Overview
The term Humanistic Psychology was first used in 1958 in
a book by that name written by a British psychologist John Cohen
The Association of Humanistic Psychologists was founded in 1962
This “third force” was to find their identity in not being like the “first and second force”, those being psychoanalysis and behaviorism.
Two of the main theorists in the humanistic movement were Carl Rogers and Fritz Perls
The humanistic view of the individual is that they are
fundamentally good and are attempting to be the best person they can be, and are
attempting to attain, self-actualisation.
In 1957 Carl Rogers set down the core conditioned to
bring about therapeutic change
1/ The therapist should be congruent.
2/ the therapist should show empathy towards the client.
3/ The client should receive unconditional positive regard from the therapist.
Others who have contributed towards the development of
the humanistic approach include Eric Berne who introduced the theory of Transactional
analysis and Rollo May, Existential
therapy that concentrate on what it is to be human, and the 4 dimensions of
human existence the Physical, psychological, social and spiritual.
The main theorists of the humanist movement were Rogers (Person Centered), Perls (Gestalt), Berne (Transactional Analysis), and VanDeurzen-Smith (Existential).
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