Carl Rogers

This paper looks at the journey of eleven counsellors in marital counselling centres in French-speaking Belgium, from the creation of the centres in 1953, to the 1970s, when contraception became legal, and abortion became a public issue. At the time of Humanae Vitae, groups of volunteers, working within Catholic organisations where counselling took place, began to structure their activity around Carl Rogers’s ethics of client-centred therapy, placing their religious ideology in a secondary position to focus on the problems experienced by the couples and women they were receiving in the centres. These were often challenges they were experiencing themselves in their own lives. The reiteration of the Catholic orthodox view on contraception through Humanae Vitae marked a gap between the counsellors and the Church. This contribution questions the identity-related tension of Catholics working in conjugal counselling centres and the type of commitments they made to both the conjugal centre...

In order to better cope with the pressures and stresses of the current day, modern psychology is anxiously seeking to find new therapies to address the increasing disorders within the human psyche. In the process new fields of research, such as humanistic and transpersonal psychology, curiously appear to borrow more and more from the wisdom of the ages. This volume, containing eighteen articles by noteworthy expositors of the perennial philosophy such as Huston Smith, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, and Frithjof Schuon, presents the spiritual psychology of the wisdom traditions as a much-needed antidote to the current impasse in modern psychology.

Some Endorsements for Psychology and the Perennial Philosophy:

“[Psychology and the Perennial Philosophy] is more than an anthology. It is a wisely crafted collection of classic and contemporary scholarship noting that what many are seeking is what has always been, a perennial philosophy, that remains foundational. As one of the authors, Tage Lindbom, properly notes, ‘Secularization is a fish in troubled waters.’ This book claims the waters and is essential reading for all those who may have forgotten or are simply ignorant of the rich foundation provided by the perennial philosophy.”
—Ralph W. Hood, Professor of Psychology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, past president of the Psychology of Religion division of the American Psychological Association, co-founder of The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion and co-author of The Psychology of Religion

“A necessary and bracing critique of the assumptions and limitations of contemporary Western psychology, this generous volume is also a passionate call and learned guide towards a truer perspective that embraces man's spiritual nature.”
—Gabor Maté, M.D., and author of In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction

“Knowing the nature of the mind is perhaps the most difficult undertaking, especially in today’s world. To comprehend the nature of mind one needs to turn to the domain of religion and spirituality. Yet the truth of the mind and its complexity cannot explicitly be defined in words. Inner or transcendent wisdom sees the mind’s own nature without the duality of the seer. Suchness (tathatā) of mind is only experiential and not expressible. The words used to describe thought are themselves a product of thought, which is conditioned and limited. Thus, differences and contradictions are unavoidable. Therefore, a comparative study of different viewpoints and commentaries is immensely important to awaken the inner intelligence to see the mind as it is. Psychology and the Perennial Philosophy: Studies in Comparative Religion edited by Samuel Bendeck Sotillos is an outstanding effort in this direction.”
—Samdhong Rinpoche, former Prime Minister (Kalon Tripa) of the Tibetan Government-in-exile, author of Uncompromising Truth for a Compromised World: Tibetan Buddhism and Today’s World

“The rise of psychology has impacted the study and practice of spirituality, the experiences and attitudes relevant to ultimate human values that transcend ordinary behavior. Each chapter of this remarkable book demonstrates this interaction in a unique and provocative way. But rather than using psychology to reduce and ‘psychologize’ spiritual topics, its authors demonstrate how directives from the spiritual traditions can enhance and even illuminate the enduring importance of psychology in the 21st century.”
—Stanley Krippner, Saybrook University, co-author of Spiritual Dimensions of Healing

“The work at hand is a thinking and debating man’s delight. If you have any interest at all in attempting to include an educated and enlightened view of man’s higher functions in your purview of the world, you will learn from and enjoy this collection of essays. If you already have some knowledge in this area, brace yourself: you may see some of your favorites sharply criticized. A thought-provoking work.”
—Bruce W. Scotton, University of California, San Francisco, co-editor of Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology

“This book, superbly edited by Samuel Bendeck Sotillos, is a masterful critique of the field of psychology and its loss of the sacred ground in which it once was rooted. It offers depth psychologists an opportunity to contemplate timeless truths echoed through the centuries by perennial philosophers who have always claimed psyche is subordinate to Spirit. Although ignored in depth psychology’s early years due to prejudice and lack of understanding, this is a message today’s psychotherapists must take seriously. Human beings need a deeper and wider transpersonal vision of who and what we are, which the saints and sages of the world’s spiritual traditions have always pointed to. In psychotherapy with a therapist committed to such a vision, patients penetrate into their unconscious depths and not infrequently awaken to the Ground of all Being. Their suffering itself occurred because they had turned away from Spirit. Above all, this volume passionately calls upon depth psychology to remember its origin in the perennial wisdom at the core of the great religions. There is something of a polemic in these pages. It deserves to be considered by depth psychologists of all persuasions.”
—Bryan Wittine, Transpersonal psychologist and Jungian psychoanalyst

