Houllier feels that Gerrard's return to form is a sign of his maturity and mental strength.
He said: "Any player will sometimes have to go through a difficult period at some stage of his career, when he doesn't play as well as he wants to.
"At the moment Stevie seems to have turned the corner and bounced back to an even higher level. He has been outstanding in our last two games. I think he is playing better than ever and there is more to come. He is in a period of rapid progress and he is still young.
"If you bounce back from a difficult period you can return mentally sharper. He seems very focused and very enthusiastic. Nothing great is achieved in this world without enthusiasm. If you go through the motions you don't achieve."