The Philosophy and Practice of Client Centered Therapy

7/24/2019 The Philosophy and Practice of Client Centered Therapy

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THE PHILOSOPHY AND PRACTICE OF CLIENT-CENTERED THERAPY

WITH OLDER PERSONS: AN INTERVIEW WITH C. H. PATTERSON

Jane E. Myers & Darryl A. Hyers

The Person-Centered Journal, 1994, 12 (2), 49-53.

Jane E. Myers Department of Counselin an! E!u"ational De#elopment at t$e %ni#ersity

of &ort$ Carolina at 'reensoro.

Darryl . *yers Department of Counselin an! E!u"ational De#elopment at t$e %ni#ersityof &ort$ Carolina at 'reensoro.

+on re"onie! as a maor spoesperson for Client-Centere! /$erapy, C. *. 0atterson is

"urrently a Distinuis$e! isitin 0rofessor at t$e %ni#ersity of &ort$ Carolina at

'reensoro, an! Emeritus 0rofessor at t$e %ni#ersity of llinois at %rana-C$ampain. t

!oes not tae mu"$ resear"$ to !is"o#er $y Dr. 0atterson is "onsi!ere! a maor

"ontriutor to "ounselin an! psy"$oloy. iorap$i"al set"$ of t$is mans reatesta""omplis$ments oul! in"lu!e su"$ $i$li$ts as t$e to ulri$ts $e as aar!e!, $is

term as 0resi!ent of t$e 0 Di#ision of Counselin 0sy"$oloy (1961-62), $is term as

0resi!ent ($e as also one of t$e foun!ers) of t$e meri"an 7e$ailitation Counselin

sso"iation (1981-82), an! $is "ontriutions to t$e literature (o#er 185 arti"les an! 13

oos an! "$apters).

lt$ou$ $e "laims to $a#e retire! in 1966, Dr. 0atterson is presently orin on t$e

fourt$ re#ision of $is "lassi" te:t, /$eories of Counselin an! 0sy"$ot$erapy. *e also

ors as t$e maitre ! for a restaurant in s$e#ille, &C, is ritin a oo on $is #ies of a

uni#ersal system of psy"$ot$erapy, an! is tea"$in an! super#isin stu!ents.

s $e enters $is nint$ !e"a!e of life, Dr. 0atterson is in a uni;ue position to refle"t on t$euse of Client-Centere! /$erapy it$ ol!er persons. /$is inter#ie (e!ite! for puli"ation),eins it$ a re#ie of t$e "ore "on!itions of Client-Centere! /$erapy, $i"$ ser#es as a

a"!rop to un!erstan!in Dr. 0attersons personal e:perien"es of roin ol!er an! $is

oser#ations on $o "lient-"entere! t$erapy "an e use! effe"ti#ely in "ounselin it$

ol!er "lients.

DAH< Dr. 0atterson, our purpose to!ay is to eli"it your oser#ations on $o "lient-

"entere! t$erapy "an e use! in "ounselin it$ ol!er people. =ou $a#e een a proponent

of "lient-"entere! t$erapy for o#er 4> years, an! are yourself no in your ei$t$ !e"a!e. t

mi$t e $elpful to start it$ a rief o#er#ie of t$e essential "omponents of "lient-

"entere! t$erapy, its p$ilosop$y an! some of t$e "ore "on!itions, to pro#i!e a frameor

for applyin t$is t$eory an! its met$o!s to or it$ ol!er "lients.

CHP< ?ell, t$e p$ilosop$y un!erlyin "lient-"entere! t$erapy is really important. t$in it

is one of t$e t$ins t$at rou$t me to a""ept "lient-"entere! t$erapy, an! t$in its $at

rins a lot of stu!ents to a""ept "lient-"entere! t$erapy. ?$en t$ey first $ear aout it, t$eysay $a, t$ats t$e ay feel. /$ats my p$ilosop$y. &o, t$e p$ilosop$y is essentially

one of respe"tin t$e in!i#i!ual, respe"tin t$e interity of t$e in!i#i!ual, an! respe"tin

t$e autonomy of t$e in!i#i!ual. =ou respe"t t$e aility of t$e in!i#i!ual to li#e $is or $er

on life, to or t$rou$ $is or $er on prolems, an! to mae $is or $er on "$oi"es.


