Carl Rogers: A Person-Centered Approach

A humanistic psychology framework grounds Carl Rogers’ theory, research, and practice. General insights from Rogers’ person-centered approachPerson-centered approach make the case for the importance of attending to issues of authenticity, dialogical relationships, self-actualization, and existential freedom. One key highlight is the way Rogers utilizes psychotherapy to challenge clients in re-claiming their own resources for healing and growth, known as client-centered therapy. A second key highlight is that of experiential learning to encourage personal accountability and social responsibility in an effort to abandon authoritative educational practices, discussed as student-centered learning. A third key highlight is the way Rogers utilizes personal growth and relationship building to challenge readers to re-conceptualize success as including wellbeing and empowerment. Lastly, a fourth highlight offers future implications for research engaged in person-centered philosophies. Rogers’ theorizations now expand across a variety of fields and disciplines and is considered and referred to as a person-centered approach – the study of the conditions that make it possible for people to grow and develop toward actualization.