Unconditional positive regard (Rogers)

Words used to describe this condition include selfless (non-possessive) warmth, caring, appreciation, acceptance, respect. The concept of "unconditional positive regard" stems from Rogers' deep belief that clients are capable of constructive change if provided with the right nurturing conditions. Rogers emphasized the importance of the counselor's attitude toward the value and importance of each person. The counselor's commitment to personal integration is important to the development of unconditional positive regard, since the counselor can respect clients' ability to achieve high levels of constructive self-government only to the extent that this respect is an integral part of his own personality.

Unconditional positive regard involves the counselor's willingness to "reflect for the client whatever immediate feeling is present at the moment - confusion, resentment, fear, anger, courage, love or pride. This attitude is equivalent to love expressed in accordance with the Christian concept “love of neighbor,” without any romantic or possessive overtones. Rogers draws an analogy to the feeling of love that parents feel towards their children, valuing them as people regardless of their specific behavior at any given moment.

Demonstrating unconditional positive regard should be done up to certain limits. For example, boundaries need to be defined if the client physically threatens the counselor. Unconditional positive regard does not mean that counselors must approve of everything their clients do. Rather, unconditional positive regard is an attitude and philosophical orientation reflected in the counselor's behavior. The essence of this position is that clients are more likely to move forward if they are praised for their humanity and experience feelings of security and freedom. In doing so, clients will feel accepted by the counselor and will be able to express feelings and describe events.

The concept of “unconditional respect” means unconditional and non-judgmental acceptance of the client as a whole person. Followers of S. Rogers also use the term “unconditional positive regard,” which is identified with emotional warmth and care - the most complex and contradictory components of the therapeutic climate.

S. Rogers (1957) offers the following definition: “Unconditional positive regard” is tolerance for all aspects of the client’s subjective world, as if you yourself were part of it. A positive attitude does not put forward any conditions such as: “I will like you if you are like this”; it also excludes the idea of good and bad qualities. It is necessary to absorb all the client's social feelings: not only positive - mature, but also negative - repulsive and frightening, defensive and abnormal. You must accept the client's inconsistency. This kind of attitude shows concern for the client, a renunciation of possessive attitudes and attempts to satisfy the therapist’s own requests. The client must be taken care of as an independent person, allowing him to live his own life."

A positive attitude towards clients is associated with the consultant's sincerity in the advisory contact. Only by respecting clients can you be honest with them and enter into confrontation.

Carkhuff and Berenson (1977) note that positive attitudes toward clients are shaped by the counselor's self-esteem. If a psychotherapist does not value his feelings and thoughts, neglects his past, it is difficult for him to respect the thoughts and feelings of another person.

A positive attitude is a very important part of the counseling process. George and Cristiani (1990) noted that cadets in counseling training are often surprised at how well-liked each person who seeks help can be. Most specialists are able to maintain positive relationships with a wide variety of people - consultative contact allows you to “cross” barriers that are usually considered insurmountable. If in any case the consultant is unable to overcome himself, he is obliged to refer the client to a colleague (for the conditions of referral, see below).

Research shows that unconditional positive regard is a complex phenomenon; Several independent factors can be identified in it (Lietaer, 1984; Barret-Lennard, 1986). Barrett-Lennard (1986) points to two essential factors: level of attitude and unconditionality of attitude. Attitude level is defined as the overall intensity of one person's emotional response to another. A positive attitude includes warmth, sympathy, caring, and appreciation of the client without the desire to control or manage. If the level of attitude is associated with the manifestation of positive or negative feelings towards the client, then the unconditionality of the attitude implies the constancy of the client’s acceptance, i.e. an attitude without any "ifs". Unconditionality means that the counselor's basic attitude does not fluctuate depending on the client's emotional state and behavior.

Unconditional positive regard appears to be not only a complex but also quite controversial phenomenon. S. Rogers considers a positive attitude towards the client one of the three conditions for successful therapy, but he has not sufficiently analyzed the concept itself and the associated problems. Critics argue that in psychotherapy and counseling it is unrealistic to expect unconditional respect for clients. The requirement for unconditional respect, in their opinion, contradicts other requirements for a consultant (for example, sincerity).

