• Introduction: About the Non-directive Attitude – Barbara Brodley

 

Historical and Theoretical Perspectives on Non-directivity

• Non-directivity: The foundational attitude – Brian Levitt

• Historic Events in Client-Centered Therapy and the Person-Centered Approach – Nat Raskin

• Forms of Non-directive Psychotherapy: The non-directive tradition – Garry Prouty

• Two Rogers and Congruence: The emergence of therapist-centered therapy and the demise of client-centered therapy – Marvin Frankel and Lisbeth Sommerbeck

• Non-Directivity: An ontological concept – Françoise Ducroux-Biass

• Facilitative Responsiveness: Non-directiveness from anthropological, epistemological and ethical perspectives – Peter Schmid

 

The Non-directive Attitude in Individual Psychotherapy

• ‘It Enlightens Everything You Do’: Observing non-directivity in a client-centered therapy demonstration Session – Brian Levitt and Barbara Brodley

• The Experience of Non-directivity in Client-Centered Therapy: A case study – Beth Freire

• Socratic Self-examination by Means of Non-directive Empathy: The Anatomy of Empathic Reflections – Marvin Frankel

• Non-Directive Therapy with Clients Diagnosed with a Mental Illness – Lisbeth Sommerbeck

• An Exploration of Non-directive Work with Drug and Alcohol Users – Sue Wilders

• The Art of Non-directive 'Being' in Psychotherapy – Jerold Bozarth

 

Ethics and Applications Beyond Individual Psychotherapy

• Non-directivenessand the Problem of Influence – Marge Witty

• Taking Only What is Given: Self-determination and empathy in non-directive client-centered therapy – Barry Grant

• Non-directive Therapist Congruence in Theory and Practice – Kathy Moon

• Non-directive Person-Centered Groups: Facilitation of freedom and personal power – Jerold Bozarth

• Client-Centered Family and Couple Therapy: A retrospective and a practitioner’s guide – John McPherrin

• Trust Builds Learning: The context and effectiveness of non-directivity in education – Jeffrey Cornelius-White and Cecily Cornelius-White

• Some Essentials of a Client-Centered Approach to Assessment – C.H. Patterson (previously published paper with C. Edward Watkins, Jr)

 

Historical Afterword

• The Nondirective Attitude – Nat Raskin

 

Brian Eliot Levitt, Psy.D, CPsych, trained for three years at the Chicago Counseling and Psychotherapy Center, the center that grew from Carl Rogers’ work at the University of Chicago. It was there that he met Barbara Brodley, who continues to be his mentor. After studying as a psychotherapy extern, pre-doctoral intern, and post-doctoral fellow at the Center, he joined the staff as a therapist and trainer. He also trained for two years at the Pre-Therapy Institute in Chicago, under the tutelage of Garry Prouty, earning certification in the practice of Pre-Therapy. He worked for several years in full-care nursing facilities for people with chronic mental illnesses, while teaching and maintaining a small private practice. He underwent additional training after emigrating to Canada, respecializing as a rehabilitation psychologist. Currently, he maintains an independent practice in Toronto.

 

Reviews

 

This book is essential reading for counsellors interested in updating their understanding of Carl Rogers’ person-centred theory. In a series of essays written by an impressive international collection of person-centred writers, this book explores important facets of non-directivity as it relates to person-centred theory and practice. Their contributions examine the history, theory, applications and implications of the non-directive attitude. Non-directivity emerges in these pages as a way of being that remains vital and highly relevant to the practice of person-centred therapy, other person-centred applications and psychotherapy in general.

Rhonda Luttrell, Diploma in Professional Counselling, QMACA, Counselling Australia, Volume 5, Number 4, Summer 2005