“This anthology from Samuel Bendeck Sotillos is a must reference for anyone who is interested in psychology and its relationship to spirituality, and in developing an inclusive dialogue between disciplines that favor an integral outlook on the person and his or her potential. Selections in this anthology will inspire us to reexamine the metaphysical underpinnings of psychology, and remind us how important it is to rise above science’s attempt to reduce the human being to an epistemic object.”
—Sangeetha Menon, National Institute of Advanced Studies (Bangalore, India), Board Member of the International Transpersonal Association (ITA), author of The Beyond Experience: Consciousness in Bhagavad Gita

“This anthology has some of the most discerning essays and reviews on spirituality and psychology, which provide much-needed care and caution to all those engaged in bringing them together or who wish to do so in future. Therefore, it is a must-read for all those who teach, research, consult, or study in such frontier areas as transpersonal psychology, states of consciousness, mind-body relation, holistic health, Indian psychology, and so on. It will be an invaluable textbook for courses in these and other related areas. I congratulate the editor of the book.”
—Kiran Kumar K. Salagame, University of Mysore (India), Board Member of the International Transpersonal Association (ITA), author of The Psychology of Meditation: A Contextual Approach

“One of the finest collections of essays on the Perennial Philosophy—a must-read for all psychologists who are engaged with spirituality and transpersonal psychology. The essays which critique modern psychology (including transpersonal psychology, and the framework of Carl Jung), in the light of the Perennial Philosophy are a revelation and make compelling reading. The book serves as a corrective to the excesses of modern psychology, and to this end Sotillos has done a commendable job. I for one will include the book in some of the graduate courses that I teach.”
—Suneet Varma, University of Delhi, co-editor of Foundations of Indian Psychology

“To its credit modern science by-and-large is becoming more cognizant of the essential connection between spirituality and psychological health and well-being and most of all its positive implications within the field of psychology. While there is ample data to document this in a plethora of academic journals and books, this new book Psychology and the Perennial Philosophy adds a novel contribution to the dialogue between psychology and spirituality, which captures many nuances that for the most part go unnoticed within these discussions, and last but not least, it provides a keen eye of discernment to understand this intricate relationship on a deeper level that is crucially needed. This work will be a valuable asset to students and long term mental health practitioners and professors alike who seek to better understand the relationship between psychology and spirituality.”
—Harold G. Koenig, Duke University, Director of the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health, co-author of The Handbook of Religion and Health

Previous scholarly studies have discussed the use of Zen Buddhism
within the person-centred approach of Carl Rogers, demonstrating the feasible influence of Buddhism over Rogers’s theories. The present research delves into the convergence and divergence of person-centred therapy and the Mahāyāna (one of the current mainstreams of Buddhism) philosophy explicated within the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra (a significant Mahāyāna canon); in particular, the bodhisattva spirit and four immeasurables, including loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity. Findings indicate that Carl Rogers’s counselling principles and practices comply with the Buddhist teachings of phenomenal vision, actualising tendency, and innate eagerness to alleviate suffering. This discussion also analyses ideas that have
seldom been examined in person-centred principles, such as bodhisattva
altruism, mind purity in nature and impurity caused by bewilderment,
compassion fatigue, causes of suffering, and counselling techniques.
Mahāyāna wisdom potentially offers references to the Rogerian family of
theories, which also sheds light on the use of Buddhist-influenced non-medical interventions.

This paper was presented at the 4th International Conference on Critical Education (p. 310-317 of the proceedings).
Two major figures of the early 20th century psychology, C.R. Rogers and L.S. Vygotsky are being studied in parallel in this paper. The two psychologists were interested, among others, in pedagogy; and, although both endeavoured to reform traditional education of the previous centuries, they moved toward totally opposite directions. C.R. Rogers stated that the development of personality occurs due to the self-actualising tendency, which is inherent in every person and suppressed by social norms. On the other hand, L.S. Vygotsky viewed personality development as the outcome of social interaction. Thus, the educational models that can be created on the basis of these two theories of personality development are themselves differentiated and apply to different educational contexts.

