There and Back Again

Disposition: Tired
Listening: Homespun Love (Keith Urban)
Reading: Bel Canto
Watching: Van Helsing
Obsessing: Eduardo Noriega
Pondering: What I am is good enough if I could only be it openly. (Carl Rogers)

Nostalgia

In college, one of my favorite courses was counseling. In this course, we studied the different theories of personality: psychodynamic, behavioral, humanistic and dispositional. I remember saying to myself back then that if I were to pursue counseling over industrial psychology (the two specifications of my coursework), I would use the humanistic approach with my clients - specifically Carl Rogers’ client-centered therapy - because it was, out of all the theories, the easiest for me to understand, remember and talk about.

The one basic thing that stands out in my mind when I try to define humanistic psychology is its concept that “man is basically good.” Man basically aims to do good. He possesses within him all that he needs to develop his full potential to be a worthwhile individual. Self- esteem, self-worth and self-love are essential. Humanists emphasize on the present, the future and the conscious thought process versus psychodynamics’ and behaviorist’s emphasis on childhood conflicts, past learning and unconscious thought processes. Humanistic client-centered therapy is non-directive. Clients are encouraged to be honest with themselves and their feelings. The therapist’s role is to reflect the counselee’s responses back to him, allowing the client to get in touch with his innate resources which he will need to deal with life and in developing self-worth. The therapist offers personal congruence, unconditional positive regard and accurate empathic understanding.

Why I’m telling you this, I don’t really know. It all just came back to me as I was browsing the I’m OK — You’re OK book I bought during lunch from a used bookstore near the office. When I saw the book, I was transported back to my old college days of sleepy afternoon facilitation classes, evening psychometric exams and long hours at the library, researching. Funny how back then I hated the routine of student life but now, I long for it. I wish to be back to its simple conundrum.