Gesprächspsychotherapie in Deutschland Vom Höhenflug zum Abstieg? Erklärungsversuche

Abstract

Person-Centered Psychotherapy. From Flying High to Coming Down? Attempts at Explanation. This article
examines the question of how it came about that client centered therapy has lost so much of its importance in
Germany. First of all, the development of client centered therapy in the context of changes in university policy
is presented in broad outline. On the basis of three theses, it is worked out that (1) client centered therapy is
contrary to the professionalization efforts of psychotherapy in general, (2) that it has not succeeded in dealing
constructively with the medical understanding of illness and (3) that it has shown to be insufficiently flexible in
integrating new developments. The results show that the current status of client centered therapy is not only due
to questionable criteria for scientific recognition and care relevance of the scientific advisory board and the Federal
Joint Committee, but that part can also be seen in the missed opportunities of client centered therapy itself.