Carl Rogers was the psychiatrist who pioneered the practice of client-centred therapy, revolutionising the practice of psychotherapy, yet his own life was far from ideal. This biography explores his life - including his tortured marriage, his use of confidential information about his children's lives and his drinking - against the background of his work. The author draws heavily on the papers left by Rogers to the Library of Congress.
As founder of the person-centred approach, Carl Rogers (1902-1987) is arguably the most influential psychologist and psychotherapist of the 20th century. This book provides unique insights into his life and a clear explanation of his major theoretical ideas. This Third Edition is co-authored by Brian Thorne and Pete Sanders, leading person-centred practitioners and bestselling authors. Pete Sanders contributes a new chapter on "The Ongoing Influence of Carl Rogers", covering topics such as research, the emerging tribes in person-centred tradition, and its interaction with the medical profession. Brian Thorne draws on his experience of having known and worked with Rogers to beautifully describe the way in which Rogers worked with clients and from that, to draw out the practical implications of what is, in effect, a functional philosophy of human growth and relationships. In the twenty years since the first edition of Carl Rogers appeared, the book has continued to provide an accessible introduction for all practitioners and students of the person-centred approach.
"Rogers, founder of the humanistic psychology movement and father of client-centered therapy ... traces his professional development from the sixties to the eighties and ends with a person-centered prophecy in which [he] calls for a more humane future."--Back cover.
`This book is a monumental achievement, and person-centred practitioners will be indebted to Goff Barrett-Lennard for many years to come. He has written no only a definitive study of the history of person-centred approach - what he calls a report of the "evolutionary course of a human science" - but also an accompanying commentary which is unfailingly enlightening, sometimes provocative and occasional lyrical′ - Brian Thorne, Emeritus Professor of Counselling, University of East Anglia and Co-Founder, Norwich Centre `I highly recommend this book as a reference source of major import, as bibliography, as history as art, and as a complex discussion of questions that plague the person-centred practitioner and the client-centred therapist′ - The Person-Centered Journal `If you only ever buy one book about the Person-Centred Approach, other than those written by Rogers himself, this is the one. It is a staggering achievement by one of the most knowledgeable writers in the field′ - PCP Reviews `This book is a gem, and should have wide appeal. It is an excellent introduction to person-centred psychology, written in accessible style, and it takes the reader beyond the simplicity often confused with naivety Goff Barrett-Lennard reveals a sophisticated complexity that challenges us to view the "person" with fresh eyes and an open mind′ - Tony Merry, University of East London `I strongly recommend this book as a sophisticated treatment of the client-or person-centred approach to therapy and its applications to areas outside therapy. It is also a useful overview of research on all aspects of person-centred ideas′ - Psychotherapy Research `This book... is not a single "meal" in itself but a positive "larder" containing every imaginable staple food and condiment all exquisitely and thoroughly researched. The book took Godfrey T Barrett-Lennard 20 years to write and it will stand as a reference text for person-centred specialists for longer than that... an essential reference text... and a pantry full of delicious surprises′ - Counselling and Psychotherapy, The Journal of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy `Probably the most important piece of work on the person-centred approach to have emerged in recent years... an essential source of reference for anyone with a serious interest in the person-centred approach′ - Counselling News Written by an ex-student and long-time colleague of Carl Rogers, this in-depth and challenging book charts the development of person-centred therapy from its origins through to the present day. Godfrey T Barrett-Lennard traces the central concepts and key figures within the movement, set against the contemporary historical, social and political context. As an integrated overview of the person-centred approach, Carl Rogers′ Helping System presents a wealth of fascinating ideas and information which is linked to a fresh, incisive account of the unfolding theory, process and research.
Active Listening is a short 1957 work by Drs. Carl R. Rogers and Richard E. Farson, two influential American psychologists. The work brings the counselling technique of active listening to the layperson, demonstrating how it can be applied to interactions between an employee and employer. Carl R. Rogers (1902-1987) was one of the pioneers of the "client-centered" approach to psychotherapy. He is considered one of the founding fathers of modern psychotherapy research and is widely regarded among others in the field as the most influential psychotherapist of all time - viewed even more highly than Sigmund Freud. Dr. Rogers served as a professor of psychology at the University of Chicago, where he set up the university's counselling and research clinic, the Industrial Relations Center. He wrote many books on psychotherapy, and in later years, travelled the world to bring his theories to areas of great political and social strife like Northern Ireland, South Africa, and Brazil. Richard E. Farson (1926-2017) had already completed his bachelor's and master's degrees when he met Dr. Rogers in 1949. Dr. Rogers invited Farson to continue his studies with him at the University of Chicago. Farson became Dr. Rogers' research assistant while he completed his Ph.D. in psychology and began counselling at the Industrial Relations Center. Dr. Farson held leadership positions in a number of research institutions. He co-founded the Western Behavioral Sciences Institute, where he served as president and CEO. He was later appointed as the founding dean of the California Institute of the Arts School of Design and served as president of the Esalen Institute. Drs. Rogers and Farson collaborated on many projects, including 1957's Active Listening. They also led a 16-hour group therapy session that was recorded and released as a film called Journey Into Self. The film won the 1968 Academy Award for Best Documentary. Active Listening describes a method of communication used in counselling and conflict resolution. Rather than serving as a passive participant in a conversation, active listeners take a functional role in helping the speaker to work out their issues. As the speaker shares, the listener repeats back what they've heard in their own words. This both confirms that they've heard the speaker and verifies that they understand. Unlike the way many of us instinctively communicate - trying to get another to see things from our own perspective - active listening requires that we see things from the speaker's perspective. The listener must address not only the meaning of the words, but also the feeling behind them, in order to make the speaker truly feel heard. These feelings can be conveyed through words, tone, volume, body language, and even breathing. This method is not without risks. It can be tempting to lose your sense of self in the practice of sensing the feelings of another person. As Drs. Rogers and Farson put it, "It takes a great deal of inner security and courage to be able to risk one's self in understanding another." In contrast to many psychological texts, Active Listening is written for the non-clinician or psychologist. In plain, everyday language, the book explains both the concepts of active listening and how they can be applied to the workplace. Employers who engage in active listening, the book argues, can help employees to become more cooperative, less argumentative, and clearer in their own communication. While the book is written in the context of the employee/employer relationship, the technique can be applied to all relationships in our lives. The concept is still highly influential, and Drs. Rogers and Farson's ideas about client-centered psychology are used in clinical practice today.
What makes a certain person's life remarkable and influential? In the case of Carl Rogers, the revolutionary and widely published humanistic psychologist, this book offers several factors: his ideas, his way of relating to colleagues, friends, and family, and simply his way of being. Likewise, the eight other people featured here are notable for the same reasons. Connecting well with people is characteristic of each of them: Thomas Gordon -- Maureen O'Hara -- Ruth SanfordJohn Vasconcellos -- Art Combs -- David RogersNatalie Rogers -- Haruko TsugeInspired in part by knowing or studying with Carl Rogers, they have created their own ideas and ventures to help many others. Their stories make this a multiple biography: a mosaic of stories about people who helped change the world -- and the way we feel about ourselves.
