HUMANISTIC PSYCHOTHERAPIES Anders Dræby Sørensen, Anders Dræby Sørensen,

LEARNING OBJECTIVES TO BE COVERED TODAY. Origins and antecedens of the humanistic approach Basic themes and concepts of humanistic psychology Basic structure of humanistic model of abnormal psychology Basic concepts and structure of person-centred psychotherapy Anders Dræby Sørensen,

PLAN FOR TODAY Introduction of topics and plan Humanistic psychology Person-centred psychotherapy Criticisms of Humanistic psychology and psychotherapy Michel Foucault’s and Martin Heidegger’s perspectives on the self Discussion: The self in humanistic psychology Anders Dræby Sørensen,

HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY?. Anders Dræby Sørensen,

HUMANISTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY Anders Dræby Sørensen,

HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY Anders Dræby Sørensen,

THEMES IN HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY. 1.Centering attention on the experiencing individual 2.Emphasis on distinctive human qualities (choice, creativity, evaluation, self-realization) 3.Research procedures based on meaningfulness 4.Concern with human dignity and development of potential in every person (Buhler & Allen, 1972) Anders Dræby Sørensen,

THE THEORY OF CARL ROGERS Theory of the self The gestalt composed of perceptions charachteristic of the ”I” or ”me” Emerges of totality of experiences Self-actualization To be that self, which one truly is (Kierkegaard) A tendency to actualize unique potential Positive regard and self-regard Absence of anxiety and defences Becoming a person Capacity to develop in a positive direction given conditions for growth Basic need for approval Model of abnormal psychology Incongruence between actual organismic self (felt experience) and self-concept (masks and picture of self) Self-concept under threat by negative feelings is handled by repression, denial or distortion Increase in internal stress and anxiety Anders Dræby Sørensen,

Is Rogers’s view of human nature to positive? Can all people develop in positive ways? REFLECTION Anders Dræby Sørensen,

HUMANISTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY?. Anders Dræby Sørensen,

PERSON CENTRED THERAPY. Autonomous person, not a sick patient, personality change, not treatment The individuals themselves have self-capacity to understand cause of distress without reference to an ‘expert’ Persons in distress have been in denying relationships and healing is based on accepting and valuing of self in therapeutic relationship Diagnosis is treating persons as objects and no initial diagnosis or goal setting Anders Dræby Sørensen,

NECESSARY AND SUFFICIENT CONDITIONS OF THERAPEUTIC CHANGE. 1.Two persons are in psychological contact 2.The first is in a state of incongruence 3.The second is congruent 4.The therapist experiences unconditional positive regard for the client 5.The therapist experiences an empathic understanding of the client’s internal frame of reference and endeavours to communicate this to the client 6.The communication to the client of the therapist’s understanding and unconditional positive regard is to a minimal degree achieved Anders Dræby Sørensen,

How easy is it to be totally accepting of others? REFLECTION Anders Dræby Sørensen,

CRITICISM. Too subjective and lacking empirical validity (behaviourism) Abandonment of scientific methods (RCT) and failure to engage with quantitative empirical research Too much relying on qualitative and process- oriented research Introspective self-reports are unreliable Core conditions are necessary but not sufficient Religion of narcissism rather than science Supports essentialism Anders Dræby Sørensen,

Is humanistic psychology too grounded in essentialism? Does person-centred therapy promote narcissism? DISCUSSION Anders Dræby Sørensen,

TODAY WAS Humanistic psychology We strive for harmonic self- actualization We have capacity for positive growth We suffer from incongruence Person-centred therapy The client has capacity for self- understanding We don’t use diagnosis Our basic skills are congruence, empathy and accept Anders Dræby Sørensen,