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Carl RogersAmerican psychologist and educator
Date of Birth: 21.01.1902
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Carl Rogers
Carl Rogers (1902-1987) was an American psychologist and educator. He was born on January 8, 1902, in Oak Park, Illinois. Rogers initially had an interest in child psychology, which was reflected in his book "The Clinical Treatment of the Problem Child" published in 1939.
Rogers studied at the University of Wisconsin and prepared for a career as a clergyman at the Union Theological Seminary in New York. It was during his time at the seminary that he became interested in psychology and enrolled in the Teachers College of Columbia University. He earned a master's degree in psychology in 1928 and a doctorate degree in 1931.
Initially, Rogers focused on child psychology, as evident in his book "The Clinical Treatment of the Problem Child" published in 1939. However, his interests later shifted to psychotherapy and the development of an approach known as "non-directive counseling," which he described in his controversial work "Counseling and Psychotherapy" published in 1942.
According to Rogers, the "client" (a term he used instead of "patient") knows better than anyone else what their problem is and, with the help of a consultant, can find the solution themselves. The consultant does not direct, give advice, interpret, praise, express disapproval, or make suggestions. The main technique employed by Rogers is "reflection of feelings," where the consultant informs the client how they understand their thoughts or emotions. Through this psychological mirror, the client gains a better understanding of their own problems.
In his work "Client-Centered Therapy" published in 1952, Rogers concluded that the consultant's attitudes are more important than their techniques. The conditions necessary for "psychotherapeutic personality change" are created when the consultant demonstrates three essential qualities: "congruence" or authenticity, freedom from facade; "empathy" or understanding the client's world as they see it and being able to convey that understanding to the client; and "unconditional positive regard," which recognizes and respects the client's personality regardless of their problems or antisocial behavior.
Rogers conducted research on the therapeutic process, which he presented in his books "Psychotherapy and Personality Change" (1954) and "Therapeutic Relationship with Schizophrenics" (1967). While his achievements were recognized by his colleagues, it was only after the publication of his selected essays in the book "On Becoming a Person" (1961) that Rogers' work gained attention from a wide range of non-specialist readers.
In the 1960s, Rogers became a leader in the encounter group movement (group psychotherapy) and became interested in the counterculture of the late 1960s and early 1970s for alternative lifestyles. Some of his notable works during this period include "Freedom to Learn: A View of What Education Might Become" (1969), "On Encounter Groups" (1970), and "Becoming Partners: Marriage and Its Alternatives" (1973).
