journal on Unconditional Positive Regard

In tonight’s session we have been learning further about Carl Rogers and his conditions of a successful person- centred therapy. We have been exploring Unconditional Positive Regard, a term used by Rogers to describe a basic acceptance and support of a person regardless what they say or do. Unconditional Positive Regard is an attitude of the counsellor towards his client. Rogers believes that this attitude is essential to a healthy development and cause a positive therapeutic movement in a therapy.
I find this condition; the very definition of humanity. Our species have a rare capability to understand each other, however many of us hardly use it. It requires putting the others first, demands to put our feelings and emotions aside. We are protecting ourselves, afraid, that by giving that support to others, we would be “losing” ourselves. I do not agree with that, I think that “more you will give- the more you will get in return”, it is a privilege to be let inside another person’s world, his/ her feelings and thoughts.
People, lacking that acceptance in their everyday life, creating a protective layer around them, losing faith in themselves, feeling that they do not deserve to be loved by others. By using Unconditional Positive Regard, the therapist provides an ideal environment for his client’s personal change. Therapist giving his support also gives acceptance and love- that is exactly what makes person- centred therapy so meaningful and unique. Therapist’s willingness for the client to be whatever he is feeling at that moment (no matter if it is positive or negative; fear, pain, pride, love, hatred) makes his client to loose all defences and become honest with himself. I have to learn how to look underneath those layers and accept the real person behind them. However, as people tend to mask their true - self because of the fear, that they going to be rejected- the counsellor’s job is not easy. It is very often a long process. To gain his client’s trust the