Psychology: Humanistic
What is Humanism?
As a baseline definition, Humanism surfaced during the Renaissance. The major starting concept was that since God was a given, scholars could turn their attention to people. In the Humanist community, there is a variety of opinions as to the definition.
http://www.humanism.org.uk/site/cms/contentChapterView.asp?chapter=309
http://www.americanhumanist.org/humanism/definitions.htm
http://www.ditl.info/arttest/art2165.php
http://www.sacerdos.org/attivita/psicologia/psicologia.htm
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A fair amount of material exists on the web to define the discipline. However, not all the material is easy to find. This website may provide some indicators as to where the more difficult material may be located.
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What is Humanistic Psychology?
See: http://www.apa.org/divisions/div32/pdfs/history.pdf
Humanistic Psychology in the U.K.
"Humanistic Approaches in Relation to Other Modalities Humanistic psychology developed in the USA within the academic psychology establishment as a reaction to the behavioural and analytic emphasis of the time. Humanistic approaches are not complementary to the others but, coming later and incorporating their lessons, are developments of and advances over them. Humanistic approaches are a synthesis of analytic, behavioural, existential s. There is no evidence to support one theory of psychotherapy over another. Humanistic psychology incorporates psychoanalytic and behavioural orientations within a broader phenomenological orientation that emphasises human experience and meaning. There are several sources of humanistic psychology as it exists today: the phenomenological tradition, the existential tradition, self-actualisation, abundance motivation, the person-centred approach, body-oriented approaches, group dynamics, peak experiences and eastern philosophy. To these might be added transpersonal influences of a more general kind."
http://www.ahpp.org/
"Some principles of therapeutic practice:-
1. The therapeutic relationship is between two (or more) autonomous human beings.
2. Therapy is a two-way process of relationship.
3. Each therapeutic intervention is purposeful and finely tuned, though the therapist is not always "right".
4. Confrontation shows the client the maladaptive attitudes, beliefs etc. that prevent him/her moving on.
5. Therapy with the enables regressive issues to be contradicted in the present.
6. Emotional competence is one goal of therapy so that the client can "own" their own emotions.
7. Acceptance is a further goal of therapy in that the client comes to accept his/her true self.
8. One aim of therapy is uncovering and re-educating the real self.
9. Emphasis is on experiential learning, humans learn from experience.
10. Congruence is sought in thought and action.
11.. Diversity is welcomed: different individuals follow different paths.
12. Autonomy is promoted: people are free and act as independent individuals.
13. Authenticity is sought: what is valuable in human relating is realness.
14. Awareness is developed: we are able to become fully aware of both conscious and unconscious forces.
15. Integrity is sought: the integration of different elements into an authentic whole.
16. A non-judgmental and inclusive attitude is adopted.
17. Trust is adopted. People are assumed to be good rather than bad."
United Kingdom Association for Humanistic Psychology Practitioners (UKAHPP).
http://www.esalen.org/air/esalen_initiativesfoldr/esalen_initiatives1.shtml
bravenet.com