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@o, "lient-"entere! t$erapy says t$at, if you respe"t people, if you elie#e t$at "lients are

ale, rat$er t$an unale, an! so fort$, t$en you ill i#e t$em t$e opportunity to !o t$ese

t$ree t$ins. ?$at t$e "lient-"entere! t$erapy !oes is to fa"ilitate t$e !e#elopment of t$ein!i#i!ual in re#iein, formulatin, an! li#in, $is or $er on life.

/$ere are t$ree asi" means of fa"ilitatin t$is pro"ess. /$e first one is empat$i"

un!erstan!in. =ou $a#e to un!erstan! your "lient. E#ery t$eorist an! t$eory tells you t$att$e first t$in t$e t$erapist $as to !o is to un!erstan! $is or $er "lient. Aut in "lient-

"entere! t$erapy it is an empat$i" un!erstan!in. Empat$i" un!erstan!in is !ifferent from

s"ientifi" un!erstan!in. t is un!erstan!in from t$e internal frame of referen"e, rat$er

from t$e e:ternal, oe"ti#e, !ianosti" point of #ie. =ou put yourself in t$e sin of your"lient. t is impossile to really !o t$is "ompletely, of "ourse, as noo!y "an empat$ie

fully it$ anyo!y else e"ause of so many !ifferen"es amon people. *oe#er, t$e

"lient-"entere! t$erapist, to e su""essful, $as to e ale to try an! su""essfully "ome "lose

to fully empat$iin it$ t$e "lient. /$e meri"an n!ians $a! a p$rase, &e#er "riti"ie

anot$er person until you $a#e ale! a mile in $is mo""asins. oul! say you "an ne#er

un!erstan! anot$er person until you $a#e ale! a mile in $is or $er mo""asins. not$er

e:ample may e foun! in t$e oo, /o Bill a Mo"inir!, $ere a layer, $o is

!efen!in a Ala"man a""use! of rape, e:plains to $is "$il!ren $y $e is ein re#ile! yt$e tonspeople. /$e layer says, =ou no you "an ne#er really un!erstan! anot$er

person until you et insi!e $is sin an! al aroun! in it. =ou "ant !o t$ese t$ins

literally, ut t$ats $at you try to !o in empat$i" un!erstan!in.

/$e se"on! re;uirement is $at 7oers "alle! un"on!itional positi#e rear!. /$e or!

un"on!itional is #ery important. ?e s$oul! use it more. %n"on!itional positi#e rear! as

an aar! p$rase, so it $as een "$ane!. @ome people "all it nonpossessi#e armt$, or

respe"t. 7espe"t is a term use most fre;uently, ut its more t$an $at e mean y

respe"t. ts also "ompassion. t$in t$e est ay to say it is t$at you $a#e to $a#e

"ompassion for your "lient.

n! t$e t$ir! "on!ition is t$erapeuti" enuineness. t$in it is important to "all itt$erapeuti" enuineness. ?$en t$e "on"ept of enuineness e"ame popular a numer ofyears ao, it as use! y many people, in"lu!in people $o sai! t$ey ere "lient-

"entere!, as an e:"use to rea"t off t$e top of t$eir $ea!s an! not ne"essarily in t$e est

interests of t$e "lient. @o, it is etter to t$in in terms of t$erapeuti" enuineness. *itler

as proaly a enuine person. ?as $e a t$erapist &o. /$ere are a lot of people $o are

enuine $o are "ertainly not t$erapeuti".

?e "all t$e t$ree t$ins !is"usse! $ere fa"ilitati#e "on!itions< (l) empat$i" un!erstan!in,

(2) un"on!itional positi#e rear!, an! (3) t$erapeuti" enuineness. /$ey are attitu!es. /$ey

are attitu!es t$at you $a#e toar!s people in eneral an! also toar!s your "lients

&o t$ere is anot$er, a fourt$ "on!ition t$at proaly isnt an attitu!e t$at t$in is alsoimportant. "all it spe"ifi"ity or "on"reteness. /$ere are to "omponents $ere. ne is t$at

t$e "ounselor s$oul! en"ourae t$e "lient to e #ery spe"ifi" in !es"riin $is or $er

"on"erns. /$e se"on! is t$at t$e "ounselors must sti" to t$e "on"rete t$ins t$at t$e "lient

is sayin, not astra"t t$em, an! resist t$e ten!en"y to eneralie, to lael t$e "lient an! $isor $er a"tions an! feelins.

n a!!ition to t$ese four essential "on!itions for t$erapy, t$ere are "ertain "on!itions t$e

