ABSTRACT
For the author, Carl Rogers became not the new guru or source of all wisdom for the aspiring psychotherapist, but a gentle companion who spoke of unconditional positive regard, empathy and genuineness. Rogers gave shape to what, for the author, had previously been an almost instinctive and somewhat incoherent response to others in need. According to the author, with the short-term client it is comparatively easy to imagine that a therapist has been the chief facilitator of the client's growth and progress. With those who are more damaged, however, the experience is often one of frustration, stuckness and even of powerlessness. It is in such relationships that it becomes so blindingly obvious that the therapist is not a powerful magician who can work miracles by offering acceptance, genuineness and empathy. Therapeutic technicians may perform an effective service for robots or computers but they threaten to finish off human beings who already have little sense enough of belonging to the species.
