Rogers, Carl

Carl Rogers (1902–1987) was one of the leading psychologists and psychotherapists of the 20th century. He developed the client-centered or person-centered approach to counseling and psychotherapy and was a pioneer and leader in the humanistic psychology movement of the later part of the century. He also was the first person to record and publish complete cases of psychotherapy and, at the time, did more scientific research on a therapeutic approach than had ever been done.

Growing up in a mid-Western American family, Rogers first learned the scientific method as a boy, conducting agricultural experiments on the family farm. He intended to be a modern farmer, but influenced by his religiously conservative family and a 6-month trip during college to Japan, the Philippines, and China, where he ...