"lient $as to pro#i!e. /$e "lient $as to "ome to "ounselin it$ to "$ara"teristi"s< first,


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t$e "lient $as to e moti#ate!, in t$e sense t$at t$e "lient $as to re"onie t$at t$ere is a

prolem an! ants to !o somet$in aout it. /$e se"on! t$in t$at t$e "lient $as to !o is to

enae in t$e pro"ess of self-e:ploration. /$e "lient $as to !is"lose an! t$en e:plore $imor $erself. t is t$e "ore "on!itions "reate! y t$e "ounselor t$at fa"ilitate t$e pro"ess of

self-e:ploration. /$ese "on!itions are ne"essary an! suffi"ient not only in "lient-"entere!

t$erapy, ut in t$e pro"ess of any t$erapy.

n summary, my or asi"ally $as not !e#iate! from Carl 7oers oriinal statement in

1956 on t$e ne"essary an! suffi"ient "on!itions for t$erapeuti" personality "$ane. feel

t$at am an e:positor of "lient-"entere! t$erapy. $a#e een "onsistent in my eliefs an!

one of t$e t$ins t$at #e een "ons"iously aare of an! am orin on no is to !e#elopt$e impli"ations of 7oers 1956 or. @o, no elie#e not only in t$e ne"essary an!

suffi"ient "on!itions of psy"$ot$erapy, ut t$at t$ese "on!itions are t$e asis of a uni#ersal

system of psy"$ot$erapy. /$ese are t$e "ommon elements of all t$e maor t$eories. f t$ey

are "ommon, t$ey are t$e asis for any so-"alle! e"le"ti"ism, if it is a systemati"

e"le"ti"ism. @o, am talin no aout a uni#ersal system. /$is puts me at o!!s it$

many of t$e t$eorists in "ounselin no, e"ause t$ey are emp$asiin !i#ersity in

"ounselin, or multi"ultural "ounselin. /$ese t$eorists a!#o"ate for a !ifferent system an!

t$eory an! pra"ti"e for $ites, for la"s, for men, for omen, for youn, for ol!, for e#ery"ulture an! su-"ulture, an! for all possile "ominations an! permutations. n t$e fiel! of

psy"$ot$erapy no, as !istinuis$e! from $at e "all t$e fiel! of "ounselin, t$ere is a

stron mo#ement for interation an! #e een in#ol#e! in t$at, intereste! in it an! $a#e

some arti"les on interation in psy"$ot$erapy. Aut t$ere is no real interati#e system ein

propose!. /$ey are all e"le"ti" in t$e "ommon, erroneous, use of t$e term, a

"onlomeration of rinin toet$er of t$ins t$at !ont relate an! arent systemati", of

te"$ni;ues it$ no t$eoreti"al foun!ation. ?$at m proposin is t$at t$e interati#e asis

for psy"$o- t$erapy is t$e "ommon elements, t$e "ore "on!itions, an! t$at t$ese are

uni#ersal. /$ey are not "ulture-oun!, t$ey are not time-oun!. /$ey are uni#ersal e"ause

t$ey !eal it$ t$e asi" nature of all $uman eins.

JEM< re you sayin, t$en, t$at if you ere to apply "lient-"entere! t$erapy it$ ol!erpersons, it oul! e no !ifferent t$an it$ ot$er people

CHP< 7i$t. &o, t$ere is a #ery important point t$at t$in nee!s to e ma!e. f you

ant to spe"ialie it$ a parti"ular in! of "lient or if you are oin to !eal it$ mostly

"lients from a "ertain population, t$en in a!!ition to un!erstan!in t$e "lient as a $uman

ein, you nee! to no $ere t$e "lient is "omin from, in terms of a"roun!, family,

"ommunity, an! "ulture. &o $at may e forotten in multi"ultural "ounselin is t$e

eneral "ommon nature of $uman eins in fa#or of a fo"us only on t$e !ifferen"es. /$e

!aner is t$at !ifferen"es may e manifie!, an! t$ey "an e presente! as stereotypes. @o,

my effort no is to !e#elop a uni#ersal system.

JEM< ?ill t$at system in"lu!e persons of all aes, espe"ially ol!er people

CHP< =es.

JEM< t mi$t $elp if you oul! pro#i!e a "onte:t y refle"tin on your on life an! $oit $as "$ane! as you#e ron ol!er.

