Mental Health, Self-Inquiry and Journaling
Treatment Room – Symptoms of Low Self-Esteem
“The idea of being our best self is often in the back of our minds in this busy society we live in, but is there, nevertheless. It is that voice deep inside that nag at us quietly, steering us in our true direction. It is our spiritual/higher-self/inner wisdom/God/buddha voice (whatever we name it) – guiding us in the direction to bring clarification of who we are. It is otherwise known as ‘Self-Actualisation’.”
Rogers, C (1967)
Being and Becoming: Carl Rogers’ Perspective
Carl Rogers, a pioneering humanistic psychologist, explored the concepts of being and becoming in his person-centered approach to therapy. He believed that human beings have an innate drive toward self-actualization—the process of becoming their fullest, most authentic selves. His work emphasizes personal growth, self-awareness, and the importance of a nurturing environment in fostering psychological well-being.
Being: The Authentic Self
Rogers viewed being as living in a way that is congruent with one’s true self. This means accepting and expressing one’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences without distortion or denial. He argued that psychological distress arises when individuals feel compelled to meet external expectations that conflict with their inner values (Rogers, 1961).
Becoming: The Process of Self-Actualization
For Rogers, becoming is a dynamic, lifelong process of personal growth. He described this in his concept of the fully functioning person, someone who is open to experience, trusts their inner feelings, and continuously evolves (Rogers, 1951). He emphasized that people thrive when they experience unconditional positive regard, empathy, and congruence in their relationships—key conditions for growth (Rogers, 1957).
Implications for Therapy and Personal Development
Rogers’ work has profound implications for psychotherapy and self-improvement. He believed that individuals are capable of positive change when provided with a supportive and non-judgmental environment. His person-centered therapy focuses on facilitating growth rather than diagnosing pathology, allowing individuals to explore and embrace their journey of becoming (Rogers, 1980).
References:
- Rogers, C. R. (1951). Client-Centered Therapy: Its Current Practice, Implications, and Theory. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
- Rogers, C. R. (1957). The Necessary and Sufficient Conditions of Therapeutic Personality Change. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 21(2), 95–103.
- Rogers, C. R. (1961). On Becoming a Person: A Therapist’s View of Psychotherapy. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
- Rogers, C. R. (1980). A Way of Being. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
What is Self-Actualisation?
Becoming our best self … that what most of us aim for. When we meditate and be still with ourselves, we find a deeper meaning, this is the place where we discover what we really want, who we really are and where we are heading. Through self-exploration, inquiry and self-discovery we become our unique selves.
What prevents us? The prevention to ‘self-actualisation’ often stems in our childhood, our belief system and our social world. We care deeply what others think of us. From this we develop habits that at times do not fit with our deepest inner desires leaving us in conflict with ourselves. These habits are often due to a sense of responsibility, acts of kindness and a sense of community. Often coming from the best intentions and an altruistic mindset for others. We feel guilty when we want to pursue our deepest purpose.
These habits become so ingrained that we often think this is what we want, but when we inquire into this through Mindfulness Meditation, we discover our true purpose. Is there a balance between our true purpose and the needs of others? We can begin to recognise this through Mindfulness meditation …. here we begin to notice our thought processes, behaviour patterns, our deeper feelings and our interactions with others.
How can we break through those ingrained habits?
Recognise that we all have a higher self-perspective, the ability to find inner peace, the inner knowledge, the inner drive, a unique purpose and good intentions. So, becoming familiar with these places or states of mind is the beginning of a transformative journey.
Rogers, C. (1967). On becoming a person: a therapist’s view of psychotherapy. London: Constable.
