Humanistic Psychotherapies, Theories and Models

Humanistic psychotherapies are composed of a diverse mix of therapeutic techniques that share a number of characteristics:

• A phenomenal approach that assumes that in order to understand a person the therapist must understand her or his subjective experience,
• A focus on current behaviors,
• An emphasis on the uniqueness and wholeness of the individual,
• A belief in an inherent individual potential for self-determination and self-actualization,
• An understanding of therapy as involving an authentic, collaborative relationship between therapist and client, and
• A rejection of traditional techniques and diagnostic labels.

Humanistic Models include:

• Person-Centered Therapy
• Gestalt Therapy
• Transactional Analysis
• Reality Therapy