Humanistic and Client-Centered Therapies

Having clients (not patients, note the difference) achieve insight into their problems is the goal of humanistic and client-centered therapy. Humanistic and client-centered therapists reject the medical model and it hierarchical assumptions. In its place, they substitute a model where therapists and clients are equal. Further, therapists see themselves as facilitators of the clients' "cure." More importantly, humanistic and client-centered therapists deny the working of hidden forces and, instead, concentrate on the here and now of real life, emphasizing free will and self-knowledge.

Carl Roger's client-centered therapy emphasized the importance of clients' self-understanding. He saw his role as one of simply understanding the client and reflecting the client's thoughts and speech. He did not fear becoming involved and open with clients. Contrast that approach to the psychoanalytic therapist's attitude of aloofness and detachment. Rogers promoted accepting patients as they were, providing them with "unconditional positive regard," and empathy. Without those, he believed, therapeutic progress was impossible.

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