognizing that no one approach is perfect, the author discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the Person-Centered Approach. In so doing, the author also evaluates the theory from a Biblical perspective, highlighting ways that the theory†¦show more content†¦History of Theory The beginnings of Person-Centered Therapy had a somewhat lonely, pioneering beginning. A man by the name of Carl Rogers is responsible for the development of this theory. Born in 1902, Rogers grew up in a Protestant family that was strictly religious. Despite the strict religious environment, his family’s relationships could be characterized as close, loving relationships (Corey, 2013, p. 173). Rogers began his journey to discover a more therapeutic approach to psychotherapy through his personal experiences and a therapist and client (Casemore, 2011, p. 95). After graduating with a doctorate in clinical and educational psychology, Rogers served as a director in a clinic that provided guidance to children. It was within this environment that Rogers formulated the basic tenants of his Person-Centered Theory. (Truscott, 2010, p. 68). Unlike his predecessor, Sigmund Freud, Rogers was unthreatened by change and welcomed the challenge of asking deep questions that lead him into unfa miliar surroundings (Corey, 2013, p.173). During an era when the Psychoanalytic and Behaviorist approaches and were wildly popular, Rogers was quietly formulating a theory that was to revolutionize the field of psychotherapy (Casemore, 2011, p. 94). Not only was this theory blazing new frontiers, the approach stood in opposition to Psychoanalytic views that highlighted the pathological, childhood desires from which the