Describe Kelly’s approach to psychotherapy. What did Kelly mean when he said that psychological problems are perceptual problems? What techniques did Kelly use to help his clients regain their ability to make-believe?
George Kelly was an American psychologist, and is considered as the father of cognitive clinical psychology. He gave the theory of personality called Personal Construct Psychology.
Personal construct theory states the personality and cognition of a person. Kelly notched a psychotherapy approach to the theory and device a technique called the repertory grid interview, which aided patients to analyze their own relation with the world with minimal intervention.
Psychotherapy is used for treatment of mental health problems using psychological methods based on regular one-to-one interaction, and help the patient overcome his problems. Psychotherapy aims at boosting every individual's well-being and mental health and emotions. This aids in improvement of social relationships and social functioning.
According to Kelly, psychological problems could be solved by interpreting the problem through senses. By relating to the perception of a problem, the mental confusions can be resolved. Hence, he always stated that the psychological problems are perceptual and can be cured if interpreted by relating to normal surroundings. It is the duty of the therapist to view the problems of his clients with different angle.
Kelly performed personal construct theory to make his clients believe in reviving back to normal state. He followed the method of self-characterization to understand what the patient believes for himself. He then asks his patient to behave differently from what he really is. Also called fixed role therapy, it helps the patient to view life from a different point of view and hence to analyze his troubles and finding alternatives for it.