Carl Rogers: Gloria

Gloria came to the session with Carl Rogers to talk about problems she has had since her divorce. She has been to therapy previously and had a positive experience. She states that she was doing well following therapy after her divorce, but issues have arisen that she needs to process and discuss. She is feeling uncertain about the effects her dating might have on her daughter. Her questions have to do specifically with having men come to her home and then how she should approach her daughter regarding sexual relationships with men she may be dating. She is uncertain if she should be honest about her relationships. She is concerned that honestly may actually cause her daughter harm in this situation.

For Rogers, certain conditions must be met for therapy to have a positive effect, including empathy, genuineness and positive regard. Rogers's conversational style in this video meets all of those necessary therapeutic conditions. He is non directive and more concerned with his attitude toward clients than specific techniques. He uses empathic reflection to show that client that he accurately understands them. This also encourages the client to think about issues more deeply. He withholds advice and views his clients as the expert on what is best for them. Throughout the session, Gloria has the opportunity to review, reflect and reformulate the actual problem. The process is about her growth as a person rather than simply focused on solving a particular problem.

Rogers's style of conversation is to use regular language, so he doesn't appear as the expert on the client. Rather, he encourages the client to be their own expert. He allows the clients to work through the issues and acknowledge their expertise on their own life. Gloria was able to dig deeper and identify the root of the problem or issues. Clients are then able to solve or address their own issues.

In this video, Rogers clearly shows that he has a sincere inters and concern for Gloria. He uses clear languages and shows respect for her ability to handle her life and solve her problems. As a result, Gloria feels validated as a person. She feels whole and gains acceptance and more confidence in herself as a competent person.