Carl Rogers, one of the founding fathers of Person Centred Therapy, suggested that in every human being there is a driving force which he called the Actualising Tendency. This driving force would ensure that we would strive to grow towards the best possible fulfilment of our potential. What happens when this Actualising Tendency gets blocked? What happens when our environment has not allowed us to grow in a healthy direction? What happens when our only choice is to fit into an environment by becoming the person that we are not? Internally confused, not knowing who we are, hiding from painful feelings – even self harming in some way to avoid or escape the pain – leaves us with an internal conflict but with no understanding of how to express it.
The pain of this internal conflict can become so deep that it causes symptoms such as depression, anxiety and lack of self worth.
What would happen if through talking therapy we could shift some of those blockages? Our Actualising Tendency would drive us into a healthy future. We may all start at different points depending on our histories but we will all have that drive within our DNA. There is light at the end of that tunnel.
Paul Garner Counselling Services 