What is humanistic counselling?
I chose to study Humanistic psychology because I connect with its main theories. Humanistic psychology is a perspective that emphasises looking at the whole individual and stresses concepts such as free will, self-efficacy, and self-actualization. Rather than concentrating on dysfunction, humanistic psychology strives to help people fulfil their potential and maximize their well-being.
This means you are a WHOLE. Your mind, body, feelings, emotions and physical sensations are all part of the picture. They are often linked and really affect each other!
My experience has taught me that everyone is unique and by exploring our individuality do we get to understand ourselves and how we fit into the world around us. The idea of self-actualization means that we have the power and the tools within ourselves to grow and rise to our fullest potential. Through Humanistic counselling we can be challenged and encouraged to discover our potential, practise it and try things out with our counsellor and then transition these ideas and concepts into our every day lives.
As it developed, humanistic psychology has focused on each individual's potential and stressed the importance of growth and self-actualization.
The fundamental belief of humanistic psychology is that people are innately good and that mental and social problems result from deviations from this natural tendency.
Humanism also suggests that people possess personal agency and that they are motivated to use this free will to pursue things that will help them achieve their full potential as human beings. This idea boils down to the fact that we all have the ability to change and grow! I find this idea incredibly empowering.
If you’re interested in the history and development of the movement check out these authors and great thinkers:
The humanist movement had an enormous influence on the course of psychology and contributed new ways of thinking about mental health. It offered a new approach to understanding human behaviours and motivations and led to developing new techniques and approaches to psychotherapy.
One of the major strengths of humanistic psychology is that it emphasises the role of the individual. This school of psychology gives people more credit in controlling and determining their state of mental health. It also takes environmental influences into account. Rather than focusing solely on our internal thoughts and desires, humanistic psychology also credits the environment's influence on our experiences. Humanistic psychology helped remove some of the stigma attached to therapy and made it more acceptable for normal, healthy individuals to explore their abilities and potential through therapy.
