Foundations & Theoretical Aspects of Counselling

1. Foundations & Theoretical Aspects of Counselling Person Centred Counselling & Psychotherapy

2. Aims and objectives • Assess the fundamental principles of the person-centred approach

3. Carl Rogers • 1902-1987 • strict fundamentalist Protestant upbringing • trained for 2 years for the ministry • PhD clinical psychology 1931 • changed name from client-centred to person-centred • had personal crises to work with

4. His problematic childhood laid the foundation for a type of counselling that would help him and hence meet his needs • used his clients as a source of learning • saw the therapeutic encounter as a socially approved way of getting close to people without having to go through the normal way of acquiring friendships

5. Actualising tendency • “the inherent tendency of the organism to develop all its capacities in ways which serve to maintain or enhance the organism” (1959:196) • physiological needs; expansion through growth; enhance through relating and reproducing

6. Developing self-concept • Conscious awareness of ourselves • forms at an early age • “I” “me” • self knowledge • if there is a balance between self knowledge and actualising tendency = full & satisfactory life

7. Source of distress • Others: physical/emotional needs • ? Mismatch growth & satisfaction of those around us • gaining approval/warmth from others may be at odds with our own perceptions • conditions of worth: conforming to the ideals of others resulting in inner splits & conflicts

8. Preserving the self • Cannot please all people all of the time • can be flexible • situations/people at odds with our self-understanding/different parts of self come into conflict=anxiety • self-concept threatened • mismatch between experience and self-concept

9. Distortion & denial • Protection against distress • distortion: selective attention • denial: avoidance not acknowledge feelings • leads to internal splits

10. Changing distress • Healing inner splits • appropriate environment to do so • respect, deep understanding, honest & open presence will lead to unconditional safety and trust • need defense less across time

11. Client/counsellor relationships • Core conditions present in the counsellor • congruence • unconditional positive regard • empathy • presence

12. Core conditions • Congruence-self aware & open; client should be aware of this; disclosure • empathy-”deep listening to the internal world of another” p.178;needs to be communicated • unconditional positive regard-”..must be able to hold some degree of liking/respect for the client” p179