Facilitating Hope - person-centered & experiential dimensions
Hope on one hand is an implicit and explicit central notion in the life and experience of humans (and in a couple of philosophical theories), but on the other hand no central notion in the language of the PCE approaches (or hardly any psychological theories). The specific attitude towards our clients, characterized by a fundamental trust in actualizing and emancipatory processes may perfectly be described as a hopeful source for development and change.
Examples of possible topics
- Hope in the person-centered and experiential key terms: the actualizing tendency as an engine and beacon of hope? The role of hope with the development of the Self? Empathy, UPR and authenticity as attitudes that facilitate hope?
- Presence – lived expression of hope as confidence in and within the (therapeutic) relationship?
- The historical background: hope with Rogers and PCE theoreticians.
- Hope (a basic belief) and hopes (more or less congruent individual expressions) in the theory of actualizing and self-actualizing tendency?
- What is the theoretical understanding of the significance of open and hidden forms of hope and despair (from creativity and spontaneity, courage and risk-taking to aggression and defense against anxiety to self-transgression, destruction, depression and fixation on fear)?