200503 17-7 Human Nature and Therapist Attitudes: Philosophical Reflections of Person-Centered Approach, Zen Buddhism and Taoism*
| Chun-Chuan Wang |
| Buddhist Tzu Chi University |
Since the inception of the person-centered approach (PCA) in 1940, Carl R. Rogers (1902-1987) gradually formulated the PCA model of personality, therapeutic, and interpersonal theories in the 1950s. Approximately in the same period, he experienced the dilemma of objectivity of being a scientist against subjectivity of being a therapist (O’Hara, 1995). Through the years, Rogers drove himself away from positivist science and valued personal experiences to validate the PCA theories. His words, besides, became more intuitive and spiritual (Raskin & Rogers, 1995). It is this transformation that this paper sets its foundation on to explore the meaning of human nature and the three therapist attitudes in the PCA. Reflection of the above concepts in the PCA and Taoism as well as Zen Buddhism is also purported to achieve.
Regarding the PCA’s assumption of human nature, the actualizing tendency is characterized from the essence of human nature. The actualizing tendency universally subsides in all organisms; it might be hindered under unfavorable contexts but it never disappears. With the contemplation of the three therapist attitudes, genuineness adds transparency as another characteristic for a therapist to be genuine. Rogers also found that genuineness could reach the encounter of “the unknown in (an organism)” of a therapist and a client that leads to understanding (Rogers, 1978, 1979/1980). Unconditional
positive regard, as well as the whole being of it, has to do with examining oneself. Rogers developed “a transcending experience of unity” for a therapist to experience empathic to his/her client (Rogers, 1978, 1979/1980). It is possible that a therapist enters the subjective experiential world of a client completely.
This paper supports the report that there exist philosophical commonalities of the PCA, Taoism and Zen Buddhism. The actualizing tendency, in the PCA, arises similar Buddhist concepts such as self-nature and Buddha nature. Genuineness mirrors the belief of Zen Buddhism that an individual could see into his or her own true nature. Unconditional positive regard, likewise, reflects Zen Buddhist concepts of turning inwardly to one’s self-nature, value-free, and sudden enlightenment. Also it has commonality with Taoist concepts of “the feasting of one’s mind” and “sitting and forgetting." Lastly, empathy reflects Taoist belief that a person and his/her counterpart might become one in terms of mind. After preliminary exploration of reflection of the PCA and Taoism and Zen Buddhism in this paper, more studies are needed for this topic.
＊: This article, for me, was meant to memorialize Carl R. Rogers’ 100th birthday in 2002. It takes me three years to make it publishable. I would like to dedicate the first Chinese article of mine on the Person-Centered Approach (PCA) to one of my mentors, Jerold D. Bozarth, Ph.D. He led me to the field of PCA, where I now feel so connected and free to explore academically. I am honored to have been his student
and to have experienced his scholarly approach to the profession, while gratefully learning what he means to teach, in a Taiwan classroom.
Keywords
actualizing tendency、person-centered approach、Taoism、therapist attitudes、Zen Buddhism
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