The answer to this kind of criticism can be twofold. Firstly, Berenson and Carkhuff in 1967 emphasized that positive regard is a theoretical concept, and from the point of view of everyday practice it is more correct to talk about unconditional positive regard in many counseling situations. Sometimes the attitude is conditional. Second, based on Lietaer (1984), a distinction must be made between the client's subjective world and his external behavior. Unconditionality is aimed at accepting the client’s feelings, fantasies, thoughts, and desires. Lietaer (1984) writes:

“In communication with me, the client can be free and indulge in any experiences; he must feel that I am open to his experience and not prone to judgment.” However, this does not mean, according to Lietaer, that all behavior is acceptable. Both within and outside of the therapeutic relationship, it is possible for the counselor to disapprove and reject the client’s behavior. At the same time, it is important to understand what is hidden behind behavior that is not approved.

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(Unconditional positive regard). Caring for a person that does not require any personal rewards and is not possessive. This attitude creates the conditions for a person to be who he really is, regardless of his character. Unconditional positive regard is different from positive evaluation, which restrains a person's behavior by punishing him for some actions and rewarding him for others.

Meanings in other dictionaries

Unconditional Positive Attention

(Unconditional positive regard). Rogers's term for respect and acceptance of another, whether or not the person behaves in accordance with the expectations of the one demonstrating acceptance. In other words, positive attention is not dependent on specific actions or thoughts. ...

Unconditional Positive Self-Attention

(Unconditional positive self-regard). A term used to describe a person who does not perceive any experience as worthy of more or less positive attention than any other. According to Rogers, unconditional positive attention to oneself allows a person to develop to become fully functioning. ...

Unconditional Acceptance

A humanistic psychology term that means total acceptance of the patient's personality, regardless of what he says or does. Unconditional acceptance is a key element of patient-centered psychotherapy. ...

1.5.1. Consultant in progress. Client in progress. R. Nelson-Jones

(R. Nelson-Jones. Theory and practice of counseling - St. Petersburg, 2001)

Rogers believed that the effectiveness of counseling is determined, first of all, by the quality of interpersonal interaction between the consultant and the client. In person-centered counseling, the thoughts and feelings of both clients and counselors are important. There are no formal evaluation criteria, as long as all clients are considered as individuals who have difficulties in self-actualization due to the presence of value conditions. If consultants were to evaluate clients from their own external perspective, they would run the risk of replicating the circumstances that led clients to acquire and maintain certain value conditions.

There is a connection between how accurately person-centered counselors identify the causes of clients' self-alienation and inner schisms and how they can help their clients grow and heal. Person-centered counselors strive to create a relationship environment that can serve as an antidote to the emotional deprivation experienced by their clients.

What are the conditions necessary for client growth and reintegration? In 1957, Rogers listed six conditions that are necessary and sufficient for therapeutic personality change. He stated that these conditions must exist for a period of time sufficient for a constructive change in personality to occur. Rogers also stated: “No other conditions are necessary” (Rogers, 1957, p. 96). So these are the conditions.

Firstly, there must be psychological contact between two people

Second, the client must be incongruent and vulnerable or anxious.

Third, the consultant must be “congruent or integrated into the relationship”

Fourth and fifth, the counselor must have an “unconditionally positive attitude toward the client” and “empathetically understand the client's belief system and seek to communicate this to the client” (p. 96).

Sixthly, the consultant’s ability to adequately convey to the client his empathic understanding of him and his unconditional positive attitude towards him. Rogers considered congruence, unconditional positive regard, and empathy as elements necessary to create “a relational climate that promotes therapeutic growth...” (Rogers-Sanford, 1985). Rogers emphasized that these conditions are not all-or-nothing conditions, but exist on continuums.

