Monday, June 1, 2009

Client-centered therapy

As I start looking into combining psychotherapy and homeopathy I have been reading texts of various authors, watching interviews with key figures of psychology and thinking about the relevance of the vast work, research and ideas that have gone into the practice of psychology to the work I am doing. I find deeply rooted connection between my work as a homeopathic practitioner and some of the thinkers of psychology. I would like to quote here from Carl Rogers’ book On Becoming a Person: A Therapist's View of Psychotherapy. Rogers' so called client-centered approach is definitely very close to what I experience as the authentic relationship between therapist and client. As Rogers points it out it can be any relationship between two humans, where at least one of them has the goal of growing towards self-actualization, in simple terms becoming a person he/she seeks to be. I am taking this quote from him because his words remind me of the multi-layered work we do with our clients. Establishing a healing relationship is the heart of what we do. Therefore we can look for the results of our work at the same place: in this relationship. This is the fertile soil homeopathic inquiry will sow its seeds.
Here is Rogers:
"If I can create a relationship characterized on my part:
by a genuineness and transparency, in which I am my real feelings;
by a warm acceptance of and prizing of the other person as a separate individual;
by a sensitive ability to see his world and himself as he sees them;
Then the other individual in the relationship:
will experience and understand aspects of himself which previously he has repressed;
will find himself become better integrated, more able to function effectively;
will become more similar to the person he would like to be;
will be more self-directing and self-confident;
will become more of a person, more unique and more self-expressive;
will be more understanding, more acceptant of others;
will be able to cope with the problems of life more adequately and more comfortably". (Rogers, 1961, p. 37)
I find it intriguing that Rogers’ statements regarding what “will” happen are very close to what I expect to happen as a result of homeopathic treatment. I understand that the style of inquiry and the spread of issues we address are very different, but nevertheless it is interesting to consider the similarities and learn from the other.
By giving a special kind of attention, Rogers becomes the source of healing. The relationship is what is the central point to healing, the pivot point where clients finds the energy for and direction to healing. In the Sensation Method I (the homeopath) identify the issue, the “aspects the person repressed” without the conscious participation of the client. Recently I have been leaning towards moving the process of self-discovery and subsequent self-actualization to become the conscious endeavor of client as well as the practitioner. I think it is more humanistic, more approachable and therapeutic, and helps to fill the gap where the limitations of homeopathy would stop us. If we share the responsibility of the process and outcome with the client, we will not lose the case because of outside circumstances. We will have the ability to keep the healing going even without a remedy, while still progressing in the direction the homeopathic inquiry brings us.

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