In Person-Centered Psychotherapies, David J. Cain discusses the
history, theory, research and practice of this seminal approach whose
basic premises have influenced the practice of most therapeutic
systems.
Person-centered therapy, also called client-centered therapy, was
created by Carl Rogers almost 70 years ago. In polls of psychotherapists
conducted in 1982 and 2007, Carl Rogers was voted the most influential
psychotherapist in history. His original approach gave rise to a number
of variations on the original, all of which may be classified as
person-centered psychotherapies because of their basis in Rogers' core
therapeutic conditions of empathy, unconditional positive regard, and
congruence.
This model emphasizes the client-therapist relationship, focusing on how
the quality of moment-to-moment engagement between therapist and client
can create optimal conditions for client growth. Person-centered
therapies view clients as resourceful persons capable finding their own
directions and solutions for their problems, and a fundamental value of
the person-centered therapist is to honor and preserve the client's
autonomy and choice.
In this book, Dr. Cain presents and explores person-centered
psychotherapy, its theory, history, therapy process, primary change
mechanisms, the empirical basis for its effectiveness, and contemporary
developments that have refined theory and expanded how it may be
practiced. In recent years dialogical, experiential, existential and
expressive-creative influences have been integrated in practice. This
essential primer, amply illustrated with case examples featuring diverse
clients, is perfect for graduate students studying theories of therapy
and counseling as well as for seasoned practitioners interested in
understanding how it has evolved in recent decades.
