Person-Centered Therapy Text: Chapter 9 Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) Outside Reading

Person-Centered TherapyText: Chapter 9Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT)Outside Reading

Upstate Person-Centered TherapyExperiential/Relationship Oriented • Developer: Carl R. Rogers • Rogers: Example of a flower seed • This seed has in it the potential to develop into a beautiful flower • The seed needs proper environmental conditions • Rogers sees humans in this same way • To fulfill our psychological potential, we need the right environmental conditions.

Upstate • Organismic valuing process - the innate tendency which allows individuals to evaluate their experience • That is, to know what experiences are growth producing and what experiences are detrimental to growth • The actualizing tendency/self actualization • Locus of evaluation: internal/external.

Upstate • Unconditional positive regard • Conditional regard/conditions of worth • The need for positive regard - this need may override the organismic valuing process • Introjected values • Self/Self Concept - as we interact with others, our self concept is developing • The picture we have of who we are.

Upstate • Incongruence - this occurs when there is inconsistency between two things within personality • There are several types of incongruence that relate to Rogers’ theory • These are: • Incongruence between self and experience • Incongruence between organismic valuing process and introjected values/behavior • Incongruence between real self and ideal self.

Upstate An Example Incongruence between Self and Experience Behavior: drinks too much, becomes alcoholic, irresponsible behavior. responsible person good husband good father Self/Self Concept • Rather than change picture of self (“I am an alcoholic and I behave in irresponsible ways at times.”) the individual may protect self using denial and distortion • “Oh yes, I drink some, but I am not an alcoholic.” • Other examples.

Upstate Incongruence between Organismic Valuing Process and Introjected Values/ Behavior • Example: Inner self which leads in one direction is inconsistent with behavior which is based on what others (culture and society) want us to be and do • Examples: • Student wants to major in art, but family has always pushed toward medicine since all males in family have had medical careers • Perhaps, this is the dilemma of the gay person who wants to be true to self, but fears consequences.

Upstate Incongruence between Real Self and Ideal Self • Those seeking therapy often have great disparity between real and ideal self.

Upstate Goals of Therapy • Little inconsistency between self/experience or OVP and introjected values/ behavior • Self concept that is broad, all inclusive, • allowing us to see ourselves in all the ways which we are • Therefore, there would be very little or no denial and distortion • If this happens, Rogers believed we can get in touch with the organismic valuing process.

Upstate Getting in touch with the organismic valuing process • Allows us to make decisions which are best for us and others • Remember: Rogers sees individuals as basically good with an innate goodness that motivates toward self actualization • If we are innately positive, forward moving, and good, why do we engage in unhealthy behavior? • Answer? • the environment.

Upstate The Conditions Conducive to Positive Growth What the therapist provides which nurtures growth: Unconditional positive regard Empathic understanding Congruence, genuineness, realness.

Upstate • Unconditional positive regard - • a non-possessive, caring, love, acceptance, and prizing of the person • no matter what he/she is doing or feeling • This is in contrast to conditional positive regard/conditions of worth • Can you do this with your client, child, spouse, etc.? • Example.

Upstate • Empathic understanding – • feeling with someone, seeing their point of view, putting yourself in their shoes, communicating that you understand from their point of view • Can you do this with your child, spouse, etc.? • Example.

Upstate • Congruence, genuineness, or realness – • openness, honesty in the relationship with another • being completely oneself in the relationship, without pretending or putting up facades • These 3 conditions are needed if individuals are to become more fully functioning, more self-actualized.

Upstate Person-Centered Therapy • Rogers attempted to provide these three conditions • Clients changed by moving away from the superficial self and toward one’s true self • Away from facades • Away from “oughts” • Away from pleasing others • Toward self-direction • Toward openness to experience • Toward greater trust in self.

Upstate Emotion-Focused Therapy • Sue Johnson • Hold Me Tight by Sue Johnson • Based on attachment theory • Similar to object relations theory but . . . • Secure attachment – an affectionate relationship in which partners mutually derive and provide closeness, comfort and security • Attachment injury – when one partner violates the expectation that the other will offer comfort and caring, esp. in times of distress.

Upstate • Underneath the distress, partners are asking: “Can I count on you, depend on you?” • A primal panic – when partner is emotionally unavailable or unresponsive we face being out in the cold, alone and helpless • We respond in one of two ways: • Demanding and clinging • Withdraw and detach • If we love our partner, why do we not respond with caring? (p. 31)

Upstate • Demon dialogues (p. 32) • Protest polka – one partner becomes critical and aggressive and the other defensive and distant • This dance takes over the relationship. • The blaming in this dialogue is an attachment cry, a protest against disconnection (p. 47) • Key moments in EFT are moments of secure bonding (p. 47).

Upstate The Healing Conversations of EFT • Recognizing the demon dialogues • Finding the raw spots – understand that dialogues are about the safety of their emotional attachment and begin to plug into safer feelings, such as sadness, fear, embarrassment, loneliness • Revisit a rocky moment (p. 52-53) • Hold me tight conversation – transforms relationships (p. 54).

Upstate Emotion Focused Couple Therapy Susan Johnson • Assessment • Identify the destructive interactional cycle that maintains marital distress • Discovering the feelings underlying interactional positions • Reframing the problem in terms of the cycle • Promoting the owning of needs and of new aspects of self

Upstate • Promoting the acceptance of these aspects of self by the other • Facilitating the expression of needs and wants and creating safe emotional engagement • Fostering collaboration in regard to problem issues • Consolidating new positions and new cycles of attachment behavior

Person-Centered Therapy Text: Chapter 9 Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) Outside Reading