Empathy is another of the core behaviours that staff must have with clients to have the best outcomes from drug or alcohol addiction rehabilitation, empathy cannot occur without good communication and an understanding of what clients are going through. Empathy builds trust in the staff and creates the feeling in clients that staff are doing the best for the client. The display of empathy towards clients can be so readily mistaken for friendship by the clients because it may be a rare event in the clients social circles. Being part of the Rogerian method, empathy also holds that staff should possess an unconditional positive regard for the client (Corsini, 2002, p. 849). An Anti-positivist, Carl Rogers is well known for his counselling techniques and his Person centred therapy (AKA Rogerian therapy), with empathy being at the core of the counsellors skill. The ideology of Phenomenological theory that drove Carl Rogers is the subjective experience of people and the meanings and understanding of all aspects of the human condition and differences (Demorest, 2005, p. 2; Wlison, 1996, p. 1214). Human beings are not without agency dictated by the environment, but do have free will and have control over their behaviour (Demorest, 2005, p.3). The environment is not without strong and at time without powerful influences on the individual, though the perceptions and subjective experiences also have influence on behaviour (Demorest, 2005, p.4). Being a response to behavioural paradigm, client centred method is based on the precept that clients have a choice in the direction their live will go and in the therapy clear communication is used to be based on being genuine, empathic and respectful (McCarthy, 2008). Rogerian therapy focuses on a good human-to human relationship, recognising the clients own subjective experience, opinions, viewpoint, and understanding (Wlison, 1996, p. 1214).
By concentrating on a persons growth, and the personality functioning rather than the development of personality theory (Wlison, 1996, p. 1214). Rogers viewed personality as a goal-directed behaviour, understanding that the person is at the centre of their reality reacting to an ever changing world, attempting to satisfy their needs as experienced in the phenomenal field (Wlison, 1996, p. 1214). The individual has a unique perspective based on their own private world, thus the therapist must assume a frame of reference from the clients perspective (Wlison, 1996, p. 1214). Emotional stability is based on facilitating goal-directed behaviour, and is structures on a self concept derived from evaluative interaction with others, which is fluid while having consistent patterns of self-perceptions (Wlison, 1996, p. 1214). The phenomenal field refers to everything experienced at any given time (Wlison, 1996, p. 1214). The internal frame of reference refers to the process by which therapists attempt to perceive the clients reality and experience as closely as possible (Wlison, 1996, p. 1214), somewhat like the Stanislavski method within theatrical acting. Rogers recognises that any individual is subject to their own subjective experience and perceptions that shape their understanding of reality that guide behaviour (Wlison, 1996, p. 1214). In treatment, therapists strive to understand clients by understanding their views of themselves and the environment in which they live (Wlison, 1996, p. 1214).
The self concept is considered by Rogers to be organized, consistent and learned attribute composed of thoughts about the self, derived by the interactions with others (Wlison, 1996, p. 1215). Thus the therapist must have a universal positive regard to challenge the clients negative self-view and self-worth, which was learned by the interaction with significant others, from childhood onwards (Wlison, 1996, p. 1215). Maladjustment behaviour stems from the inconsistency between the self-concept and their sensory and visceral experiences, with a lack of positive regard, concentrating on failure, imperfections and weaknesses (Wlison, 1996, p. 1215).
The quality of the therapeutic process is measured on the clients rating of accurate empathy, genuineness, unconditional positive regard, and trust within the experiential client-therapist relationship, which is closely associated with the success or failure of therapy (Wlison, 1996, p. 1216). All individuals are in this paradigm seen as persons in relationship not people in role (pigeon holed with labels) (Wlison, 1996, p. 1216).
Empathy reflects an attitude of interest in the client's thoughts, feelings, and experiences, empathy is a way of being that is powerfully curative, and has been described as the most important aspect of the therapeutic endeavour (Wlison, 1996, p. 1216). Those therapists that have this sensitivity to the client can in essence climb inside the client's subjective experience and their perceptions of reality (Wlison, 1996, p. 1216).
By concentrating on a persons growth, and the personality functioning rather than the development of personality theory (Wlison, 1996, p. 1214). Rogers viewed personality as a goal-directed behaviour, understanding that the person is at the centre of their reality reacting to an ever changing world, attempting to satisfy their needs as experienced in the phenomenal field (Wlison, 1996, p. 1214). The individual has a unique perspective based on their own private world, thus the therapist must assume a frame of reference from the clients perspective (Wlison, 1996, p. 1214). Emotional stability is based on facilitating goal-directed behaviour, and is structures on a self concept derived from evaluative interaction with others, which is fluid while having consistent patterns of self-perceptions (Wlison, 1996, p. 1214). The phenomenal field refers to everything experienced at any given time (Wlison, 1996, p. 1214). The internal frame of reference refers to the process by which therapists attempt to perceive the clients reality and experience as closely as possible (Wlison, 1996, p. 1214), somewhat like the Stanislavski method within theatrical acting. Rogers recognises that any individual is subject to their own subjective experience and perceptions that shape their understanding of reality that guide behaviour (Wlison, 1996, p. 1214). In treatment, therapists strive to understand clients by understanding their views of themselves and the environment in which they live (Wlison, 1996, p. 1214).
The self concept is considered by Rogers to be organized, consistent and learned attribute composed of thoughts about the self, derived by the interactions with others (Wlison, 1996, p. 1215). Thus the therapist must have a universal positive regard to challenge the clients negative self-view and self-worth, which was learned by the interaction with significant others, from childhood onwards (Wlison, 1996, p. 1215). Maladjustment behaviour stems from the inconsistency between the self-concept and their sensory and visceral experiences, with a lack of positive regard, concentrating on failure, imperfections and weaknesses (Wlison, 1996, p. 1215).
The quality of the therapeutic process is measured on the clients rating of accurate empathy, genuineness, unconditional positive regard, and trust within the experiential client-therapist relationship, which is closely associated with the success or failure of therapy (Wlison, 1996, p. 1216). All individuals are in this paradigm seen as persons in relationship not people in role (pigeon holed with labels) (Wlison, 1996, p. 1216).
Empathy reflects an attitude of interest in the client's thoughts, feelings, and experiences, empathy is a way of being that is powerfully curative, and has been described as the most important aspect of the therapeutic endeavour (Wlison, 1996, p. 1216). Those therapists that have this sensitivity to the client can in essence climb inside the client's subjective experience and their perceptions of reality (Wlison, 1996, p. 1216).
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