Congruence . Words used to define congruence include authenticity, reality, openness, transparency, presence. Congruence is the most important condition for a relationship. Counselors must perceive the feelings they experience, be able to acknowledge them, “live with those feelings, and communicate them as needed” (Rogers, 1962). Consultants should maintain direct (person-to-person) contact with clients. In addition, counselors should avoid the intellectual approach, which is characterized by treating clients as objects. Congruent consultants do not play games by speaking politely and using professional masks.

Rogers recognized that no one is completely congruent all the time. Dealing with imperfect people can bring great benefits to clients. It is enough for consultants to be completely themselves at specific moments in direct communication with certain people, while the experience of consultants must be accurately symbolized in their self-concepts.

The statement that counselors should be congruent does not mean that counselors should “impulsively verbalize every passing feeling...” (Rogers, 1962). This statement also does not mean that counselors should conduct sessions in a counselor-centered rather than a client-centered manner. However, congruence implies that the counselor is not afraid to share his client's feelings or give him feedback that could improve their relationship if the counselor expresses his feelings sincerely. The following example can be given.

Some counselors tend to share their experiences of fatigue rather than hide them. This openness helps restore the consultant's energy potential and allows the client to see that he is dealing with a real person. It would be appropriate to give another example here. Rogers believed that if a consultant constantly experiences boredom when communicating with a client, then he must tell the client about it. The counselor should recognize that the source of the feeling of boredom is within himself, rather than resorting to accusatory statements. The counselor should also share that he is uncomfortable communicating this feeling to the client and state that he would like to establish closer contact with the client. Rogers sought to overcome the barrier between himself and the client, acting as a real, imperfect person who shared the client's true feelings. Rogers hoped this would help the client speak more sincerely.

Another view of congruence can be gained by understanding what Rogers says regarding the concept of presence. During the counseling process, both counselors and clients can achieve an altered state of consciousness, which is characterized by a person's feeling that he is in touch with the main evolutionary stream and is aware of its significance (Heppner, Rogers, Lee, 1984; Rogers, 1980). A specialist engaged in counseling deals with two planes - mystical and spiritual. Rogers believed that as a consultant he worked most effectively when he was closest to his inner intuitive self and “when perhaps my consciousness was slightly altered. Then my mere presence contributes to the client's liberation and is beneficial for him” (Rogers, 1980, p. 129). When a person is in such a state, his behavior, which in another situation might seem strange, impulsive and difficult to justify, from a rational point of view, turns out to be correct. Rogers writes: “It was as if my inner spirit had reached out and touched the inner spirit of another person. Our relationship goes beyond its limits and becomes part of something larger. There is profound growth, healing, and an influx of energy” (Rogers, 1980, p. 129).

. Words used to describe this condition include selfless (non-possessive) warmth, caring, appreciation, acceptance, respect. The concept of "unconditional positive regard" stems from Rogers' deep belief that clients are capable of constructive change if provided with the right nurturing conditions. Rogers emphasized the importance of the counselor's attitude toward the value and importance of each person. The counselor's commitment to personal integration is important to the development of unconditional positive regard, since the counselor can respect clients' ability to achieve high levels of constructive self-government only to the extent that this respect is an integral part of his own personality.

Unconditional positive regard involves the counselor's willingness to “reflect for the client whatever immediate feeling is present at the moment—confusion, resentment, apprehension, anger, courage, love, or pride...” (Rogers, 1986). This attitude is equivalent to love expressed in accordance with the Christian concept of "love of neighbor", without any romantic or possessive overtones. Rogers draws an analogy to the feeling of love that parents feel towards their children, valuing them as people regardless of their specific behavior at any given moment.

Consultants don't show a positive attitude towards clients if they become smarter, less vulnerable, less likely to take a defensive position, and so on. Person-centered theory explains clients' need to see counselors because clients have been shown positive treatment in the past.

Empathy. The following concepts, which are similar in meaning, are used: precise empathy, empathic understanding, empathic way of being, empathic position, empathic attitude. Rogers (1957) wrote: “Sensing the client’s inner world as if it were your own, but while maintaining the “as if” quality is empathy...” There are several different aspects of the empathic way of being in the counseling process that can be identified. Counselors must “get into the shoes” and “get under the skin” of their clients to better understand their personal subjective world.

