Rogerian Theory: Person-Centered Study

The client-centered model, also sometimes referred to as person-centered, was developed by Carl Rogers around the middle of the twentieth century. Rogers was a humanistic psychologist who believed that how we live in the here-and-now and our current perceptions are more important than the past. Person-centred therapy is rooted in the client 's capacity for awareness and his or her ability to make decisions (Corey, 1986). It the purpose of each person to seek congruence (balance) in three areas of their lives. This balance is achieved with self-actualization which deals with three areas such as self-worth, self-image, and ideal self. A goal that most people seek to attain, the good life as described by Rogers is achieved by the person fulfilling certain principles. Rogers believed humans are born with a desire to be the best they can and if an individual lived in an environment of unconditional positive regard such individuals would be psychologically healthy with a positive unconditional self-regard and the potential to attain self-actualisation. Unfortunately, such environments are rare and as result people develop conditions of worth. While there are many areas within Rogerian theory, one worth noting is known as the Phenomenal Field. This consists of

The three different levels of consciousness that discussed in his study were the conscious, preconscious, and the unconscious state. Conscious is a thought that is currently in the awareness. (McLeod, 2007) Preconscious is a thought that is also from part of the memory process, which is currently not at awareness. Unconscious is a thought that cannot be voluntarily brought into the awareness. Freud mentioned that if these three stages fail to maintain its balance by overpowering of one another this conflict creates anxiety, which could be dealt with by the ego’s use of defence