From a social-scientific perspective, this paper addresses an overlooked dimension of material poverty, namely spiritual poverty or the lack of spiritual sensitivity, and calls it a psychological disorder. Religions link deep spirituality with a kind of "pov-erty," namely simplicity of lifestyle and generosity toward the needy; but none advocates the poverty of outright destitution. A fully psychological "spiritualogy"-built on Bernard Lonergan's analysis of human consciousness or spirit and consonant with the humanistic psychology of Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow and current psychotherapeutic understanding-explains the link between spirituality and poverty as a matter of personal integration and suggests interventions to address the corrosive epidemic soul sickness of the postmodern world, so different from traditional societies in which religion and culture intertwined and functioned effectively. Keywords Bernard J. F. Lonergan · Abraham Maslow · Income inequality · Poverty in religious traditions · Psychology of spirituality · Carl Rogers

Meaning in life is generally not considered to be one of the most central
aspects of person-centered and experiential therapies. However, Carl
Rogers described how clients found purpose in life by going through
a process that helped them to connect to their inner experiencing. This
process was evoked by an empathic, accepting, and genuine therapeutic relationship and resulted in positive therapy outcome. Recently,
scholars have also stressed the importance of the therapeutic alliance
to foster meaning-making processes in therapy. Meaning in life is also
related to well-being. Therefore, the aim of this study is to test whether
meaning in life would mediate between therapeutic alliance and therapy outcome in person-centered and experiential psychotherapies.
Our sample consisted of 96 outpatients nested within 23 therapists.
Using multilevel modeling, we found that meaning in life indeed
mediates between the therapeutic relationship and therapy outcome.
This suggests that meaning in life might actually be at the very core of
person-centered and experiential therapies, and therefore deserves the
attention of clinicians as well as theorists. Our results support the idea
that the therapeutic bond might foster meaning(-making processes) in
therapy, leading to better therapy outcome. However, this idea should
be explored further using longitudinal methods.

The applicability of the Person-centered Approach to psychotherapy (i.e. PCA) toward culturally varying clients is often claimed to be limited, as it has developed based on Rogers’ ideas that are often accused of being culturally biased. In particular, Rogers’ concept of self-actualization with its emphasis on personal autonomy and independence has been subject to the criticism that it reflects Western individualistic cultural emphases on the view of the independent self while disregarding the view of the interdependent self that is prevalent in non-Western collectivistic cultures. This article explores Rogers’ concept of self-actualization, evaluating the applicability of the PCA toward both Western and non-Western cultural contexts. Arguing for its applicability to culturally varying clients, it suggests that organismic potentialities of individuals involve the tendencies toward both independence and interdependence that may be manifested by the actualizing tendency in different ways, influenced by different cultures. Therefore, although what clients aim to achieve in terms of self-actualization may be different, therapists need to focus on what is universal in relation to self-actualization, that is, the actualizing tendency that is the motivation for therapeutic change. It also explores what focusing on the client’s actualizing tendency would mean and involve in multicultural counseling.

Lo sguardo sulla persona offre una visione psicologica delle relazioni umane attraverso la narrazione di storie, esperienze e vicende interiori, disposte in un’ottica umanistico-esistenziale.  Lo sguardo appassionato dell’autore irrompe nella condizione dell’uomo e si sofferma dapprima sulla fragilità umana piegata tra egoismo e altruismo. Quindi si volge al prendersi cura prospettando una relazione di aiuto autentica ed empatica, indispensabile quando lo sguardo diventa abusante e si degrada oppure quando diviene mistificatore e genera interazioni familiari confuse e distorte. Lo sguardo poi spazia tra Eros e Thanatos, insinuandosi tra l’amore profondo e l’angoscia esistenziale di morte. Quindi si proietta sulla solitudine umana, tentando di penetrarne la parete di vetro della incomunicabilità. Infine si concentra sulle emozioni, ripercorrendo le espressioni del cuore e le competenze affettive nei processi di crescita e in tutti i luoghi dell’intersoggettività. 
Questo libro, dedicato allo sguardo nelle sue diverse sfaccettature, può essere efficacemente condensato con le parole di E. Lévinas: “Il volto dell’altro mi guarda e mi ri-guarda”.

The subject of this article is the military institution, with particular reference to the training and the military culture. The approach to the subject is through the results of micro-sociological research, which mostly refer to the conceptual instruments of symbolic interactionism, and through the first results of a long ethnographic research. 
The present study shows a correlation between the training model of the military and episodes of sadistic and uncontrolled violence and torture, perpetrated by social actors trained on the basis of that model.

Předmluva z knihy: Gendlin, E. T.: Dialog s prožíváním. Tělo a rozumění v psychoterapii a mimo ni [Dialogue with Experiencing. Body and Understanding in the psychotherapy and beyond]. Přel. J. Puc a F. Žitník, Praha: Ježek, 2016. 188 s.