Counselors must be sensitive to the flow of experiences that arise both in clients and in themselves at any given moment. They must also be able to sense nuances that clients cannot sense. By showing tact, sensitivity, and showing an understanding of clients’ problems, consultants must convey to them their perception of their inner world and personal meanings.

Counselors should also communicate to clients their desire to understand their inner world, frequently checking the accuracy of their understanding and demonstrating a willingness to take into account comments and make adjustments. An empathic attitude helps create an emotional climate in which clients can help their counselors understand them more accurately. Rogers recognized that clients often received empathic messages by noticing the counselor's unintentional "throw-ins," such as casual remarks and involuntary changes in facial expression.

Below are two examples of empathy.

The first example is an excerpt from an interview Rogers conducted in 1983 with one of his clients. This woman says she has a lot of problems because she sent her 20-year-old daughter to college (Raskin, Rogers, 1989).

Rogers:...You feel like she's slipping away from you,

and you... and it hurts... and

Client: Yes. It's like I'm sitting here alone.

You know, it’s like I feel like she’s gone, but I’m still here.

Rogers: Hmm-hmm. This is exactly what you are experiencing now:

she leaves the house, and you are here - completely alone.

Client: Yes. Yes. Yes. I feel really alone. (Cries.)

Although the second example of empathy comes from the experience of a meeting group (Rogers, 1975), the empathic process it demonstrates also occurs in individual work with clients. The man speaks negatively about his father, and speaks very vaguely. First, the facilitator asks the person if he can be angry with his father. When the person answers that he does not think so, the facilitator asks the question: “Perhaps you are not satisfied with him?” The man answers rather hesitantly: “Well, yes, perhaps.” The facilitator then asks him if he is disappointed in his father, to which the man quickly replies, “Exactly! I'm disappointed because he is not a strong personality. I think I was disappointed in him even when I was a boy.”

In the case described, neither the facilitator nor Rogers interprets the client. Rather, the facilitator tries to gradually understand him in order to grasp exactly what he wants to say. Gendlin (1988) notes that Rogers usually worked through each correction until the client said, “Yes, that's exactly it. This is what I feel” (p. 127).

It is characteristic that these words were followed by a pause, during which the client received full empathic understanding. Very often, in a moment of such silence, clients came into contact with something deeper.

Now let's talk about what empathy is not. True empathy has no evaluative or diagnostic quality. Empathy is also most definitely not “a wooden technique of pseudo-understanding in which the counselor 'reflects back what the client has just said'” (Rogers, 1962). In a 1975 paper on empathy, Rogers reports that he initially thought the optimal response was to “mirror” his clients' feelings, but as he gained more experience in counseling, he became literally sick of the word “mirror.” Rogers understood empathy as a special position, a specific form of companionship, a gentle way of communicating with clients. However, offering empathy does not imply the fulfillment of good intentions, nor does it imply mechanical reflection.

Client in progress.

The goals of person-centered counseling have already been discussed above. In this section, I want to consider how each of the three conditions of the counselor's attitude—congruence, unconditional positive regard, and empathy—can influence the client's congruence, unconditional positive regard, and empathy.

Unconditional positive regard .

Here I consider the attitude of clients towards themselves rather than towards consultants. Most often, clients experience a lack of self-esteem. Rogers (1975) has suggested many ways in which clients' self-esteem can be enhanced by using empathic attitudes.

First, understanding and accepting the hidden and unacceptable part of oneself helps clients to disappear from alienation and connect them with the human race.

Secondly, the consultant’s concern for the true “I” of his clients and his appreciation of them allows clients to think: “This other individual trusts me, believes that I deserve attention. Perhaps I really am worth something. Maybe I could value myself. Perhaps I could be of interest to myself” (p. 7).