CHP< $ope #e "$ane!. say my t$eory, my p$ilosop$y, $asnt "$ane!. My tea"$in

met$o!s $a#e "$ane! some. starte! out le"turin. as tellin someo!y to!ay, #e


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one a" to le"turin aain. @o t$ere $a#e een some "$anes t$ere. Aut no asi" "$ane

in t$eory or p$ilosop$y.

JEM< &o, $o aout in your feelins aout yourself. *a#e you "$ane! as a person

CHP< %$. &ot fun!amentally, ut in one ay $a#e "$ane!. t ill e to years ao ne:t

fall t$at ean to feel a little !ifferent. as tellin my stu!ents t$at fall, m oint$rou$ a "$ane of life. m enterin ol! ae. n! as loo a" no, t$in am in ol!

ae. t$in see some p$ysi"al !e"line, some mental !e"line--in my memory. t is

interestin e"ause my memory for "ertain t$ins is "lear. /$ins t$at relate to my life, my

profession an! my rea!ins, "an still rasp. Aut ot$er t$ins, lie $ere !i! put t$atoo are !ifferent. spen! most of my time looin for t$ins in my apartment. @o

$a#e "$ane!. t$in am !e"linin some an! it ot$ers me, e"ause my self-"on"ept is

one of ein p$ysi"ally a"ti#e, mentally a"ti#e, an! psy"$oloi"ally a"ti#e.

m einnin to realie t$at $en you !o ae an! "$ane, you mi$t say no, !ont ant

to e $eel-"$air oun!, !ont ant to o on li#in if $a#e to e in a rest-$ome, in e!.

Aut you ein ra!ually realiin you a""ept t$e staes toar! t$is in! of t$in.

also $a#e eun to t$in my interests are narroin. #e tau$t e#eryt$in in t$e

"ounselin "urri"ulum< tests, measurements, o""upations, all t$ese t$ins #e tau$t. Aut

no, in t$e last fe years, $a#e starte! to fo"us on only one t$in, psy"$ot$erapy. /$ats

my interest. n eneral, !ont $a#e t$e i!t$ of interests t$at use! to $a#e, an! t$is is

orryin me some$at. on!er if it means may e"ome !epen!ent, e ll e illin to

a""ept it. may say no t$at "ant li#e t$at in! of life, ut t$in it $appens an! ol!er

people a!apt to it.

JEM< =oure speain of p$ysi"al !epen!en"y, ut at t$e same time you say you are

"ontinuin in your "areer, youre ritin, an! you $a#e lots of oals professionally.

CHP< ?ell, t$ats all true. as ust t$inin of one "$ane #e e:perien"e!. use! to eale to rite fluently. ll of my ritin $as een in lon$an!, an! people, se"retaries, $a#etrans"rie! it. f "ourse, my ritin $as nee!e! to e oo!, e"ause ot$er people $a#e to

rea! it. My $an!ritin is !eterioratin a little it. lso, use! to e #ery fluent in my

ritin. oul! #isualie t$e oo, t$e "$apter, t$e se"tion, ! $a#e it all oranie! an! it

oul! "ome ri$t out. &o, its not ;uite t$at ay. ts a little $ar!er. m ritin a ne

oo an! maye its t$e nature of t$e material or somet$in. m not sure $at it is. ts a

little $ar!er to rite. m not ;uite so fluent. still $a#e my #eral fluen"y, $i"$ "ame t$e

$ar! ay. "oul! ne#er e:temporie $en first starte! tea"$in. oul! $a#e !etaile!

notes on a le"tern. My notes e"ame oos so lost my le"ture notes. $a! to $a#e ne

ones. Aut foun! it #ery !iffi"ult to e ale to e:temporie an! t$in !o no in some

situations.

JEM< @o, if ere a "lient-"entere! "ounselor orin it$ you, oul! treat you any

!ifferently t$an oul! $a#e tenty or t$irty years ao

CHP< =ou oul! still respe"t me, oul! $ope. =ou oul! still try to un!erstan! me, tolisten as t$e first step to empat$i" un!erstan!in. ne of my t$ree rules $a#e for my

einnin stu!ents is to eep your mout$ "lose!. =ou "ant listen $ile your mout$ is

open. /$e se"on! one is ne#er as a ;uestion e:"ept $en you !ont un!erstan! your

"lient. n! t$e t$ir! one is you are alays respon!in to your "lient. #ery simple test as


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to $et$er an inter#ie is "lient-"entere! or somet$in else is $o is respon!in to $om.