Foreword to: Gendlin, E. T.: Dialog s prožíváním. Tělo a rozumění v psychoterapii a mimo ni [Dialogue with Experiencing. Body and Understanding in the psychotherapy and beyond]. Trans. to Czech J. Puc a F. Žitník, Prague: Ježek, 2016. 188 p.

This research paper is a narrative literature review, carried out from a humanistic perspective of Psychology, presenting the historical and current context of group psychotherapy. Several authors have contributed to its development since the beginning of the 20th century, starting with the pioneering work of Joseph Pratt. The modality developed substantially after the horrors of World War II and, since then, Carl Rogers and Irvin Yalom stand out as the most prominent spokesmen of this particular way of therapy in the Humanistic Psychology. The research juxtaposes the theoretical and practical thinking regarding group psychotherapy from the perspective of the Person Centered Approach, founded by Rogers, to the theoretical and practical views fostered by the existentialist Yalom. In his individual therapy, at first, Rogers postulates a totally non-directive approach, later transitioning to a “client-centred therapy” and finally to the “Person-centred Approach”. He applies the assumptions of the later – the three core conditions – in his approach to group psychotherapy. The psychiatrist and novelist Yalom, on the other hand, disengages from psychoanalysis and embraces the existential-humanistic psychology, releasing the highly regarded treatise on group psychotherapy: "Group Psychotherapy: Theory and Practice" in the 70s, which has since been the foundation for many group psychotherapists all around the globe. Yalom interprets that the group therapeutic process occurs through a tangled interaction of human experiences, which he termed "11 therapeutic factors." It's evidenced that the knowledge necessary for the facilitation of Rogers' groups are extensions of the same concepts already formulated in his individual therapy and “Way of Being”. It's concluded that Rogers' core conditions are sine qua non premises for Yalom's therapeutic factors. Both authors consider the group a therapeutic tool with enormous potential for human development – especially when coordinated by a well-educated facilitator.

This paper explains the main principles of Sigmund Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis and Carl Rogers’ client-centered theory, compares and contrasts the two theories, and analyzes their strengths and weaknesses. In addition, empirical support is provided for the theory chosen as being the most beneficial in the treatment of psychological disorders.

Opis postaci: Witold (33 lata), siedząc nad kolejnymi " brudnymi " sprawami w sądzie rejonowym, czuje, że jego życie przepływa gdzieś obok niego. Rodzice powtarzali mu po wielokroć, że praca uszlachetnia. Dla niego praca okazała się jednak porażką i wykończyła go psychicznie. Teraz, gdy patrzy na swoje równo ułożone papiery i kolekcję drogich (i zupełnie niepotrzebnych) długopisów uświadamia sobie bardzo wyraźnie, że nienawidzi tego biura, tej pracy i tego życia. Swojego życia. Dusi się. Jak mogło do tego dojść? Czystość i porządek – to mogła być dewiza jego rodziny. Ojciec, światowej klasy chirurg, wymagał od niego zawsze dużej precyzji w każdym zadaniu. Mały Witek nie zawsze spełniał jego wygórowane oczekiwania. Będąc małym dzieckiem bał się bardzo, że bawiąc się kredkami pobrudzi tacie nieskazitelnie biały kitel albo nieskazitelnie biały blat. Raz pomalował ściany i nie wychodził przez tydzień z domu. Mama z kolei uwielbiała z nim rysować ale rzadko bywała w mieszkaniu. Była adwokatem i miała " bardzo, bardzo ważne sprawy na głowie " (jak często powtarzała). Witold bardzo pragną być z mamą sam na sam i próbował zaimponować jej na różne sposoby. Raz zabrał z półki kodeks karny i zaczął mamie czytać na głos. Roześmiała się i pogłaskała go po głowie. Odtąd czytał jej regularnie. W późniejszych latach naśladował mamę i trenował z nią przemowy sądowe. Ojciec był do tego pomysłu sceptycznie nastawiony ale nawet on uśmiechnął się gdy Witold poinformował go z poważną miną, że nie może teraz sprzątać ponieważ ma bardzo, bardzo ważne sprawy na głowie. W późniejszych latach miewał czasem wrażenie, że jego ścieżka kariery została już wytyczona zanim się urodził. Skończył studia prawnicze oraz medyczne. Kosztowało go to 5 lat wyrzeczeń. Podczas gdy jego znajomi chodzili na imprezy, poznawali swoich partnerów, on uczył się do egzaminów. Dostawał świetne oceny ale czuł, że w środku jest pusty. Zaczął się łatwo frustrować. Denerwowali go sprzedawcy, którzy nie utrzymywali porządku w swoich sklepach. " Jejku ale tu brudno. Czy te truskawki są już wybite, to znaczy wymyte? " – zapytał kiedyś jednego kasjera a gdy nie otrzymał odpowiedzi wyszedł i trzasnął drzwiami z całej siły. Nie mógł słuchać też kolegów z liceum, którzy nie poszli na studia i założyli zespół rockowy. Uważał, że to marnowanie życia i brak odpowiedzialności. Medycyna sądowa – taką drogę wybrało mu życie. Wspinał się więc po kolejnych szczeblach kariery nie czując przy tym żadnej satysfakcji mimo, że inni zazdrościli mu sukcesów. Odczuł dumę tylko raz, gdy jego rodzice przyjechali do niego i pogratulowali rozwiązania wyjątkowo

