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Essay on Carl Rogers

From the late nineteenth century towards the early 20th century the world has seen many influential
personalities who laid the foundation of our modern understanding of our natural world. From
Charles Darwin (born ) in biology to Einstein in Physics they revolutionised their particular field of
interest. Psychology is not an exception. From Wilhelm Wundt to Sigmund Freud to figure like Noam
Chomsky, completely changed the contemporary understanding of human behaviour. They not only
made tremendous contribution in the field of psychology but also made psychology completely a
proper scientific study of human nature.
This essay will focus on Carl Rogers who also made such significant contribution in psychology and
opened a new approach to study the human mind which is known as Humanistic psychology.

Carl Rosers, often regarded as the father of Humanistic psychology was born in 1902 in Oak park , a
suburb of Chicago. Like all other normal large families of that time carl also was born in a big family
having 5 brothers and one sister. He was fourth in position. Rogers father Mr Walter was a wealthy
man who had established himself as a businessmen in the field of engineering . His mother Julia was
also an educated women and from a good family background. Despite of a good educated background
Rosers was surrounded by a Christian religious boundary. Both his father and mother were very strict
on religious matters. No alcohol were allowed, neither dancing . like all other siblings he was told to
maintain little social life and great deal of time with family affairs..
In his early childhood Rosers was not in did not possess a good health. He was also described a boy
who was very over sensitive. Rogers could not cope with his family environment and often found
himself lonely. Since he was not allowed to make many friends outside of the family he made books
as his companion . he spent a great deal of time reading.
To keep the growing children away from the suburban life temptations and maintain a good family
bonding, Rogerss father moved his family from the Oak Park to a large farm some 30 miles away
from the Chicago. of his hobby. That move as described my Rogers was a turning point of Rogers
future success. Rogers was very happy in the farm life he lived in his childhood. He was very excited
watching flying moths in the night around the farm. It is those moths that helped him to start a
scientific approach to study nature. Soon He began to breed moths and found himself a lover of
nature. His father view on making his children as productive as possible later helped a lot carl roger to
become a one of the influential scientist in the field of psychology.
While taking a degree in agricultural field under professor George Humphrey at the university of
Wisconsin Rogers learned how to refuse conventional leadership role and think of his own. Working
with some young people in the Sunday morning group of agricultural students he got the opportunity
to mingle with new people outside of his family and started loving it. However rogers felt he should
study history in order to gain some background for religious work . thus he changed his course from
agriculture to history. (Religious thought change his area of subject).
However, in a later date during a trip to china his perception on religious matters had changed and he
abandoned his parents religious thinking to be more spiritual, intellectual and emotionally
independent than ever.

Returning home he was diagnosed as having duodenal ulcer and was hospitalized. During his
treatment Rogers developed and deep relationship with a girl named Helen ,a art student of the same
university he studied. He bought his first car and frequently drove twenty five miles on a rough road
in order to be with the girl whom he later called sweetheart. Eventually they fell in love and got
married in august 1924 despite their parental disagreement.
While roger was losing his interest in religion he immediately found psychology a interesting subject.
He took a course in clinical psychology under Leta Hollingsworth at the teachers college of
Columbia University. It is there while working with psychologically disturbed children Rogers found
interest in psychology.
Carl rogers most novel invention for what he still matters is his person centred therapy, initially
known as non directive therapy ((1940s) and client centred therapy (1960s).(reference). It was an
alternative approach to the other contemporary psychoanalysis and behaviourism. He along with
Abraham Maslow and Rollo may developed this novel way of treatment in 1940s.
In short, Person centred approach to psychotherapy is viewed as a way of being in a relationship
where a therapist make relationship with individuals ,groups or even with a nation ( Wilkins, 2009).
The main idea behind this therapy is that it assumes all human have the innate capacity to solve their
own problems and to grow psychologically in an environment that is conducive to such change and
growth. Rogers viewed that optimal change and growth occurs when it is self directed. However,
people can be benefited by this approach if certain conditions prevail, and it is the fundamental role of
the therapists to establish these conditions for their clients. The conditions as described by rogers are,
clients' perceiving that their therapists (1) understand who they are and how they perceive the world
(empathetic understanding), (2) accept them without judgment (unconditional positive regard), and (3)
are being genuine in the therapeutic relationship (congruence). (Cain, 2014)

Roger is also remembered for his description of maintaining a life full of richness. In his book called
On becoming a person he postulated that we all are in a constant state of becoming . In order to
fully experience it we should trust ourselves and accept the reality as it is.
Rogers termed this as the good life, where the person constantly aims to fulfil its full potential. Based
on 19 proposition Rogers introduced Some characteristic of a fully functioning person.
These characteristics are :
1.

Openness to experience move away from defensiveness and avoidance of any subception (a
unconscious perceptual defence strategy to prevent a troubling stimulus from entering
consciousness).

2.

An increasingly existential lifestyle open the inner self to the present situation and discover
in that present process whatever structure it appears to have.

3.

Increasing organismic trust trust own judgment and ability to choose behaviour that is
appropriate for any situation. Do not rely on any existing codes and social norms but trust that as they
are open to experiences they will be able to trust own sense of right and wrong.

4.

Freedom of choice not being shackled by the restrictions that influence an incongruent
individual, a fully functional person is able to make a wider range of choices more fluently. They
believe that play a role in determining their own behaviour and feel responsible for their own actions.

5.

Creativity A fully functional person is free to be creative. They are more creative in the way
they can adapt themselves in any circumstances .

6.

Reliability and constructiveness A person is trusted to act constructively. An individual who


is open to all their needs will be able to maintain a balance between them.

7.

A rich full life Rogers described the life of the fully functioning individual as rich, full and
exciting and suggests that they experience joy and pain, love and heartbreak, fear and courage more
intensely.

.
The person-centred approach, Rogers unique approach to understanding personality and human
relationships, found wide application in various domains such as psychotherapy and counselling
(client-centred therapy), education (student-centred learning), organizations, and in other group
settings.
Towards the end of his life Carl Rogers was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work with
national intergroup conflict in South Africa and Northern Ireland. In an empirical study by
Haggbloom (2002) using six criteria such as citations and recognition, Rogers was found to be the
sixth most eminent psychologist of the 20th century and second, among clinicians, only to Sigmund
Freud. Rogers also got the award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions by the American
Psychological Association in 1956.
This essay discussed psychotherapist Carl Rogers brief biography, his contribution to psychology and
some achievements he gained. Certainly Carl Rogers was a influential figure during his time and still
a man to discuss in the field of psychology in general.

References :
Wilkins, P. (2009). Person-centred therapy:100 key points. UK: : Routledge Ltd
Thorne, B. (2003). Carl Rogers (2nd ed.). London: Sage Publications ltd.
Cain, D. J. (2014). Psychotherapy theories and techniques: A reader. Gary R. V (Ed); Edward M. (Ed);
Julia Frank-Mcneil (Ed) . Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association.
Landau, C., & OHara, S.(Eds.). (2012). The psychology book. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited.
Carl Rogers (n.d.). Retrieved December 10, 2015 from http://www.bapca.org.uk/about/carlrogers.html

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