Humanistic Psychotherapy & Counselling, East Grinstead

Humanistic psychotherapy and counselling sees each person as unique and interesting in their own way. The essence of the humanistic approach is the idea that you are the expert on your life, and I am the expert on mine. Humanistic work involves a meeting of people of equal worth, with the therapist acting as a ‘skilled helper’, supporting the client to uncover the gifts, talents and health they already have, somewhere within them.

This is an optimistic view that emphasises strength, rather than looking for what is wrong. It is different from the ‘doctor-patient’ model, where the doctor looks for illness and holds the power to ‘fix’ or ‘cure’ the patient. Humanistic approaches support people to become active and powerful in their own healing and development.

In humanistic work, the therapist may, in a professional way, share something of their own experiences in the therapy room, as a way of enhancing the therapeutic process. Both the client and the therapist are encouraged to bring their ‘human-ness’, whatever that may be, to the therapeutic relationship.

(N.B. Humanistic therapy is fundamentally different from the Humanist movement)

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