¿Cómo se puede poner en práctica la consideración positiva incondicional dentro de una relación psicoterapéutica? Sabemos que se trata de una de las condiciones que menciona Carl Rogers para crear un clima facilitador de crecimiento, al lado de la empatía y la congruencia. Sin embargo, la consideración positiva es un sentimiento y por lo tanto no se puede forzar. Entonces, ¿cómo un psicoterapeuta o un acompañante puede experimentarla frente a sus clientes y evitar el juicio o la evaluación proyectiva?

In questo elaborato teorico ci si interroga su ciò che in una relazione educativa scolastica permette di riscontrare sviluppi positivi negli studenti, nonostante una non completa preparazione teorica o padronanza della didattica da parte dell'insegnante. Il problema quindi affrontato è cosa davvero è essenziale per favorire un apprendimento significativo, a prescindere da metodi, strategie e strumenti di insegnamento. Si è pensato possibile trovare una soluzione a tale questione nelle teorie sull'apprendimento di un grande pensatore, psicologo e filosofo del '900, Carl R. Rogers, padre della psicologia umanistica e del counseling non direttivo. Egli nel suo libro “Libertà nell'apprendimento”, dove sono raccolte le sue riflessioni sull'educazione, arriva a delle interessanti conclusioni a partire dalla sua esperienza, sia di psicoterapeuta che di docente. Quelle maggiormente prese in considerazione in questa sede riguardano le attitudini relazionali che deve possedere chi desidera aiutare una persona a sviluppare al massimo grado le sue potenzialità. Anche nel contesto scolastico esse sono: l'autenticità dell'insegnante; la sua stima, fiducia e accettazione incondizionata verso gli studenti; la sua capacità di ascolto e comprensione empatica del loro mondo soggettivo. Tra queste tre virtù personali, per così dire, ci sentiamo di condividere con Rogers che la più importante e fondamentale sia la genuinità di chi insegna, il suo non aver paura di essere se stesso, mostrandosi per quello che si è. Rogers pensa che un apprendimento significativo può essere raggiunto solo in un clima di libertà ed autonomia in classe. In questa breve trattazione di alcuni aspetti delle suo pensiero pedagogico innovativo, si vuole sottolineare proprio come gioverebbe tanto a chi lavora nella scuola come docente la libertà di essere se stessi nella relazione con i propri studenti, senza nascondersi dietro la maschera e la facciata di un ruolo istituzionale asettico.

O presente estudo propõe uma reflexão sobre a compreensão da angústia na psicoterapia centrada na pessoa, tendo como ponto de partida básico algumas obras de Carl R. Rogers (1902-1987). A pesquisa desenvolveu-se a partir de inquietações oriundas desse tema e pelo interesse de conhecer como a psicoterapia centrada na pessoa compreende a angústia. Por meio de uma revisão bibliográfica, foi possível perceber uma concepção de angústia como um fenômeno inerente à realidade existencial, pertencendo, pois, ao campo fenomenal da pessoa. Com a produção de tal estudo, percebeu-se também que a angústia é invariavelmente associada a um estado de desadaptação, oriunda do desacordo vivido pela pessoa entre o " Eu " e sua experiência. Assim sendo, o processo terapêutico surge como um elemento que contribui para a diminuição da angústia, visto que a pessoa tende a atualizar-se ou, sob uma perspectiva organísmica, a funcionar plenamente.

