The humanistic psychology of Carl Rogers

Carl Rogers’ humanistic psychology caused so much admiration that it was defined at the time as the silent revolution. Rogers brought the most vital optimism to psychotherapy to convince us that we all deserve to become the kind of person we dream of. He spoke to us about authentic relationships and the need to “flourish” into our full potential as human beings.

There are many personality theories in psychology, however, it should be said that they all have common axes, points that converge with similar ideas and approaches. However, if we take a brief look back at all of them, within that range of interesting theories, that of Carl Rogers and his positive vision of the human being stands out for bringing a necessary change.

Leaving behind or aside, that passive or deterministic vision emphasized by psychoanalysis and behaviorism, The humanistic psychology of what is considered the most influential psychotherapist in history suddenly spoke to us about the freedom of the human being.. He emphasized our ability to move forward and create a better world, he encouraged us to be responsible for ourselves, to open ourselves to experience through non-directive therapy to promote self-knowledge.

Carl Rogers’ humanistic psychology actually responded to a specific and essential objective: to provide help. In fact, it was he who, after the Second World War, He offered to provide psychological assistance to all those soldiers who were crippled or traumatized.

Until now, the only type of intervention that those young people received was that of doctors: no one in the United States had taken the step to go beyond the physical wounds and try to analyze and intervene on the emotional ones.

Shortly after, Japan invited him to teach the country’s psychologists his techniques, his way of helping. Almost without knowing it, Rogers He forged a type of psychotherapy that dazzled and fascinated everyone, which earned him a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The humanistic psychology of Carl Rogers

Later, he became interested in the study of religions, Eastern and Western, then he graduated in history and theology, but then he felt attracted to the world of psychopedagogy and that complex process through which we become what we are.

It was then that he learned the theories of one of his personal heroes, John Dewey, who taught him that education should not be based only on an intellectual process, but also on an openness to experience.

Thus, and also influenced by existentialism, he began to publish books, studies and works until obtaining a professorship in clinical psychology. It did not take long for him to become the cornerstone of humanistic psychology thanks to his client-centered therapy.

Gone for him was the figure of the “patient” as a passive being, now we had someone capable of becoming an expert in his own career and personal growth.

In the humanistic psychology of Carl Rogers The term “client” first appeared for a very clear reason: because in this way it emphasized the equal relationship with the therapist. (unlike psychoanalysis).

In this way, I wanted to demonstrate absolute confidence in human beings in their positive transformation, in their ability to find strengths, break down defense mechanisms and give shape to that vital impulse with which to realize themselves.

Keys to the humanistic psychology of Carl Rogers

There is a question that we have all asked ourselves at some point: «“Why is all this happening to me?” What Carl Rogers’ humanistic psychology would do in the first place is empathize with us in a genuine way, connect with that client to care about the situation they are going through.

It is an encounter between one human being and another, united by a common goal: exploring our authentic “self” so that we can make more satisfactory decisions.

Let’s see below some of the most important points of Carl Rogers’ humanistic psychology.

The need to develop a functional personality

We all have within our reach the possibility of achieving our goals., to find well-being and develop our maximum potential. However, Rogers pointed out that people see this as an ideal or as an infeasible entelechy. Well-being, more than an objective, is a continuous process in which we must invest efforts in the here and now.To develop a fully functional personality we must be open to experienceaccepting not only positive emotions, but also assuming negative ones without running away from them.We must give meaning to our existence. We are responsible for ourselves; Therefore, it is necessary to use a more active, receptive and creative attitude to find a satisfactory meaning to our reality. Likewise, Another key element of Carl Rogers’ humanistic psychology is self-confidence. This precious asset is often in danger of extinction in our personality. We must therefore learn to trust our own judgment and dare to make braver decisions that are less linked to what others say or think.Moments of crisis are moments to glimpse, intuit and give way to new opportunities. A principle without a doubt also essential for our personal growth.

Learning and pedagogy according to humanistic psychology

Carl Rogers also makes interesting contributions to pedagogy, stating that Learning should not be something imposed but a free and fluid process derived from natural childhood curiosity. Thus, the teacher’s job is to facilitate learning, promoting spontaneity and creating a climate of trust and cooperation in which the child can discover and acquire knowledge for themselves.

A person-centered approach

Finally, there is an aspect that is undoubtedly interesting to take into account to understand Carl Rogers’ humanistic psychology much more. What always differentiated him from other therapists and what made him one of the most influential psychologists, is that he He always chose to focus on the person and not the problem.
He was the man who looked at his clients from authenticity, without falling into judgment, without directing them towards one strategy or another and without using confrontation. The objective of his therapy was to listen, facilitate the recognition of emotions and help define one’s own personality…

Hence, many of his strategies do not appear in manuals, he did not use a clear methodology, but his psychological approach continues to be one of the best strategies for trauma processes or attachment problems to this day.

Criticisms of Rogers’ Humanistic Psychology

The Psychology of Carl Rogers It has been the target of various criticisms, both positive and negative. Among the latter, they are related to his person-centered therapy. Well, his conception of human nature as tending towards goodness and health is questioned.

For its part, Rogers’ theories were criticized for their lack of empirical evidence. Likewise, the holistic view of humanism allows for much variation, but does not identify variables constant enough to be investigated accurately.

Psychologists have also argued that such extreme emphasis on the subjective experience of the individual can leave aside the impact of society on the development of the individual.

Some critics claim that The fully functional person Rogers speaks of is a product of Western culture. In other cultures, such as Eastern cultures, the achievement of goals by groups is valued much more than the achievement by a single person.

Nevertheless, Despite the criticism it received, Carl Rogers’ personality theory and its therapeutic methodology continue to gain followers and have become one of the most influential currents in the history of psychology..

Likewise, prominent psychologists and humanistic thinkers have been awarded by scientific organizations such as the APA for their contributions to philosophical psychology and psychotherapy.

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