Is person-centered therapy (PCT) a radical alternative to today’s individual and political situation or a failed revolution?

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe person-centered approach (PCA) is under review for possible updates in the fields in which I am primarily involved: psychotherapy, psychotherapy education (both in Austria) and, more generally, in today’s society. Adapting the PCA to the 21st century implies neither modification nor improvement of the original concept, but its adjustment to a changing world in such way as to generate enthusiastic support for it. Person-centered therapy’s success is based on the grasp of the conception of the human being, the paradigm of the ‘person’ and the idea of relation involved, in addition to the often cited basic beliefs. PCA stresses an inner attitude as a basis on which harmonious co-existence in life can be built. Rogers called the PCA a quiet revolution. In what state is the revolution he promoted? Is it too silent, or has it yet to start after the lapse of so many years? How can we help the immature PCA to ‘grow up’ and assume an individual identity? I hypothesize that the problem lies not only in a mistaken idea of tolerance, but also in a reluctance to making oneself visible as a person, and that these are obstacles to a widespread and popular PCA.