The aim of this paper is to articulate a “pluralistic” understanding of what it means to be person-centered. This perspective places particular emphasis on an understanding of clients as unique, nonstandardizable “othernesses,” whose therapeutic wants and needs are likely to be highly heterogeneous and unknowable in advance. Based on this idiographic standpoint, it is argued that a person-centered understanding of therapeutic change necessitates an openness to, and appreciation of, the many different ways in which clients may benefit from therapy – including, but not limited to, established person-centered and experiential (PCE) practices. To translate such pluralistic principles into practice, it is suggested that therapists should specifically orientate their work toward clients' goals, and enhance their levels of dialogue and metacommunication with clients regarding the goals, tasks and methods of therapy. This pluralistic approach to person-centered therapy holds other perspectives and practices within the PCE community in high regard, as well as other non-PCE therapies; but it does challenge “dogmatic person-centeredness” and encourages PCE practitioners to be aware of the limits of their work. It also provides a coherent, “client-centered” framework through which PCE therapists can incorporate a wide body of practices, research findings and theories into their work.Ziel dieses Artikels ist es, ein “pluralistisches” Verständnis davon zu artikulieren, was es heisst, personzentriert zu sein. Diese Perspektive legt besondere Betonung auf ein Verständnis von Klienten als einzigartige, nicht standardisierbare “Andersartigkeit,” deren therapeutische Wünsche und Bedürfnisse wahrscheinlich höchst heterogen und nicht im Voraus bekannt sind. Basierend auf diesem idiografischen Standpunkt vertreten die Autoren, dass ein personzentriertes Verständnis von therapeutischer Veränderung Offenheit und Anerkennung der vielen verschiedenen Wege erfordert, in denen Klienten von Therapie profitieren können – einschließlich, aber nicht darauf beschränkt, der etablierten personzentrierten und experienziellen PCE-Vorgehensweisen. Um solche pluralistischen Prinzipien in die Praxis übersetzen zu können, schlagen wir vor, dass Therapeuten ihre Arbeit spezifisch auf die Ziele der Klienten hin orientieren und ihre Ebenen des Dialogs und der Meta-Kommunikation zusammen mit den Klienten erweitern, hinsichtlich der Ziele, Aufgaben und Methoden der Therapie. Dieser pluralistische Ansatz zu Personzentrierter Therapie bringt anderen Perspektiven und Vorgehensweisen innerhalb des PCE sehr viel Wertschätzung entgegen, genauso wie anderen Nicht-PCE Therapien; aber er fordert “dogmatische” Personzentriertheit heraus und ermutigt PCE-Praktiker, sich der Grenzen ihrer Arbeit bewusst zu sein. Er liefert auch einen kohärenten “klientzentrierten” Rahmen, womit PCE-Therapeuten ein weites Spektrum von Praktiken, Forschungsergebnissen und Theorien in ihre Arbeit einbauen können.El propósito de este escrito es articular una compresión pluralista de lo que significa estar centrado en la persona. Esta perspectiva pone un especial énfasis en la comprensión del cliente como una única y no estandarizable “otredad,” cuyos deseos y necesidades terapéuticas probablemente sean muy heterogéneos e imposibles de conocer de antemano. Basados en este punto de vista proponemos que una comprensión centrada en la persona del cambio terapéutico requiere una apertura a, y una apreciación de, las variadas y diferentes maneras en las que los clientes se pueden beneficiar de la terapia – incluyendo, pero no limitando, las prácticas centradas en la persona y experienciales (ECP) habituales. Para llevar a la práctica estos principios pluralistas sugerimos que los terapeutas orienten su trabajo específicamente hacia las metas del cliente y potencien sus niveles de diálogo y meta comunicación con los clientes con respecto a las metas, tareas y métodos de la terapia. Este enfoque pluralista de la terapia centrada en la persona valora mucho otras perspectivas y prácticas dentro de la comunidad del ECP, así como también las de otras terapias que no pertenecen al ECP; pero a la vez desafía “el dogmatismo centrado en la persona” y alienta a los profesionales del ECO a estar atentos y conscientes de los límites de su trabajo. También brinda un marco coherente “centrado en el cliente” a través del cual los terapeutas del PCE puedan incorporar un amplio campo de prácticas, hallazgos de la investigación y teorías a su trabajo.Cet article vise à l'élaboration d'une compréhension “pluraliste” de ce que signifie être centré(e) sur la personne. L'article met l'accent sur une compréhension du client ou de la cliente en tant qu'altérité unique et “non standardisable,” et dont les désirs et besoins thérapeutiques seront très hétérogènes et non connaissables à l'avance. Fondé sur ce point de vue idéographique, l'article soutient qu'une compréhension centrée sur la personne du changement thérapeutique nécessite d'apprécier et de s'ouvrir aux nombreuses manières différentes dont les clients peuvent bénéficier de la thérapie – y compris, mais sans s'y limiter, des pratiques centrées sur la personne et expérientielles bien établies (PCE). Pour traduire ces principes pluralistes dans la pratique thérapeutique, on propose que les thérapeutes orientent leur travail spécifiquement vers les buts des clients et qu'ils ou elles rehaussent leurs niveaux de dialogue et de méta-communication avec leurs client(e)s concernant les buts, les tâches et les méthodes de la thérapie. Cette approche pluraliste de la thérapie centrée sur le client honore d'autres perspectives et pratiques de la communauté PCE, ainsi que d'autres thérapies non PCE; mais elle se confronte aussi au “dogmatisme centré sur la personne” et encourage les praticiens et praticiennes PCE à être conscient(e)s des limites de leur travail. Elle fournit également un cadre cohérent et “centré sur le client” sur lequel les thérapeutes PCE peuvent s'appuyer pour incorporer dans leur travail un large éventail de pratiques, de résultats de recherches et de théories.O objectivo deste artigo é articular uma compreensão “pluralista” daquilo que significa ser-se centrado na pessoa. Esta perspectiva enfatiza em particular o entendimento do cliente como um “outro” único, não estandardizável, cujas necessidades e desejos terapêuticos tendem a ser altamente heterogéneos e impossíveis de prever. Tendo por base este ponto de vista idiográfico, discute-se que uma compreensão da mudança terapêutica centrada na pessoa requer a abertura a e a contemplação das diversas formas através das quais os clientes podem beneficiar da terapia. Isto inclui práticas centradas na pessoa e experienciais estabelecidas (CPE), apesar de não se limitar a estas. De modo a traduzir tais princípios pluralistas para a prática sugere-se que os terapeutas devem orientar o seu trabalho especificamente para os objectivos dos clientes e estimular os seus níveis de diálogo e de metacomunicação com os clientes, tendo em vista os objectivos, as tarefas e os métodos terapêuticos. Esta perspectiva pluralista da terapia centrada na pessoa tem em elevada conta outras perspectivas e práticas incluídas pelas comunidades centrada na pessoa e experiencial, bem como outras terapias não CPE. Ela desafia o dogmatismo centrado na pessoa e incita os terapeutas CPE a estarem conscientes dos limites do seu trabalho. Também proporciona um enquadramento centrado na pessoa coerente, através do qual os terapeutas CPE podem incluir um vasto domínio de práticas, dados provenientes da investigação e teorias no seu trabalho.

Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow were two of the founders of the Humanistic movement in modern psychology. While the Humanistic approach has persisted since the 1950’s, its use in the United States has been seen by some as controversial. This paper explores the history of the Humanistic approach, briefly explores the contributions of its founders, and discusses how humanistic theory is currently being utilized in the practice of modern psychology.

Positive and humanistic psychology overlap in thematic content and theoretical presuppositions, yet positive psychology explicitly distances itself as a new movement, despite the fact that its literature implicitly references its extensive historical grounding within humanistic psychology. Consequently, humanistic psychologists both celebrate diffusion of humanistic ideas furthered by positive psychology, and resent its disavowal of the humanistic tradition. The undeniably close alignment of these two schools of thought is demonstrated in the embracing of eudaimonic, in contrast to hedonic, conceptions of happiness by positive psychology. Eudaimonic happiness cannot be purely value-free, nor can it be completely studied without using both nomethetic and idiographic (i.e., quantitative and qualitative) methods in addressing problems of value, which identifies positive psychology clearly as a humanistic approach, despite its protestations.

Person-centered therapy was a fundamental shift from what had to that point in time
come to typify mental health and psychology. Whereas prior to Carl Roger’s evolutionary work mental health was personified by the cold, mechanistic processes of Freud and his colleagues, once Rogers began to explore his own beliefs not necessarily on psychology, but rather on the human experience, he began to develop a method of therapy that saw the person seeking therapy not as a problem to be solved or sickness to be healed, but as a person in need of help in achieving a better, more balanced, and therefore a happier life. The work the Rogers began has since continued on to become what is now commonly thought of as the primary therapeutic experience. Roger’s influence is not limited to his own brand of person-centered therapy, as it can be felt in other methods such as existential and reality therapy, among many others. This paper, then, will present an overview of Roger’s brand of person-centered therapy, focusing on the philosophical foundations, key concepts, and techniques involved. It will include a consideration of its compatibility to the Christian faith, and will conclude with a brief consideration of its applicability and utility.

The authors use humanistic and psychoanalytic frameworks to describe autism and its treatment. This begins with a criticism of the biological model of explanation for autism, which the authors find unhelpful. Building on the work of psychiatrists Kurt Goldstein, Bruno Bettelheim, D.W. Winnicott, and Margaret Mahler, the authors describe autism spectrum disorder as the failure to individuate. In each of these examples, autism is described as a normal period of development common to all infants, but from which autistic children never emerge. Individuation, which occurs after the autistic period, can only occur on the basis of a problem which the infant must resolve on their own. Failure to individuate also means a failure to develop the abstract attitude-that is, to use and understand symbolic language, as it may be seen in adults with advanced psychosis (Prouty, 1976, 2007). The treatment of autism begins with counseling the person through the individuation process. Carl Rogers's person-centered therapy, which includes affective contact and the opportunity for the person to develop autonomy, is given as an example.

