Powerful Psychological Quotes for Personal Growth: Part I Joseph Smullen,LCSW
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself as I am then I can change” -Carl Rogers Car Rogers (1902-1987) was an American and humanistic psychologist who valued empathy, authenticity, genuineness, and unconditional positive regard in the therapeutic relationship to facilitate change. Humanistically oriented therapists believe that the individual is capable of self-repair and seek to remove psychological barriers to foster change. Humanists are primarily focused on assisting individuals live congruently with their true selves and reach their human potential (Winston, 2015). From their point of view, individuals can become conflicted and confused about who they are and their place in the world. Individuals that experience inconsistency and conflict between their real self, social self, blind self, and secret self can become exposed to a constellation of uncomfortable emotions, unhelpful thinking, and unproductive behaviors that can spawn psychological distress. For many of my clients, depression is colored by the tendency to find oneself inadequate, flawed, or even worthless. These individuals are plagued with self-rejecting internal messages and their emotional life is dominated by shame, exhaustion, and resignation. In effect, individuals living with depression experience an ever shrinking internal and external world that limits inputs and outputs to negative information that confirms or reinforces what they already perceive to know about themselves, others, and life itself while disconfirming information that suggests otherwise.
Rogers paradoxical or counterintuitive focus on acceptance for change is founded on a humanistic definition of acceptance. In this manner, acceptance is not viewed as resignation or defeat. Nor is it to be viewed as liking or condoning one’s current position in life. Rather, acceptance from a humanistic stance conveys the belief that we are inherently valuable imperfect beings. And acceptance of our limitations, along with the reality of random misfortune and systemic problems as part of the human condition, creates healthy mental space for flexible thinking and self-regulation of emotions. In sum, acceptance of the polarities, idiosyncrasies, and variations of self, and by extension, others and life, is a powerful antidote to the agony of depression.
If you would like more personalized help for yourself or your child, please call Believe Behavioral Health today at 361-894-8734. We specialize in behavioral health services for children, adolescents, and adults. We provide targeted case-management & skills training, psychotherapy/counseling, and access to psychiatric services based on your clinical need. Joseph Smullen, LCSW is a psychotherapist with Believe Behavioral Health.
