Unconditional Positive Regard

Unconditional positive regard is a technique used by Carl Roger in his client-centered therapy. Positive regard involves receiving things such as love, warmth, and acceptance from the important people in a child’s life. According to Roger, we all have a basic need for positive regard in our childhood. Those who receive unconditional positive regard-full and warm acceptance of people for who they truly are-early in life are more likely to actualize their positive potential. However, some children receive positive regard only when they act in certain way. They acquire conditions of worth-they must act and think in line with the values of the important people in their lives to receive positive regard. Thus, these children may distort actions and thoughts that do not meet their conditions of worth. They live their lives according to other’s values and do not know their own true feelings and who they truly are.

I want to put unconditional positive regard under the category of redemption. Giving unconditional positive regard is very difficult. We will more or less set up our own standards to judge if someone is lovable and acceptable. But I believe we all receive unconditional positive regard from God-his grace. God’s unconditioned love is not blind. He knows very much about people he loves-their weakness and sins, but fully accepts them and never asks anything in return. There is nothing we can do to win his love. His giving of love is without any preconditions. As in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.