Psychology

According to Rebecca Curtis  Irwin Hirsch (2003), relational psychotherapy assumes that theoretical frameworks regarding personality differ therefore, personality does not have a unified concept. It is stated that human beings develop stable and unchanging patterns of being and that these means of being are largely connected to the internalization of identifications with significant caretakers (Curtis  Hirsch, 2003, p.72). This kind of internalization relies on what is beyond the conscious of an individual. Hence, it can be said that individuals tend to construct their lives unconsciously (Curtis  Hirsch, 2003).

In fact, a lot of relational therapists agree that individuals tend to unconsciously create their contemporary world to conform to that of a past experience it is assumed that the familiarity of the past experience creates a template for the present. In a manner of speaking, it can be said that people tend to subconsciously repeat what they have experienced before by subconsciously basing their current lives on a past version of their lives. The whole idea is that there is no change but a mere repetition, if not an updated version of the individuals earlier life (Curtis  Hirsch, 2003, p. 72).

According to relational psychotherapy, the self-system (or the personality) is seen as what enables a person to function fully. It is also stated that the self refers to the organization of experience within the personality and is largely a composite of internalized experiences with others (Curtis  Hirsch, 2003, p. 72).

On the other hand, according to Arthur Bohart (2003), when it comes to person-centered psychotherapy, the concept of personality is that personality, unlike in relational psychotherapy, is a process. It is fluid and evolving and people are structures which are continuously in process (Bohart, 2003, p. 109). Although the concept holds no arguments against the existence of structures (e.g. traits), it states that these structures are continuously evolving, even if some aspects may stay the same. Since personality is stated as fluid, it can be said that it is only logical that people create variations in their lives. Sometimes, these adjustments are small and subtle other times, they can be major adjustments (Bohart, 2003).

The concept of person-centered psychotherapy is that people evolve thus, they have learning and growth potential. The concept also focuses on creativity and future orientation (Bohart, 2003) while relational psychotherapy states that what an individual does today is subconsciously based on what he has done or experienced before (Curtis  Hirsch, 2003).  Person-centered psychotherapy also argues that human beings are capable of creating new options rather than merely a repetition of what occurred before, no matter how subconsciously (Bohart, 2003).

Pathology
It is stated that there are instances wherein people conform to the values of a society to the extent that their individual vitality is stifled (Curtis  Hirsch, 2003, p. 76). This is referred to as the normatic personality, wherein the individual has a problem with functioning without conforming to other individuals or to society, and physicists sometimes prescribe medication or make recommendations if they think that the patient may not be able to heal via therapy alone (Curtis  Hirsch, 2003).

In relational psychotherapy, the therapists do not expect to discover the pathogen or the cause of the problem in the therapy process (e.g., repressed feelings or unfulfilled wishes). The therapists view the personality patterns of the individual as something learned in social circumstances rather than from the individuals mere evolution as a person. It is also stated that if there is a way of learning troubled ways of being, then perhaps, there is also a way of learning new ways of adapting or relating. There is an inherent optimism in the philosophy of relational psychotherapy which states that personality is a function of experiential learning and definitely not biologically-driven (Curtis  Hirsch, 2003, p. 76).

Relational analysts usually take note of the individuals strengths and assist him or her to realize and eventually appreciate his or her strengths. Apart from this, relational analysts evaluate the individuals resources and help the individual recognize the gaps in his or her resources in order to find means to fill the gaps. For example, an individual who has a lot of problems with facing his or her feelings (e.g. avoids discussing them) might be asked point-blank about how he or she is feeling (Curtis  Hirsch, 2003).

On the other hand, according to a person-centered perspective, abnormal behavior is likely to arise if a person is unable to operate in an ongoing, evolving way (Bohart, 2003, p. 116). Such problems are not caused by faulty perceptions or inappropriate behavior. It is stated that it is normal for individuals to experience life challenges and sometimes create misjudgments. However, problems occur when the individual fails to learn from the said experience and this stumps the evolution or growth of his or her personality (Bohart, 2003).

The ability to evolve, grow, adapt, or change is vital in an individuals life. If one is not able to do so because he or she fails to learn from his or her previous experiences, then it can be said that there is indeed a problem. This dysfunction is caused by the failure to learn and eventually change (Bohart, 2003).


Treatment
According to Curtis  Hirsch (2003, p. 79), the treatment of the patient is not merely dependent on the patients personality, but also on the therapists unique personality, for this plays a significant role in how one relates to patients.  While a standard technique in relational psychotherapy does not exist, it cannot be denied that relational therapists do have some certain characteristic ways of working (Curtis  Hirsch, 2003, p. 79). Relational therapists (and even most of the analytic psychotherapists) use interpretation, free association, empathy, inquiry, observation, and the analysis of transference and defense as some of the important interventions in the therapy process (Curtis  Hirsch, 2003).

As discussed previously, different relational therapists have their own means of relating with their patients. Some therapists are more likely to be more active and responsive with more disturbed patients while others are the opposite. The personality of the therapist is one of his or her weapons in the therapy process because there are instances when the patient will not be able to relate with the therapist (Curtis  Hirsch, 2003).

Traditionally, psychoanalysts prefer that they merely facilitate a patient and help him or her come up with his or her own solutions to problems through increased awareness and less rigid defensive ways of being (Curtis  Hirsch, 2003, p. 79). However, psychotherapy is inherently interactional and this method is highly problematic (Curtis  Hirsch, 2003, p. 80).

In fact, psychoanalysts have attempted to prevent transference cures wherein the patient merely adopts the therapists belief system simply because he or she likes, identifies, or respects the therapist. Although the personality of the therapist is important in the therapy process to ensure that the patient is able to relate with him or her, it is vital that the therapist does not influence the patient with his or her ideals. The therapist must ensure that the core of change in the patient is autonomy and self-realization (Curtis  Hirsch, 2003).

On the other hand, person-centered psychotherapy consists of helping the patient observe and interpret him or herself consciously It can be recalled that in the aforementioned discussion about relational psychotherapy, the therapy consists of interpreting the subconscious of the individual. However, in person-centered psychotherapy, what is important is that the patient is able to perceive him- or herself consciously. The therapist does not try to interpret the subconscious (or even unconscious) ideas or actions of the individual (Sommers-Flanagan  Sommers-Flanagan, 2004).

In fact, according to Carl Rogers, the man who developed person-centered psychotherapy, it is the client who knows what hurts, what directions to go in, what problems are crucial (as cited in Sommers-Flanagan  Sommers-Flanagan, 2004, p.174). In analysis, it can be said that the client is the one who has the answers, and the therapist merely has to help him or her realize the answers to his or her problems. Maladjusted behavior, it seems, cannot be cured unless the individual realizes for himself or herself that he or she indeed has a problem.

There are two different kinds of person-centered therapists. The first one is the traditional person-centered therapist. This therapist completely adheres to the philosophy of the therapy, and is highly nondirective, does not use assessment procedures and does not establish any specific goals for clients (Sommers-Flanagan  Sommers-Flanagan, 2004, p. 186). The other type of therapist is the contemporary person-centered therapist. This kind of therapist is more directive and active in spite of his or her adherence to the philosophy of person-centered psychotherapy (Sommers-Flanagan  Sommers-Flanagan, 2004).