Humanistic And Psychodynamic Approach

15 Pages

Humanistic Psychology

Jacob Ryder

Saint Leo University

Abstract

Humanistic psychology is a perspective that was conceived in the 1960’s and became mainstream in the twentieth century. The roots of the humanistic perspective lie with the teachings of Socrates, with an emphasis on an individual’s drive towards self-actualization and inspiration. Humanism emphasizes the systematic study of the whole person, looking at behavior from the perspective of both the observer and the patient. The humanistic perspective differed from both the behaviorist and psychodynamic approach with its emphasis on the whole person concept with a holistic approach. Psychologists wanted to break apart from the mainstream theories suggesting

These programs are rigidly designed and limited to old contents and attitudes. Instead of focusing on the material a student needs to be a great therapist, they focus on material needed for licensure and leave the personal growth and development up to the student. The schools have their hands tied because if their program doesn’t meet standards, their graduates cannot practice. Humanistic psychology needs to set principles in stone in order to be accepted into the programs. Measurement of success in the area would be difficult to ascertain. One’s ability to empathize and educate without judgment would need to be tested on a pass/fail basis. New approaches will never be accepted until they are tested and proved and this methodology will leave the psychotherapeutic field malnourished and neglected. Besides licensure, the personal practice of the therapist is also in a paradigm shift. In order for a therapist to get paid by an insurance company, they must diagnose a patient using the DSM. Most humanistic psychologists gave generic diagnosis to their patients in order to get reimbursed, bus were able to keep to their humanistic roots. With healthcare reforms and practitioners being told how to treat their patients, there is a shift happening in the healthcare system that is causing humanistic practitioners

The belief that humanity is inherently good has seen its fair share of criticism as well in the past. In an attempt to study and understand the totality of human experience, Humanistic psychology has secured its place as a main school of thought within psychology. Many humanistic psychologists look at positive psychology as humanistic psychology adapting and repackaging itself. Positive psychology is the study of the strengths and qualities that enable individuals and societies to prosper. Founded on the belief that people want to lead significant lives, the emphasis on empathic listening is still rooted in Roger’s work. Founded by Martin Seligman, positive psychology considered itself an anti-DSM practice. They created their own diagnostic manual named the Classification of Strengths (Peterson & Seligman,