Why the Order of Conditions Matters When considering the meaning of the conditions individually, it is important to understand how they work together to create an environment conducive to client change. This is why the order of Rogers’ conditions is important. UPR is naturally limited in some capacity when therapist congruence is limited. It is hard to truly accept another person as they are when parts of one’s self are seen as unacceptable or repressed from awareness (Lietaer, 1984, as cited in Faber et al., 2022).


While the conditions can be understood to each exist on a spectrum from low to high capacity, the likelihood of a therapist experiencing either extreme possibility (0% or 100%) is low. Typically, counselor training prepares practitioners to operate above the lowest limit. All people have blind spots and areas of awareness that are beyond their comprehension, which create a ceiling effect of sorts where absolute achievement of the conditions is not feasible. Thus, the question for therapists becomes how to move along the spectrum towards a  move towards greater degrees of change and growth.


Case Study Example


One of the most challenging cases this author worked with as a play therapist was with a 6-year-old boy who was referred to play therapy for anxiety that presented as oppositional behaviors at school         


expected exploratory play. However, he also began to quickly test the  hit in the eye by a suction dart and in the face by the bop bag. At the end of the session, the child also removed all the toys from the 


 revisiting the cornerstones of


therapeutic practice can remind us of the importance of our essential skills as play therapists…


I received supervision after the session and explored why I had not protected myself from getting hit in my face. I felt a need for the client to like me and thought that if I provided a permissive enough    his experiences with adults, and this would free him to change. Essentially, even though I did not describe it at the time in such terms, I was not meeting the client where he was but where I hoped he would grow to be.


Child-Centered Play Therapy and Filial Family Therapy Webinars


Child-Centered


Play Therapy Webinar William Nordling, Ph.D., RPT-S April 4-5, 2025


September 12-13, 2025 Child-Centered Play Therapy


In-Person Workshop William Nordling, Ph.D., RPT-S June 20-21, 2025


Advanced Child-Centered


Play Therapy Webinar Robert F. Scuka, Ph.D. May 17, 2025


November 15, 2025 These webinars meet APT's definition of Live Webinars.


Supervision and • A structured, guided


process to skill mastery


• Supervision counts toward APT registration as an RPT


On-Site Trainings Available 6 | PLAYTHERAPY March 2025 | www.a4pt.org Visitwww.nire.org or call 301-680-8977 for more information.


National Institute of Relationship Enhancement ® Phone: (301) 680-8977


• niremd@nire.org the American Psychological Association, NBCC, and the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners.


Revised Schedule for 2025


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36