Abstract
The integrity of the human organism is a central, but lesser known, construct of Carl Rogers’ body of work and presaged current neuroscience research. Over 40 years ago, Rogers offered a substantial framework for understanding the intricacies of the body–mind connection in his detailed study of the myriad organismic processes operating within human beings and how these processes work toward their optimal functioning. I will draw from Rogers’ theory, elaborated by his colleague Jules Seeman, in conjunction with the work of neuroscientist Candace Pert, whose work on opiate receptors provided evidence of the biochemical basis for awareness and consciousness. I will explore the convergence between the parallel tracks of person-centered and neuroscience research that together deepen our understanding of the complexity of the thriving human organism. I will contrast this shared paradigm with the current and more narrowly conceived reductionist viewpoint of institutionalized psychology that is supported by the pharmaceutical industry.
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Notes
- 1.
Tracing the development of his own research, Seeman often stated that there was no real difference between Roger’s phrase, “organic order” and his own, “organismic integration.”
- 2.
Jules Seeman sent me a videotape of a talk he gave to graduate students about 20 years into his emeritus status from Vanderbilt University, in the late 1990s. The following quotes came from a recent transcript of that talk.
- 3.
Herkenham is now the Chief of the Functional Neuroanatomy Laboratory for NIMH and NIH conducting neuroimmune, neuroendocrinological, and other studies investigating psychosocial stress and environmental enrichment.
- 4.
Elaborating the connections between this work and client-centered work on accurate empathic understanding by client-centered scholars (Rogers, Seeman, Brodley, Gendlin, and others) while beyond the scope of this chapter provides an obvious next step.
- 5.
This echoes Seeman’s point that any change within any subsystem can alter the others (Seeman 1983).
- 6.
The committee was chaired by Division 32 President David Elkins. Members included Frank Farley, Jon Raskin, Brent Robbins, Donna Rockwell, and Sarah Kamens, who was the letter’s primary author.
- 7.
Big Pharma refers to Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and Biotechnology Industry Organization. These are two trade groups representing the top 20 pharmaceutical companies engaged in intensive lobbying of lawmakers and medical groups.
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Wolter-Gustafson, C. (2013). Rogers’ Generative Framework of Organismic Integrity: Scientific Evidence Challenging Academic, Medical, and Pharmaceutical Forces. In: Cornelius-White, J., Motschnig-Pitrik, R., Lux, M. (eds) Interdisciplinary Handbook of the Person-Centered Approach. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7141-7_7
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