Allisonsmasters

How developments in psychological research in the mid-to-late twentieth century gave new opportunities for professional practice with clients?

Let’s start answering this question by looking at an area of professional practice which is prevalent today: Counselling and Psychotherapy. The British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (2025) conducted a survey of 5000 UK adults to find out about their experiences and attitudes to therapy and mental health. They found that:

• 35% had had counselling at some point in their life.
• Nearly half were referred by a GP.
• One in ten had been referred by their employer.

What has led to this?

In the early-mid twentieth century, this picture would be quite different. Clinical psychologists might have found themselves relegated to carrying out psychological testing. The medical profession and psychiatrists led the way. Post World War Two, the work of psychologists changed (Benjamin,2024). Psychologists were developing techniques and theories that were increasingly used to research and treat clients.

Development of the Person-Centred Approach

One of those psychologists developing new theories and approaches was Carl Rogers. In the 1940s, he developed the non-directive, client-centred approach to counselling and psychotherapy. (Kirschenbaum and Jourdan, 2005).

Rogers developed the theory that the client can understand the aspects of their life that causes their mental challenges, even if it is a latent awareness. They have the capacity within them to change. The role of the therapist is to create the psychological atmosphere that facilitates this happening. He suggested that there are three core conditions needed. The first is unconditional positive regard, second is empathy and third is congruence (Miller and Moyers, 2017).

Rogers and his colleagues shared their principles through writings and work with clients. They also carried out empirical research (Miller and Moyers, 2017). Rogers and his team measured key variables including the therapist’s acceptance, empathy, and congruence. His work was so well-regarded that in 1957, he received the Distinguished Scientific Contribution award (Kirschenbaum and Jourdan, 2005).

Rogers continued to develop their client centred approach over the next 25 years in diverse fields. These included fields like education, leadership, relationships like marriage and even conflict resolution.

Has this approach provided new opportunities?

Kirschenbaum and Jourdan (2005) found that there were more publications on Rogers and the person-centred approach in the 17 years after his death than in the 40 years before. They found that research studies have continued to support Rogers’s theories and client centred principles still form the basis of practices by therapists today.

New techniques have been developed to further client self-discovery whilst still having person-centred principles underpinning them. Miller and Moyers (2017) showed the impact of motivational interviewing which has evolved from client centred therapy. Other offshoots include child-centred play therapy, focusing, expressive therapy.

Shefer et al (2018) focused on Rogers’s work on regardful relationships to look at how that can influence employee performance.

These are just a few examples of how Carl Rogers’s and his colleagues work continue to influence the work of researchers and practitioners today. Their research still provides today’s psychologists with a basis for new ways to work with clients.

We also shouldn’t forget where this blog started. Person-centred therapies developed in the mid-20^th century are widely acknowledged as a key technique used today in the UK. I’m sure Carl Rogers would be delighted.

References

Association for the development of the Person-Centred Approach 2025 (n.d.) https://adpca.org/the-history-of-the-pca/

Benjamin Jr., L.T. (2024). A Brief History of Modern Psychology. (4^th ed.). Wiley.

British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy 2025 (n.d.) https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-us/about-bacp/bacp-public-perceptions-survey/

Kirschenbaum, H. & Jourdan, A. (2005). The current status of Carl Rogers and the person-centred approach. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 42 (1), pp 37 – 51. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-3204.42.1.37

Jafari, M.R.D., Aghaei, A. & Rad, M.R., (2020). Existential humanistic therapy with couples and its effect on meaning of life and love attitudes. The American journal of Family Therapy, 48 (5), pp530-545. https://doi.org/10.1080/01926187.2020.1770142

Miller, W.R. & Moyers, T.B., (2017). Motivational Interviewing and the Clinical Science of Carl Rogers. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 85 (8), pp757-766. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000179

Renger, S. & Macaskill, A. (2021). Developing the foundations for a learning-based humanistic therapy. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 65 (5). https://doi.org/10.1177/00221678211007668

Shefer, N., Carmeli, A. & Cohen-Meitar, R. (2018). Bringing carl Rogers back in: Exploring the power of positive regard at work. British Journal of management, 29, pp 63 -81. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.12247