The Timeless Impact of Carl Rogers: How Person-Centered Therapy Inspires Self-Actualization Today

Carl Rogers founded the person-centered approach to psychotherapy. He started publishing on counseling and psychotherapy in the 1940s, but his Client-Centered Therapy (1951) became his best-known work. He continued to publish throughout the 1960s up until 1980s. Person to Person: The Problem of Being Human was published in 1967. That title is the origin of my website’s name: person2personpsychotherapy.com. His last book was published in 1983. Rogers was one of the most widely acclaimed psychotherapists in the 60s and 70s.

Rogers founded the field of humanistic psychotherapy. His thoughts were widely 

influenced by significant writers on psychotherapy including Alfred Adler and Otto Rank. 

That may seem like a long time ago, however therapists today still use some of his techniques. However, we live in an era of new evidence-based theories and scripted psychotherapies, some of which even teach you how your thinking is wrong! None of that is based on the importance of your thoughts or feelings. It doesn’t support self-determination either. Roger’s approach reminds us of the value of the human relationship in therapy, which I find extremely valuable. A positive therapeutic relationship fosters communication between you and your therapist. Communication is the bridge between people and how we learn.  

Roger’s central thoughts were that you can make positive changes, if I am empathetic, accept you with “unconditional positive regard,” and have genuine respect for you. Rogers believed that you know best what makes sense for you in your life. My role as therapist is to respect your self-determination. Rogers regarded all people as worthy and are inherently good with a drive for “self-actualization.” Rogers felt that the relationship you have with your therapist is the most significant element for successful therapy. 

“Unconditional positive regard” means that I will accept you regardless of what you say or have done. Another term for this is “non-possessive warmth.” Open communication about all your feelings is an important part of therapy. You never need to be afraid to say what you are thinking. “Self-actualization” is the idea that you feel fulfilled when you are doing all you can. People tend to strive for self-fulfillment. Self-actualization was the highest level in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Your needs are different from other’s needs, and from what others think you need. That’s why I want you to talk freely.  I will listen uncritically to what you think is best for you. I trust you to know what that is.

Rogers also believed that you possess the resources for self-understanding and growth. It is the warm caring relationship with your therapist that helps you recognize those resources. Roger’s work was based on existential and humanistic philosophies. Existential philosophy has roots in the Second World War, when things looked bleak. This philosophy explores how people take their life experiences and then create meaning out of them. Life is a series of experiences and choices. If you accept responsibility for your life, and risk the future with your choices, growth happens. Existentialists want to understand you in your present life and know how you make decisions. Rogers felt that the most common cause of despair is not choosing to be oneself or being willing to be oneself. 

Humanistic philosophy has faith in the tendency of humans to develop in a positive way. Humanism also supports self-determination and self-actualization. Rogers didn’t take much history. He didn’t diagnose. He thought Freud was pessimistic about human nature, and Rogers was not. Believing in existential-humanism means that person centered therapy is “nondirective counseling.” Especially currently, therapies tend to be more directive, based on the basic assumptions of the theory. It is faster to be directive as a therapist. These days everything must be fast. Change can take time.

Rogers thought that people first present a mask to their therapists. They want to say the right things, the socially acceptable things. However, with a strong relationship, you can come out from behind that mask and become more yourself. This is how I can help you. You can become more open. You can begin to see reality without distortions. You become more aware. Happily, you may find that you can trust yourself! You come to be in touch with your inner self, and this is helpful for self-analysis. It allows you to be self-governing and to make good choices. This happens inside of you. It doesn’t come from outside. I can help you see the problem in different ways. I can help you become okay with your thoughts and feelings. I can help you look at how you have made sense out of your experiences. All of this helps you to modify the nature of your relationships in the real world. You can begin feeling more fulfilled in your life.   

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Marilynne Ramsey, Ph.D

Person 2 Person Psychotherapy

Golden, Colorado