Carl Rogers - Summary of Theory

Actualising Tendency
- There is a built in motivation within eevery life form to develop its potentials for the fullest extent possible
- In other words, everything in this worlld has the motivation to do the best it can possible do

Rogerian Theory
-Organismic Value - For example: When we  are hungry, we eat food that is good. Good and bad are evolutionary teachings. 
- Positive regard - For example: love, afffection, attention, nurturance. Babies need all this to thrive
- Positive self regard - For example: we  value self image, self esteem, self worth. We need this to thrive. (OPP)

How things go wrong (3 ways)
- Conditions of worth: For example, parennts only give us something when we show worth (i.e.: 50 bucks after achieving HD's in all subjects) rather than giving them because we need it
- Conditional Positive regard - For exampple: you only get positive regard based on a condition. Doing well - people like you, doing badly - people dont like you. 
- Conditional Positive self regard - For  example: Over time we tend to like ourselves only if we meet standards set by ourselves or by other people (CCC)

Incongruity
This is termed the difference between the real self and the ideal self. That is: "I am this" and "I should be this". Thus the more the difference is, the more the incongruity - the more the neurosis. 

Defenses
- When you are in a situation of incongruuity then we see that we are in a threatening situation. When you are in a threatening situation, then you will feel anxiety (signal indicating that there is trouble ahead). Then you have defenses - running psychologically. 

	- Denial - You block out the threating situation altogether. You dont want to get your test 	results back
	- Perceptual distortion - Reinterpreting the situation so it appears less threatening. A 		student may blame the teacher, the marking, or the test for the bad mark (think of ISF). 

The fully functioning person
- Creativity - If you are a fully functiooning person, you will assist in the actualisation of others by creative methods
- Openness to experience - You should be  open to your experience, accept the reality and feelings
- Organismic Trusting - Trust ourselves,  do what feels right, and what comes natural
- Existential living - Live in the presennt world. Not the past, its gone, not the future - its hasnt come yet. 
- Experiential Freedom - The fully functiioning person acknowledges feeling of freedom, and takes responsibility for his choices. (COOEE)

Rogerian Therapy Requirements
A therapist in order to be effective must have three things:
- Congruence - genuineness, honesty with  the client
- Empathy - the ability to feel what the  client feels
- Respect - acceptance, unconditional possitive regard towards the client (CER)