Carl Rogers

"People only behave in destructive ways when they feel that their basic needs are not being met."

"The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental health."

"It is astonishing how elements which seem insoluble become soluble when someone listens."

"I have often noticed that growth comes through the recognition of our own limitations and imperfections."

"Real communication is when a person feels completely understood and accepted."

"To be fully human one must be free to make choices, even if those choices lead to sorrow."

"The person who is fully functioning is marked by an openness to experience."

"I have learned that the more I can be genuine and real, the more effective I become."

"One of the most astonishing findings is that when people are truly listened to, they become more balanced."

"I feel that much of my growth has come from recognizing and accepting my own contradictions."

"The questions which the human being asks are the most important symptoms of his nature."

"I believe that empathy is a rare and precious element in our interactions with one another."

"Creativity is the discovery of new meaning in life."

"When I meet someone, I try to see the world through their eyes, not my own."

"The great majority of us develop only a fraction of our potential."

"I find myself believing that it is the function of the teacher to aid students in becoming themselves."

"Healing happens when one person feels completely understood."

"The only real failure in life is the failure to try."

"I have learned more about myself through genuine relationships than through any other avenue."

"When people are reduced to objects, something precious in humanity is lost."

"I firmly believe that constructive personal change can occur only when a person chooses to change."

"The condition of being human is so rich that the moment we try to categorize or limit it, we lose something essential."

"I value most the learning that influences how one lives life."

"There is nothing so dead, so stultifying, as a fact which is never used in connection with a problem."

"The subjective human being is far more important than any objective fact."

"I have come to realize that fear and defensiveness are barriers to genuine growth."

"When authenticity is present, genuine healing becomes possible."