Title

Enquiring into Human Relationship in Therapy and Life Systems, 1956–2010: Searching Journey and New Understanding

Abstract

Comments on an article by Godfrey T. Barrett-Lennard (see record 2013-22175-005). Goff’s emphasis on the centrality of relationship fits the author's experience in another way. The author has collected data for the last five years in which he asked his students to write down each day what they are grateful for and why. The most consistent theme across 300 students is that they are grateful for their relationships. Students were surprised, as their stated values are often more for independence than connection. Goff’s work provides an elaboration on this theme. His six levels provide a model to see how people intersect across different levels. A quick review of the seven goals in the statutes of the World Association of Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapy and Counseling shows that nearly all of them are aimed at fostering cooperative relationships at these systemic levels.

Department(s)

Counseling, Leadership, and Special Education

Document Type

Article

Keywords

human relationship, life systems, human life, family process, unfolding inquiry, experiential psychotherapy

Publication Date

2011

Journal Title

Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapies

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