control and power are denied to the

control and power are denied to the person. These core skills can be used by
many people in the helping professions and are the foundation for virtually all
of the other theoretical orientations discussed in this book. If group workers
are lacking in relationship and communication skills, they will not be effective
in carrying out their role and functions in a group.
The person-centered approach to groups has been applied to diverse populations
including therapy clients, counselors, staff members of entire school
systems, administrators, medical students, groups in confl ict, drug users and
their helpers, people representing different cultures and languages, and job
training groups. As the group movement developed, the person-centered approach
became increasingly concerned with reducing human suffering, with
cross-cultural awareness, and with confl ict resolution on an international scale
(Raskin, 1986a).
Applying the Person-Centered Approach
to Group Work in Schools
In the foreword to Freedom to Learn (Rogers & Freiberg, 1994), Natalie Rogers
summarizes the philosophy and values of educational systems that foster
creativity:
This philosophy includes: encouraging curiosity and experimentation, valuing
individual freedom and responsibility, giving support and constructive criticism
instead of judgment and grades, valuing the creative process more than the
product, choosing to pursue one’s own interests and goals rather than predetermined
goals of the teacher, and having respect for the inner truth of each individual.
(p. vi)