Evaluate the Claim That Person-Centred Therapy Offers the Therapist All That He/She Will Need to Treat Clients

                                                               2743 Words

"Evaluate the claim that Person-Centred Therapy offers the therapist all that he/she will need to treat clients".

INTRODUCTION

   This essay shall be concerned with evaluating the claim that Person-Centred Therapy has a "one size fits all" effect. Firstly, in order to gain an understanding of it's fundamentals I shall briefly outline the origins which gave rise to its inception, followed by an explanation of the philosophical and theoretical principles that underpin this hypothesis including strengths and weaknesses. Also, Rogers' approach to dealing with psychological disturbances. Further, I shall acknowledge the concerns of it's critics.

THEORY ORIGINS

    At mid twentieth century there were two dominant theories in psychology: behavioural, advanced by the likes of Hull and Skinner and the conjectural theories of Sigmund Freud. Freud's pioneering work is naturally open to criticism, but is helpful to identify ways in which it opened up possibilities for psychotherapy and counselling as seen today. Through his patient's promptings and ability to think outside the box, Freud developed a way of being that encouraged his patients to simply talk to him through stories and expressions which revealed hidden thoughts, feelings and fears. He recognised the importance of the client/therapist relationship. Today, by and large, therapists find it difficult to disentangle this relationship to decide who does what to whom in the therapeutic alliance.

    Early 1960's Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers and several other psychologists proclaimed an alternative to the two main dominant theories (Freud or behavioural) and called it the "third force" psychology, also known as humanistic psychology. The essential step from diagnosis and interpretation had been taken and non-directive therapy was born.

    Roger's theory is based on years of experience dealing with his client's. It's these experiences...