Humanistic Therapies

Module 5.5a

Learning Targets:

• What are the basic themes of Humanistic Therapy?
• What are the goals & techniques of Rogers’ person-centered approach?

Humanistic Therapies

• Developed by Carl Rogers (1902–1987)
• Type of Insight Therapy – goal is to providing insight so client can grow by increasing their awareness of underlying motives & defenses.
• Emphasizes human potential & helping people grow in their self-awareness, and self-acceptance
• Present & Future more important than one’s past
• Focus on self-perception and individual’s conscious thoughts and perceptions
• Client-centered (or person-centered) therapy is the most common form of humanistic therapy

Person/Client-Centered Therapy

• Therapist listens without interpreting and does not direct the client (patient) to any particular insight.
• Therapist must not make decisions for the client, offer solutions, or pass judgment on the client’s thoughts or feelings.
• Rogers deliberately used the word client rather than patient to avoid the idea that the person was “sick” and could be “cured”

Client-Centered Therapy

• Therapist uses techniques such as active listening
• Facilitates the client’s growth by showing:
• Empathy
• Acceptance
• Genuineness

Therapeutic Conditions

• Empathetic understanding - creates a psychological mirror reflecting clients thoughts and feelings
• Accomplished through active listening
• Genuineness—therapist openly shares thoughts without defensiveness
• Acceptance – NO conditions on acceptance of person
• Accomplished through unconditional positive regard for client

Active Listening

• Empathic listening in which the listener echoes, restates and clarifies to provide a psychological mirror for the client to see & understand themselves more clearly

• Active listening entails:
• Paraphrasing: uses the words of the client to summarize the conversation
• Clarifying: encouraging the client to say more by asking leading questions
• Reflecting feelings: mirrors the feelings of the client

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Results of Good Humanistic Therapy

• Rogers thought if clients are treated with acceptance, empathy, & genuineness, the client will experience unconditional positive regard & be willing to explore their own feelings & thoughts.
• Exploring their thoughts & feelings in an accepting environment will lead the client to change their attitudes & behavior.
• This approach very successful with dealing with client’s day-to-day concerns, anxiety & depression
• Not very successful in treating

psychotic patients like those with

severe schizophrenia.