Carl Rogers

When I read and went through Carl Rogers, (1902 - 1987) works, who is well known for The Person-centered approach (i.e., Client-centered therapy). Out of many concepts, what I liked is he says that humans are basically good and the fully functioning person.

I hope that, if I have these concepts very strongly i. humans are basically good, in my personality, I can build-up very good relationships to myself and to others and to various aspects of life.

 If I have the fully functioning person’s personality, I could lead a life of  the "fully functioning person" I can be open to experience, able to live existentially, trusting in my own organism, expresses feelings freely, acts independently, creatively and lives a richer life; "the good life". From his explanation I also understood that the good life is not a state of being, but a dynamic process. It is a direction to a destination, and not a destination. It also involves the stretching and growing of becoming more and more of one's potentialities. It involves the courage to be. It means launching myself fully into the stream of life.

Let me explain in detail about the characteristics of a fully functioning person, openness to experience – they move away from defensiveness, an increasingly existential lifestyle – living each moment fully. This results in excitement, daring, adaptability, tolerance, spontaneity, and a lack of rigidity and suggests a foundation of trust. Increasing organismic trust – they trust their own judgment (right and wrong) and their ability to choose behavior that is appropriate for each moment. Freedom of choice –They believe that they play a role in determining their own behavior and so feel responsible for their own behavior. Creativity – they will feel more free, more creative in the way they adapt to their own circumstances without feeling a need to conform. Reliability and constructiveness – they can be trusted to act constructively. An individual who is open to all their needs will be able to maintain a balance between them. Even aggressive needs will be matched and balanced by intrinsic goodness in congruent individuals. A rich full life – he describes 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.

Conclusion

Who will not like a good life? All the beings want to have a richer life, open, fruit full, free life. I too like to live such a life, a perfect life. The person one who chosen me said, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt 5: 48).  Yes, to achieve this perfectness, fullness, richness and goodness in my life. I hope that I need to integrate the self theory of Carl Rogers in my personality.

Carl Rogers(85), (1902 - 1987), of American Nationality, who is well Known for The Self Theory - The Person-centered approach (e.g., Client-centered therapy & Student-centered learning)

THE SELF THEROY OF ROGERS' THEORY

Carl R. Rogers was the first and foremost a therapist, with an abiding respect for the dignity of persons and an interest in persons as subjects rather than objects. He developed a therapy called Clint Centered Therapy. It includes the techniques and basic Philosophy of counseling. In this he gives a clear exposition of procedures by which individuals who are being counseled may be assisted in achieving for themselves new and more effective personality adjustments.

Actualizing Tendency

Rogers believed that humans are basically good and he maintains that the human "organism" has an underlying "actualizing tendency", which aims to develop all capacities in ways that maintain or enhance the organism and move it toward autonomy. This tendency is present in all living beings. It is the only motive force in the theory. It encompasses all motivations; tension, need, or drive reductions; and creative as well as pleasure-seeking tendencies. Each person thus has a fundamental mandate to fulfill their potential. The inherent potentialities of the actualizing tendency can suffer distorted expression when maladjustment occurs, resulting in behavior destructive to oneself and others.

The Self

The human organism's "phenomenal field" includes all experiences available at a given moment, both conscious and unconscious. As development occurs, a portion of this field becomes differentiated and this becomes the person's "self". The "self" is a central construct in this theory. It develops through interactions with others and involves awareness of being and functioning. It is based largely on the social evaluations he/she has experienced.

The "self"  is described as: the organized, consistent, conceptual gestalt composed of perceptions of the characteristics of the "I" or "me" and the perceptions of the relationships of the "I" or "me" to others and to various aspects of life, together with the values attached to these perceptions.

The difference between Congruence (fully functioning person) & Incongruence (maladjusted person)

FULLY FUNCTIONING PERSON	MALADJUSTED PERSON
"fully functioning person" who is open to experience and able to live existentially, is trusting in his/her own organism, expresses feelings freely, acts independently, is creative and lives a richer life; "the good life" the good life which is a process not a state of being.	The maladjusted individual is defensive, rather than enhancing his life, lives according to a preconceived plan, feels manipulated rather than free, and is common and conforming rather than creative. His self becomes more disturbed due to others evaluations.
He will be completely defense-free, open to experience, creative and able to live "the good life".	He will feel a threat that evokes anxiety and may have mental and emotional problems that leads to unacceptable behavior.
Balance between the self and organism	Break between the self and organism
person’s will have a good relationship with other people.	Affects a person’s relationship with other people.
Congruence between self and experience leads to better personality adjustment and less defensiveness.	Incongruence is that the rift between self and experience as natural.

Tom gets poor mark in his exams. He know that his mother will beat him so out of fear he corrects his mark statement. And also this shows his actual self and what he would like to be. He was not able to achieve the Ideal self so it leads him to incongruent.  

Tom, a young good boy, who had a joyful childhood speaking to a doctor. His fear and anxiety starting from school made him to do many bad things continually. Now he approaches doctor to have a good life and he wanted to become a fully functioning person.