Humanistic Therapies

The aim of humanistic therapies is to focus on your self-development, growth and responsibility.  This modality of therapy will help you recognise your strengths, creativity and strength in the ‘here and now’.  

There is a wide variety of approaches from person centred therapy to existential and gestalt therapies but all are based upon the belief that we, as human beings, can strive towards goodness. Life’s challenges and experiences can hinder our ability to live the life we wish for and therapy can support you in realising your potential and achieve your goals. 

Humanistic therapies seek to establish a relationship which is based on trust, congruence and positive regard allowing you to explore your challenges safely without any fear of judgement.  Your Therapist will not necessarily focus on your problems and solutions, but on a relational depth to gain insight into how you feel, what you see, what you experience to enable growth.  

Humanistic therapy is particularly appropriate if you are feeling lost, have low confidence or low self-esteem, are feeling anxious, depressed or confused.  The aim of therapy is to increase your sense of self, identity and support and guide you to a more purposeful life. 

There are many modalities that form part of humanistic therapy and below is a brief outline of the main approaches:-  

Person Centred Therapy – this style of therapy is based upon a non-authoritative approach that allows you to take the lead in discussions so that, in the process, you will explore and discover your own solutions.  Your Therapist will listen without judgement and will stay centred in your experience without taking the discussion to an alternative direction.  Your Therapist will encourage, support and guide you without interference enabling you to lead the process of your therapeutic journey. 

Gestalt Therapy – this modality of therapy is central to the idea that human beings constantly move and develop and your Therapist regards you as an exploring, adapting and self-reflecting being.  The aim of your Therapist is to create experimental situations in a supportive and non-judgemental setting to increase awareness and being about emotional healing.  The therapy provides a safe place to explore your patterns of behaviour that occur in your life, especially the patters that have brought you to therapy.  

Existential Therapy – this approach to therapy is grounded on the assumption that we are free and therefore responsible for our choices and actions.  You are the author of your life, you design the pathway you follow.  This therapy is first and foremost philosophical and concerned with your position in the world and what it means to you to be alive.  The aim of therapy is to search for the truth with an open mind in a safe, non-judgemental environment.  You may have a limited awareness of yourself and therapy can support you in gaining insight to yourself, highlighting your strengths enabling you to make different choices to aid your development as a human being. 

Transactional Analysis  – this modern approach to therapy explores your relationships and interactions with others to establish and reinforce the idea that you are valuable and have the capacity to make positive change and personal growth.  It is centred on the theory that we all have three ego states: Parent, Adult and Child and by exploration and understanding you can identify how you communicate and interact with others and how this can be adapted allowing you to make positive change in yourself and relationships with others.  Fundamentally, TA focusses on awareness within you and relationships with others.  Once identified you can make new choices and live a more fruitful life. 

Please contact the team at White Lodge Therapy to explore what type of therapy would be suitable for you.