Laura Rice: Natural Observer Of Psychotherapy Process

Laura Rice was a pioneer of psychotherapy process research. With boundless curiosity, she was a keen observer of the natural world. Rice completed her doctoral studies at the University of Chicago in 1955, under the supervision of Jack Butler. It was in her work at the University of Chicago, with Carl Rogers and colleagues, that she brought together her passion for helping others with her curiosity and desire to do research. Schooled in client-centered therapy, she went on to develop the theory and practice of this approach based on cognitive science and her own understanding of psychotherapy process derived from her clinical experience as well as her research on patterns of change in psychotherapy. Subsequently, she developed process–experiential psychotherapy with Leslie Greenberg and Robert Elliott. Laura Rice embodied the research clinician, successfully integrating theory, research, and practice to inspire her students and future generations to engage in psychotherapy process research. In the 1980s, Carl Rogers recognized her as a major contributor to research in client-centered therapy, and in 1988 the Society for Psychotherapy Research acknowledged her contributions to the field with the Distinguished Research Career Award.