Torn. I do not know how else to describe my feelings regarding the humanistic school of thought. On the one hand, the underlying concepts of humanistic psychology excite my inner-hippie. My other hand, however, tends to be more cynical and pessimistic than its counterpart, writing humanism off as an idealistic approach. Further, there are certain aspects to the humanistic approach that strike me as basic common sense. Starting with the hippie side, I too (try) to believe in the innate goodness of people. Furthermore, I concur with the humanists claim that everyone has the potential for individual growth. Every individual experience is unique, and all humankind would benefit if societal pressures were cast aside and self-growth was encouraged. As far as Maslow’s concept of self-actualization goes, I agree that the world would be a much better place if people were compassionate and loved one another. If everyone felt uneasy around cruelty, that would obviously solve a lot of the world’s problems. Moreover, Rogers’s path to a healthy self-concept requires a focus on genuineness, acceptance, and empathy. Although his client-centered therapy has good intentions, this also brings out the pessimist side.
Generally speaking, …show more content…
For instance, Rogers’s client-centered therapy is a common therapeutic practice today. Moreover, client-centered therapy has extended into other mindfulness therapy practices. Similarly, theories based on the founding principles of humanistic-existential psychology have been developed that strive to cause social change. The techniques used in humanistic psychotherapy have been validated through numerous studies in the ability to help raise client’s self-esteem; which, in turn, induces a “pay-it-forward” domino effect. In addition, the theories validated meditation techniques that lead to