Carl Rogers: A Critical Biography

by David Cohen

Carl Rogers was the psychiatrist who pioneered the practice of client-centred therapy, revolutionising the practice of psychotherapy, yet his own life was far from ideal. This biography explores his life - including his tortured marriage, his use of confidential information about his children's lives and his drinking - against the background of his work. The author draws heavily on the papers left by Rogers to the Library of Congress.

Genres: Biography, Psychology

Paperback

First published December 31, 1997

About the author

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Reviews

[Esther* · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was very interesting to read this biography concurrently with Howard Kirschenbaum’s and see how the two writers approached the challenge of writing about such an influential person in the world of therapy. As an introduction to Rogers’ life, this book wouldn’t be sufficient, but it feels like a healthy balance to those accounts which would seek to deify Rogers as an ultimate example. As Rogers’ theories are heavily weighted in helping people discover their authentic self, and involve so much of his personal journey, it is really important that students have the opportunity to see his life and the outcome of his decisions from many different angles. This seems to be what Cohen’s objective is, and I think he achieves it very well.