The Psychology Book (41 page)

the world with rationality and an

World War I, he studied

They prefer mechanical objects to

open mind, willing to change their

jurisprudence, then sociology

other people. In moderation, these

beliefs in the light of new evidence.

(to PhD level), before training

people are pessimistic nay-sayers

A productive person can truly love

in psychoanalysis. After the

whose glasses are perpetually

another for who they are, not as a

Nazis took power in Germany

in 1933, Fromm moved to

half empty, never half full.

trophy or safeguard against the

Switzerland and then New

world. Fromm calls this brave

York, where he established a

person “the man without a mask.”

psychoanalytic practice and

Fromm’s work has a unique

taught at Columbia University.

perspective, drawing on psychology,

Fromm married three times

sociology, and political thinking,

and had a well-documented

especially the writings of Karl Marx.

affair with Karen Horney

His writing, aimed at a mainstream

during the 1930s. In 1951,

audience, influenced the general

he left the US to teach in

public more than academia—mainly

Mexico, returning 11 years

because of his insistence on the

later to become professor

freedom of ideas. He is nonetheless

of psychiatry at New York

recognized as a leading contributor

University. He died in

to humanistic psychology. ■

Switzerland at the age of 79.

Key works

Hitler’s fascination with death

and destruction marks him out as

1941
The Fear of Freedom

an example of Fromm’s necrophilous

1947
Man for Himself

personality type, which is obsessed

1956
The Art of Loving

with control and the imposition of order.

THE GOOD LIFE IS A

PROCESS

NOT A STATE OF

BE

CARL ROGERS (1902–1987)

ING

132 CARL ROGERS

IN CONTEXT

APPROACH

D
uring the 19th and into mental health is not something

the early 20th century,

that is suddenly achieved at the

much of the approach to

end of a series of steps. Nor is it

psychological treatment was based

attained because an individual’s

Person-centered therapy

on the idea that mental illness

previously neurotic state of

BEFORE

was a fixed pathological malady

tension has been reduced by the

that needed to be cured. Popular

satisfaction of biological drives and

1920s
Austrian psychoanalyst

psychoanalytic theory, for example,

impulses, as the psychoanalysts

Otto Rank proposes that

defined people struggling with their

insisted. Neither is it cultivated

separation from outdated

mental health as “neurotic.” Mental

by following a specific program

thoughts, emotions, and

illness was seen in a negative light

designed to develop and preserve

behaviors is essential for

and most psychological practices

a state of inner impermeable

psychological growth and

and theories of the time offered

homeostasis, or balance, reducing

development.

strict definitions with structured

the effect of the world’s external

1950s
Abraham Maslow

explanations of the underlying

chaos on the self, as the

says that people must not

causes of the mental illness, and

behaviorists recommended.

be viewed as a collection

fixed methods to cure it.

Rogers does not believe that

of symptoms but first and

American psychologist Carl

anyone exists in a defective state

foremost as people.

Rogers took a much more esoteric

that needs to be fixed in order to

route to mental health, and in so

provide them with a better state,

AFTER

doing expanded the approach of

preferring to view human

1960s
Fritz Perls popularizes

psychotherapy forever. He felt that

experience, and our minds and

the concept of externalizing

the philosophies of the time were

environment, as alive and growing.

other people’s expectations

too structured and rigid to account

He talks about the “ongoing process

to find one’s truest self.

for something as dynamic as the

of organismic experience”—seeing

human experience, and that

life as instantaneous and ongoing;

2004
American humanistic

humanity is much too diverse to be

life exists in the experience of

psychologist Clark Moustakas

fitted into delineated categories.

every moment.

explores the uniquely human

For Rogers, a healthy self-

components of life: hope, love,

Achieving mental health

concept is not a fixed identity

self, creativity, individuality,

Rogers takes the view that it is

but a fluid and changing entity,

and becoming.

absurd to view mental well-being

open to possibilities. Rogers

as a specific fixed state; good

embraces an authentic,

The good life is a process, not a state of being.

In order to enjoy the good life, we need to…

…take

…treat ourselves

…be fully

…live in the

…
trust

responsibility

and others with

open to

present

ourselves.

for our

unconditional

experience
.

moment
.

choices.

positive regard
.

PSYCHOTHERAPY 133

See also:
Fritz Perls 112–17 ■ Erich Fromm 124–29 ■ Abraham Maslow 138–39 ■ Rollo May 141 ■ Dorothy Rowe 154 ■

Martin Seligman 200–01

Unlike a maze
with only one route across, Rogers

asserts that life is full of possibilities and offers multiple

routes—but individuals are often unable or unwilling

to see them. To experience “the good life” we need

to stay flexible and open to what life brings, by

experiencing it fully moment by moment.

unprescribed, free-flowing definition

essential ingredient is the ability to

the limits of our world and reduce

of healthy human experience, with

stay wholly present in the moment.

our ability to stay present and open

limitless possibilities. Humans are

Since self and personality emerge

to experience. In living the good

not traveling a road where the

out of experience, it is of the utmost

life and remaining open to

destination is to become “adjusted”

importance to stay fully open to

experience, Rogers believes we

or “actualized,” as fellow humanistic

the possibilities offered by each

adopt a way of being that prevents

psychologist Abraham Maslow

moment, and to let experience

us feeling trapped and stuck. The

had suggested. Indeed, the purpose

shape the self. The individual

aim, as Rogers sees it, is for ❯❯

of existence is not about reaching

lives in an environment of constant

any kind of destination, Rogers

change, yet frequently and all too

claims, because existence is less

easily, people deny this fluidity

a journey toward an endpoint

and instead create constructs of

and more an ongoing process of

how they think things should be.

growth and discovery that does

They then try to mold themselves

not stop until we die.

and their idea of reality to fit the

What I will be in the next

constructs they have made. This

moment, and what I will do,

Living “the good life”

way of being is the very opposite

grows out of the moment,

Rogers uses the phrase living

of the fluid, flowing, and changing

and cannot be predicted.

“the good life,” to refer to the range

organization of self that Rogers

Carl Rogers

of characteristics, attitudes, and

believes the nature of our

behaviors displayed by people who

existence requires.

have embraced the foundations of

Our preconceptions about

his approach—people who are

how the world is, or should be,

“fully in the stream of life.” One

and our own role within it, define