Theoretical Framework and Application 1
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Unit 4: Theoretical Framework and Application 1
Katie Rathke Mann
COUN5239 – Theories of Psychotherapy
May 6, 2018
Kathryn Miller
Theoretical Framework and Application 1
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Theoretical Framework and Application 1: Person-Centered Therapy
This paper will look at person-centered therapy. It will be broken into two parts. The first
part will be
theoretical analysis of person-centered therapy. It will explore person-centered
therapy’s origins focusing on its background, how it was developed and who created it. This
paper will identify the basic philosophies of person-centered therapy concentrating on its view of
human nature, theory of change, view of psychopathology and the role of the counselor. It will
evaluate how the philosophies and views of person-centered therapy align with my own personal
philosophy, values, and views of the therapeutic process. This paper will explain how the theory
will be incorporated in future counseling practice. This paper will also use evidenced based
theories that support person-centered therapy. It will examine person-centered therapy in relation
to culturally diverse populations focusing on both the strengths and weakness of this theory. In
the second part of the paper it will look at theoretical application of person centered therapy. This
paper will identify therapeutic case goals for Rona that aligns with person-centered therapy.
It
will
provide rationale for why these goals would be beneficial for Rona, using reasoning based
on person-centered therapy. It will describe several interventions and techniques that could be
used for Rona to meet her goals. And finally this paper will identify strengths and limitations of
person centered therapy for working with Rona.
Theoretical Analysis
Person Centered Therapy
Person-centered therapy was first conceptualized and practiced by Carl Rogers. Rogers
was one of the first to analyze therapy sessions and the progress of individual clients and to
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identify if the therapy was successful.
Stated in the text by Corey “From the beginning, Rogers
emphasized the attitudes and personal characteristics of the therapist and the quality of the client-
therapist relationship as prime determinates of the outcome of the therapeutic process” (165). By
this research it was identified that clients also advanced faster if they were in control of their
therapeutic experience. Due to this person-centered therapy grew in acceptance and popularity.
Rogers concepts did change psychotherapy in the aspect that the client was the one in control of
their own process (Critchfield 2012).
The development of the person-centered approach has been divided into 4 periods. The
first period in the 1940s. During this time Rogers focused on nondirective counseling which
“emphasized the counselors creation of a permissive and nondirective climate (166)” (Corey
2017). This period focused on the client alone and did not attempt to cultivate a close client-
therapist therapeutic relationship. In the second period in the 1950s, Roger began using client-