ts #ery o#ious. /o me its not t$erapy unless t$e t$erapist is respon!in to t$e "lient. @o

$ope you oul! ant to un!erstan! me, listen to try to un!erstan! me an! try to putyourself in my pla"e. /$is is $ere it is so !iffi"ult to put yourself in t$e pla"e of anot$er

person of a !ifferent "ulture or of a !ifferent ae or of a !ifferent se:. t "ant e !one

"ompletely ut you $a#e to !o it more or less sustantially or you ont e effe"ti#e as a

t$erapist. n! if you are oin to or it$ ol!er people t$en you s$oul! no all t$ere isto no aout erontoloy an! eriatri"s.

JEM< "ommon "omment of ol!er persons is t$at youner "ounselors "ant possily

un!erstan! t$em.

CHP< ?ell you mi$t start out it$ t$at feelin if you see t$is fiel! !e#elopin it$ all

t$ese t$irty-year-ol!s oin into eriatri" "ounselin. =ou no, $o "an you !o t$at

n! ean to t$in $o !o you learn to un!erstan! ol!er people an! o a" to $at

sai!, $o !o you learn, to un!erstan! people from ot$er "ultures =ou o into t$eir "ulture

an! you li#e in t$at "ulture. ?ell t$in you proaly ou$t to li#e in a nursin $ome or

rest $ome in or!er to see $at life is lie from t$eir point of #ie. n! t$ats a #ery

important e:perien"e as part of trainin for a "ounselor $o ants to o into t$at fiel!.n! oin in not as a professional ust oin in. Maye !oin $at some me!i"al s"$ools

are !oinF p$ysi"ians in trainin o into a $eel"$air or e"ome lin!fol!e! an! see $at

its lie to e a patient. @ee $at its lie to e a patient in a nursin $ome or a rest $ome.

JEM< @o you re"ommen! ettin to no ol!er people as frien!s

CHP< $. CertainlyG =ou see t$eres a !ifferen"e eteen frien!s$ip an! $a#in a

t$erapeuti" professional relations$ip. t$in frien!s$ips "an $elp an! frien!s$ips "an e

t$erapeuti". n! maye t$ats all t$at many ol! people nee!. ll ol! people !ont nee!

t$erapy or "ounselin. &ot all of any ot$er roup !oes eit$er. @ome only nee! frien!s$ip.

ts #ery important. t$in e nee! to !istinuis$ eteen t$ose $o nee! frien!s$ip, a

relations$ip, somet$in to eep t$em from feelin isolate!, an! t$ose $o really nee!"ounselin. /$ose $o nee! an! ant "ounselin must e ale to enae in self-e:ploration to loo "losely at t$emsel#es. /$ats $at "ounselin an! t$erapy is--not

talin aout prolems ut li#in t$rou$ any prolems, feelin t$em it$ a t$erapist. /$e

"lient-"entere! t$erapist ors t$e same ay it$ any in! of "lient ut $as to $a#e a

a"roun! to un!erstan! t$ose in!s of "lients.

JEM< uess ! lie to as you if you ere oin to $a#e only one or to minutes it$ a

ne professional enterin t$e fiel! $at oul! you lie to say to $im or $er

CHP< /$is remin!s me of an interestin e:perien"e $a! re"ently. youn oman ase!

me Can you tell me in to senten"es $at your t$eory is ent aay an! t$ou$t aout

it. t$ou$t aout an e:perien"e $a! in /aian in $i"$ some stu!ents ase! me asimilar ;uestion. @o "ame a" an! sai! ll tell you $at my t$eory is< +o#e your

"lient. /$e oman as amae!. &ot to senten"es--t$ree or!s. /$ats my p$ilosop$y.

=ou $a#e to lo#e your "lient. /$ats t$e essen"e of psy"$ot$erapy.

JEM< /$ats a eautiful ay to en! t$is inter#ie. ?e t$an you #ery mu"$.


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REFERENCES

0atterson, C. *. (1964).Relationship counseling and psychotherapy. &e =or< *arper H7o.

0atterson, C. *. (19I5). The therapeutic relationship. 0a"ifi" 'ro#e C< AroosCole.

0atterson, C. *. (19I8). Theories of counseling and psychotherapy. (4t$ e!.). &e =or3.

7oers, C. 7. (1981). On becoming a person. Aoston< *ou$ton Mifflin.

Documents

The Philosophy and Practice of Client Centered Therapy