On Becoming A Person

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In the few years since it was first published, this study of personal growth and creativity by one of America’s most distinguished psychologists has established itself as a classic work, one that challenges many concepts and attitudes of traditional psychology, and poses such fundamental questions as: What is the meaning of personal growth? Under what conditions is growth possible? How can one person help another? What is creativity and how can it be fostered? Contemporary psychology derives largely from the experimental laboratory or from Freudian theory. It is thus largely preoccupied with minute aspects of animal and human behavior, or with the mentally ill. Dr. Rogers believes that psychology and psychiatry should set their sights higher, and be more concerned with growth and the potential in man. It is to this end that Dr. Rogers’ famous “ client-centered therapy” is directed. The focus of this therapy is not on methodology, but on the person as an individual, with all his various qualities and possibilities infinitely capable of development. This philosophical and provocative book is a summing up of Dr. Rogers mature experience in psychotherapy, it is an indispensable introduction to the process of becoming, intended not only for. psychologists and psychiatrists, but for all who are interested in human personality and growth.

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On Becoming a Person A Therapists View o f Psychotherapy Carl R. Rogers Sentry E iition /970 H OUGHTON M IF F L IN CO M PA N Y • BO STO N First Sentry Printing R Copyright © 1961 by Carl R. Rogers All rights reserved. N o part of this w o r\ may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America Contents * Introduction T o the Reader PART vii I S p e a k in g P er so n a l ly Chapter 1 “ T h is is M e” 3 PART II H ow C an I Be o f H elp ? Chapter 2 Som e H ypotheses R egarding the Facilitation of Personal G row th Chapter 3 T h e Characteristics o f aH elping Relationship 39 Chapter 4 W hat W e K now About Psychotherapy — O b­ jectively and Subjectively 59 PART 31 III T h e P r o c e s s o f B e c o m i n g a P e r so n Chapter 5 Som e o f the Directions Evident in T h erapy Chapter 6 W hat It Means to Become a Person 107 73 Chapter 7 A Process Conception o f Psychotherapy 125 C on tents iv PART IV A P h il o s o p h y o f P e r s o n s Chapter 8 “ T o Be T h at Self W hich One T ru ly Is” : A Therapist’s V iew o f Personal G oals 163 Chapter 9 A Therapist’s V iew o f the G ood L ife: T h e Fully Functioning Person 183 PART V G e t t in g a t t h e F a c t s : T h e P l a c e o f R e s e a r c h in P s y c h o t h e r a p y Chapter 10 Persons or Science? A Philosophical Question 199 Chapter 11 Personality Change in Psychotherapy 225 Chapter 12 Client-Centered T h erapy in its Context o f R e­ search 243 PART VI W h a t A r e t h e I m p l i c a t i o n s f o r L iv in g ? Chapter 13 Personal Th oughts on Teaching and Learning 273 Chapter 14 Significant Learning: In T h erapy and in E d u­ cati