There is a multitude of theories that have been developed in the psychological field. These theories come about after multiple and strenuous case studies and experiments. Human behavior is a topic that is very interesting to a multitude of people, me including. Behavioral theories suggest that personality is a result of interaction between the individual and the environment. Behavioral theorists work to study evident and quantifiable behaviors, discarding theories that include internal thoughts and feelings. One of the many famous behavior theorists is Carl Rogers.
Carl Rogers grew up with a very strong, religious background. His family was very strict and Carl was not social in school. Carl was intent on becoming a Christian minister. After not feeling content with his choice, he started taking classes at Teachers College of Colombia University. It was there that he was introduced to the studies of disturbed children (Thorne, 2003).
This is where his fascination for psychology flourished.
Carl Rogers has made many contributions to the world of psychology. Whether it be disproving theories he found to be invalid, or helping future behavior theorists with their developing ideas through his own theories, Carl Rogers has improved psychology as we know it. Carl Rogers, humanistic psychologist tended to agree with many things that Maslow thought (Myers, 13.2.2).
Carl Rogers was responsible for coming up with his ideas on personal growth, which Maslow agreed with. These ideas contained three basic principles: Genuineness, acceptance, and empathy. Rogers believed that, “Genuineness, acceptance, and empathy are the water, sun, and nutrients that enable people to grow like vigorous oak trees.” (Myers, 13.2.2).
The Essay on Carl Rogers 2
Carl Rogers introduced the ‘self-theory’ which shows how the clients viewed oneself and how therapy would help them to change this view (Kleinman, 2012). He was more focusing towards how one can help themselves with goals and less on being diagnosed to which Carl Rogers refer it as ‘fully-functioning person’ where one must be well adjusted, balanced and interested to know things. According to ...
Carl Rogers claimed that only achieve personal growth by having all three of these. If we don’t succeed in having all three, we are unable to achieve personal growth.
Rogers wanted his theories to be used as a therapy for individuals. Carl Rogers pioneered Person Centered Therapy as a way to focus on the client’s feelings. This was a way of allowing clients to get feelings they had about an individual out in the open, without such person hearing these things
Carl Rogers used this therapy to allow individuals a way to express their feelings in a non-dangerous matter. This also allowed the client to feel a sense of relief after having shared feelings that had them weighted down. Carl Rogers recognized that the relationship between client and therapist needed to be a strong one, because the client trusts them with personal and sensitive information.
This therapy goes back to the ideas of achieving personal growth. Person Centered Therapy is a way individuals can help attain their personal growth. This therapy could potentially allow the individual to be genuine to those around them and express to others how they legitimately feel, which is the first step to personal growth and achieving our potential as a person (Truscott, 2010).
Carl Rogers believed that this therapy was a real learning experience for the client. If a therapist were to push a client to be genuine, then they would not be achieving personal growth on their own terms. I believe that coming to the conclusion to be genuine must be from the client. I believe this is a growing process and a major step to personal growth.
All in all, I believe that Person Centered Therapy is a unique and individualistic way to facilitate others to reach their own personal growth. Certain individuals require assistance when trying to achieve personal growth. Carl Rogers was very inventive and thorough in his methods, which is why he is now widely known in the psychology field.
The Essay on Blueprint Professional & Personal Growth Part II
This paper is my analytic theorem to my Blueprint of Professional and Personal Growth from the course “Dynamic Leadership”. It gives a brief breakdown of my path to achieving my MBA. An executive summary is presented to show how the course educated me in a more systematic way and how it helped me identify my qualities as a leader and my values. Furthermore, in detail is three (3) goals I plan to ...
