These two approaches are very different in how they view the client and how they work with clients. Rogers was very non-directive, while holding the view that clients naturally moved toward health. Perls, on the other hand, was extremely directive, and felt that clients often became stuck in non-productive patterns and behaviors.
Gestalt and Rogerian theory and application:
Rogers termed his work the person-centered approach to psychotherapy. His ideas evolved over time. For Rogers, this was an evolutionary process, driven by his work with clients. It is important to remember that Rogers represented a break with the traditional Freudians and Jungians; he is the first true psychotherapist, rather than medically trained psychiatrist. So, essentially he felt his way along into his theory and practice. What he learned was that his clients seemed to make more progress when he listened to them, rather than when he made interpretations of their experiences (Rogers, 1980).
Although RogersÆ attempted early to understand human behavior scientifically, he gradually moved more toward an applied science approach. His basic interest became working with people and helping them to grow. In his first important discussion of his philosophy, he set forth his beliefs about the nature of human being and human growth (Rogers, 1961). To him, it was clear that people went through a natural process of becoming themselves. It was an organic process that led to growth and full development, except for the obstacles placed in the individuals way by family, society, and institutions. Still, human beings possessed free will and they were fundamentally able to organize their own development in the direction of wholeness.
In terms of application of Rogerian theory, the key is in his orientation. He called his approach the client-centered or person-centered approach to indicate that it was the client's experience that was the focus and...