Online video conferencing therapy and the person-centered approach in the context of a global pandemic

ABSTRACT

Working therapeutically online can offer a number of challenges, not least to therapists’ ideas about ways of engaging and working with clients, and views of reality, as well as to familiar theories about therapy, including the therapeutic relationship or ways of therapeutic relating. Taking Rogers’ theory of certain necessary and sufficient conditions – of psychotherapeutic change and of constructive personality change – this article considers each condition with regard to different experiences and aspects of online video conferencing therapy. In doing so, the article tests not only the necessity and sufficiency of these six conditions but also, and in keeping with Rogers’ methodology, of the theory itself. As the article was written in a time of a global pandemic, it also offers reflections on the experiences of the authors working therapeutically online in this context.

Le travail thérapeutique en ligne peut présenter un certain nombre de défis, non seulement concernant les conceptions des thérapeutes quant aux modalités de travail et d’engagement avec les clients et à la perception de la réalité, mais aussi concernant les théories usuelles de la thérapie, y compris ce qui concerne la relation thérapeutique ou la manière d’être en relation thérapeutique. Sur base de la théorie de Rogers des conditions nécessaires et suffisantes – de la psychothérapie et du changement constructif de la personnalité – cet article examine chaque condition en ce qui concerne les différentes expériences et différents aspects de la thérapie en ligne par visoconférence. Ce faisant, cet article évalue non seulement le caractère nécessaire et suffisant de ces six conditions, mais aussi, en phase avec la méthodologie de Rogers, la théorie elle-même. Etant donné que cet article a été écrit dans une période de pandémie planétaire, il propose aussi une réflexion sur l’expérience des auteurs dans le travail thérapeutique en ligne dans ce contexte.

Zusammenfassung: Therapeutisches Arbeiten online kann uns vor einige Herausforderungen stellen, nicht zuletzt, was die Vorstellungen der therapeutischen Fachperson angeht, wie man sich einbringt und mit den Klienten arbeitet sowie auch die Sichtweisen auf Realität, aber auch, was die gängigen Theorien zu Therapie angeht, inklusive die therapeutische Beziehung oder die Art und Weise, sich therapeutisch in Beziehung zu setzen. Wenn man Rogers’ Theorie von gewissen notwendigen und hinreichenden Bedingungen nimmt – von therapeutischer Veränderung und von konstruktiver Persönlichkeitsveränderung – dann untersucht dieser Artikel jede dieser Bedingungen im Hinblick auf verschiedene Erfahrungen und Aspekte von Online-Video-Therapie. Damit überprüft dieser Artikel nicht nur die Notwendigkeit und das Hinreichende dieser sechs Bedingungen, sondern auch der Theorie an sich, dies unter Beibehaltung von Rogers’ Methodologie. Da der Artikel in einer Zeit globaler Pandemie geschrieben wurde, bietet er auch Reflexionen zu den Erfahrungen der Autoren, als sie unter solchen Bedingungen therapeutisch online arbeiteten.

Resumen: Trabajar terapéuticamente en línea puede ofrecer una serie de desafíos, entre ellos las ideas de los terapeutas sobre las formas de interactuar y trabajar con los clientes, y las visiones de la realidad, así como las teorías familiares sobre la terapia, incluida la relación terapéutica o las formas de relación terapéutica. Tomando la teoría de Rogers de ciertas condiciones necesarias y suficientes - del cambio psicoterapéutico y del cambio de personalidad constructivo - este artículo considera cada condición con respecto a diferentes experiencias y aspectos de la terapia de videoconferencia en línea. Al hacerlo, el artículo prueba no solo la necesidad y suficiencia de estas seis condiciones, sino también, y de acuerdo con la metodología de Rogers, de la teoría misma. Dado que el artículo fue escrito en un momento de una pandemia mundial, también ofrece reflexiones sobre las experiencias de los autores que trabajan terapéuticamente en línea en este context

Trabalhar em terapia online pode apresentar diversos desafios, dos quais não é de desconsiderar a perspetiva do terapeuta acerca de: como envolver os clientes e trabalhar com eles; perspetivas em relação à realidade e teorias conhecidas sobre terapia, incluindo a relação terapêutica ou formas de estabelecer uma relação terapêutica. Partindo da teoria de Rogers de que há determinadas condições necessárias e suficientes — de mudança terapêutica e de uma mudança construtiva da personalidade, este artigo considera cada condição em relação a diferentes experiências e aspetos da terapia por videochamada. Ao fazê-lo, o artigo testa não só a necessidade e suficiência das seis condições, mas também, e mantendo a metodologia de Rogers, da teoria propriamente dita. Uma vez que o artigo foi escrito numa época de pandemia global, ele oferece ainda reflexões acerca das experiências dos autores no seu trabalho via internet neste contexto.

KEYWORDS:

• Online video conferencing therapy
• interference and enhancement
• the necessary and sufficient conditions
• COVID-19
• coronavirus

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Brian Rodgers

Brian Rodgers is the director of the counsellor education programme at the University of Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. His first degree was in computer science prior to training as a counsellor at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. Along with Keith Tudor, he is on the Organising Committee for the PCE2021 conference (www.pce2021.com), and is co-chair of the scientific committee.

Keith Tudor

Keith Tudor is professor of psychotherapy at Auckland University of Technology and chair of the Organising Committee for the PCE2021 conference (www.pce2021.com). He has run an online practice of supervision for more than 10 years but only more recently extended this to include client work; and is the editor of a number of publications on online therapy: in addition to this issue of PCEP, a special section on online therapy of Psychotherapy and Politics International (2021) and, with Rhys Price-Robertson, of the Psychotherapy & Counselling Journal of Australia (2021).

Anton Ashcroft

Anton Ashcroft, BSc, MSc, Cpsychol, is a registered psychologist who runs a private practice, including supervising other psychologists in forensic and clinical settings. He also runs a company focusing on neurodiversity, and delivers leadership programmes and coaching sessions to senior leaders of various blue chip companies. Having moved his practice online, as a result of the pandemic, he has become particularly interested in the value and challenges of online therapeutic and change-focused interventions.