Abstract
This study has its starting point in physical touch, and I interviewed three health workers; an osteopath, a nurse, and a midwife, about their sense of touch. The data collection method used is the qualitative research interview, with its main emphasis on Eugene Gendlin‟s Focusing (1981), to capture the informant‟s embodied sense of touch.
The Constant Comparative Method from Grounded Theory by Strauss and Corbin (1990) is employed to analyse the data, supplied by the descriptive phenomenological method as developed by Giorgi (2009), and inspired by Gendlin‟s Focusing (1968; 1970; 1981).
Two main themes and a core theme emerged from the data: 1) “Touch is everything” – The toucher and the touched, 2) “Touch is an art” – The space between and, 3) “It takes courage to be close” – Touch as a meeting between selves.
Philosophical theory and humanistic existential counselling psychology theories are at the base of the discussion. This includes Merleau-Ponty (1945), Gendlin (1962; 1996), Buber (1970/1996), Rogers (1961/2004) and Josselson (1996). Theories on body, space, and touch, also in counselling, are represented by Gendlin (1993; 1992), Montagu (1986), Hall (1966/1990), Hunter and Struve (1998), Tune (2001) among others.
The study shows that positive touch is important to the person, how touch is more than physical, that the body is more than a physiological machine, and how touch both happens within different types of space and creates a meeting between the selves that reside inside the bodies. It also shows how through providing certain empathic conditions; warmth, acceptance, listening and caring, a health worker or counsellor can ensure a good meeting that can potentially lead to a dialogical I-You meeting. This meeting, based on the empathic conditions provided by a counsellor who is also in tune with him or herself, may also lead to change in the both the counsellor‟s and the client‟s selves.

Luego de más de 200 años de la primer edición “Crítica de la razón pura” de Kant, en la que deja abierta 4 de las preguntas de la filosofía siendo la última “¿Qué es el hombre?”, pareciera que la respuesta a tal pregunta esta lejos de responderse. Esto atañe a la psicología como disciplina, entendiendo que cada uno de los sistemas teóricos fundados tiene un modelo de hombre explícito o no. El presente trabajo tiene dos objetivos. El primero es dar cuenta de dichos modelos de hombre que cada sistema propuso, utilizando para ello la Antropología Filosófica como parámetro tomando la clasificación propuesta por Max Scheler (1928) y Alberto Vilanova (1993). Dentro de la amplia variedad de sistemas psicológicos que surgieron en el siglo XX tomaremos las “tres fuerzas” (Maslow 1954) dentro de la psicología: Psicoanálisis – Conductismo – Humanismo. El segundo es discutir la relevancia e implicaciones del debate de estos tópicos en el estado actual de la ciencia y su posible impacto en la formación de futuros profesionales e investigadores.

After 200 years from the first edition of Kant’s “Critique of Pure Reason”, where he lefts open 4 questions to the philosophy being one of them “¿What is the Human?” it seems that the answer to that question is far away from being answered. This implies the Psychology as a discipline, acknowledging that each one of the theoretical systems has a human model explicit or not. There are two objectives with the present paper. The first one is to show the human models that each theoretical system proposed, by using the philosophical anthropology as a parameter taking Max Scheler’s (1928) and Alberto Vilanova’s (1993) proposals. The second one is to discuss the relevance and implications of the debate of this topic in the actual state of the discipline and the possible impact in the formation of futures professionals and researchers.

This is a stand-alone peer-reviewed article and the second chapter of "Humanizing Child Developmental Theory." The aim of this theoretical investigation was to provide instructors at the college level with material that they might use to introduce humanistic developmental theory to students of child psychology. The study had several phases. First, the theories of child development embedded within the works of Carl R. Rogers and Karen Horney were articulated and outlined separately. Next, the highly significant structural features of the theories were synthesized to form a unified humanistic theory of child development. Finally, there was a brief discussion of the strengths and weakness of the humanistic developmental perspective derived from Rogers's and Horney's works.

This paper examines the use and origins of the concept of self-actualization as it came to be employed in psychotherapy. The term is most often associated with the theory and work of Abraham Maslow. An interdisciplinary approach is employed to contextualize the history and origins of self-actualization theory, with a primary emphasis on philosophy and psychotherapy, along with broader references to historical and literary contributions to the development of self-actualization. Aristotle coined the Greek work entelechy to explain an intrinsic force that drives the organism to realize its full potential. This concept has been taken up and developed further both in myth, literature and from the Enlightenment era onwards by philosophers such as Kant, Hegel, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche and Heidegger. Carl Rogers and Maslow further developed self-actualization within the burgeoning field of psychotherapy in the 1950s.