Third, the lack of judgment on the part of counselors encourages clients to judge themselves less harshly; thus, the capacity for self-acceptance gradually develops. In addition, as clients develop a sense of self-worth, they begin to shift their “center of evaluation” away from the standards and beliefs of others towards their own views. In this way, customers become less vulnerable to the disruptive effects of value conditions.

Empathy.

The three terms of the counseling relationship make it easier for clients to achieve a state of self-empathy both during and after counseling. To varying degrees, clients' self-concepts may create the conditions for awareness of much of the experience. Clients' awareness that the counselor is sensitive to their feelings gives clients the opportunity to experience and analyze their feelings and thus better understand themselves. In addition, clients begin to realize how important it is to listen to their own feelings - this allows them to develop the right plans of action and determine the course of life for the future. It is also worth noting that the more empathy clients are able to feel towards themselves, the more likely they are to experience and show empathy towards counselors and others, thereby improving the quality of their relationships with people. In summary, congruence, unconditional positive regard, and counselor empathy help transform clients into effective, self-improving counselors and also promote client growth and development. Counselors who lack these relational conditions may increase the degree to which their clients are incongruent, the extent of their negative attitudes toward themselves, and the amount of lack of empathy that clients experience toward themselves and others. However, experienced person-centered counselors can greatly help their clients become individuals.

Additional uses

Person-centered counseling was presented here in connection with universal opportunityits implementation during individual work with clients. However, Rogers' interests and views were much broader. He insisted that the principles of person-centered counseling could be used in meeting groups, classroom teaching, management training, and conflict resolution.

I want to end this chapter with a beautiful statement from Lao Tzu, the main idea of which is deeply in tune with the thoughts of Rogers. Here, as it were, the main thing in the theory of person-centered counseling developed by Rogers is summed up.

Last update: 04/19/2015

Unconditional positive regard is a term used by humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers to describe a method used in his nondirective, or client-centered, therapy. According to Rogers, unconditional positive regard involves showing complete support and acceptance of a person, regardless of what that person says or does. The therapist should not set any conditions for this.

That is, the doctor is obliged to support the client - regardless of whether he demonstrates “good” behavior and positive emotions or not. “It means caring for the client, but not in a patronizing way or in a way that simply satisfies the therapist's own needs,” Rogers explained in an article (1957) published in the Journal of Consulting Psychology. “This means caring for the client as an independent person, naturally having his own feelings and experiences.”

Rogers believed that it was important for a physician to show unconditional positive regard for his clients. He also suggested that people who do not receive such treatment from people around them in their lives end up forming a negative opinion of themselves.

“People also fuel our growth by offering this kind of attitude—offering us what Rogers called unconditional positive regard,” explains David G. Myers in his book. “This is a disposition, an understanding of our value even when our shortcomings are known. With such relief, we stop pretending, admit our worst feelings - and find that we are still accepted. With a really good spouse, really close relatives or best friend, we can be spontaneous without fear of losing their respect.”

Is it really possible for a therapist to offer unconditional positive regard to every client? Many assume the answer will be no.

However, as John and Rita Sommers-Flanagan point out, it is the therapist who can at least try to feel this relationship with their clients. They add that this attitude does not imply permissiveness or approval of all forms of behavior. Natalie Rogers, daughter of Carl Rogers, later explained that her father considered all thoughts and feelings acceptable, but this did not apply to behavior.

Unconditional positive regard is the cornerstone of client-centered therapy, but it is not always easy to implement in practice. Imagine a situation in which a therapist is working with a rapist. In her book, Counseling and Psychotherapy Theories in Context and Practice, Sommers-Flanagan offers some advice for those who are faced with such a difficult situation in practice.

Rather than focusing on the behavior itself, the authors recommend looking for a positive attitude towards the distress and concerns that the behavior may pose. “Rogers firmly believed that every person was born with the potential to develop positive, kind attitudes,” they write. - “By conducting person-centered therapy, you give a person a new chance - perhaps his last chance - to feel that he is welcome, ready to understand and accept. Your attitude can create the conditions necessary for change.”