Humanistic therapy is an approach to mental health that uses a strong relationship between the client and therapist to allow people to explore and reach their fullest potential. It’s useful for anyone who is feeling frustrated or stuck in anxiety, depression, or general life difficulties. That said, it isn’t focused on learning tools to fix problems, and the length of therapy depends on your own unique needs and goals.
What Is Humanistic Therapy?
Humanistic therapy is an umbrella term for a group of talk therapies based on the principles of humanism, which relates to human nature and potential. Individuals (not their challenges) are the primary focus. They’re seen as highly valuable, unique, and capable of achieving their goals.1 The therapist isn’t there to diagnose, problem-solve, or lead; instead, they’re an equal partner on a journey of meaningful growth.2
The emphasis of humanistic therapy is on individual choice, freedom, values, and meaning to help people find fulfillment and purpose.1,4 By living meaningfully in the present (a concept known as mindfulness), people can break free from past experiences or concerns for the future. This allows them to act with purpose and passion for their own benefit and the benefit of society.3
A humanistic therapist sees people as being:1,2,3,5
- Inherently good
- Deserving of unconditional positive regard (respect, empathy, and understanding for who they are rather than judgement)
- Motivated to meet their own needs and grow
- Capable of solving problems and making necessary changes to overcome obstacles
- Driven to self-actualize (to define personal meaning, take purposeful action, and use their unique strengths and talents to live to their full potential)
- Complete and whole: more than a collection of random experiences and problems
Types of talk therapy that fall under the category of humanistic therapy are:1,3,4
- Person-centered therapy
- Existential therapy
- Logotherapy
- Gestalt therapy
- Constructivist therapy
- Narrative therapy
- Feminist therapy
- Transpersonal psychotherapy
- Transactional analysis
How Does Humanistic Therapy Compare to Other Therapy Types?
Unlike many types of therapy, humanistic counseling doesn’t address problems directly. Instead, the emphasis is on the supportive relationship between counselor and client, allowing people to safely explore who they are, what is meaningful to them, and how to live to their fullest potential. Little emphasis is placed on someone’s past, including on how it may contribute to current difficulties.1,2,3
Humanistic therapy is unique in that it is considered non-directive. This means that the therapist doesn’t lead the process, suggest goals, teach tools and techniques, or even decide how many sessions a client needs. Instead, they guide clients to understand themselves and discover their own meaning and fulfillment.1,3
Humanistic therapy doesn’t typically involve a diagnosis or formal assessments, as it is not a structured approach to problem-solving like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), or solution-focused brief therapy. It does, however, share some commonalities with positive psychology in that it promotes optimistic ideals that see people as fundamentally good, strong, and capable.3
What Can Humanistic Counseling Help With?
Because it is tailored to the unique needs of each person, humanistic counseling can help with a wide variety of difficulties. Regardless of how they’re labeled, humanism believes that the challenges people face are rooted in existential anxieties such as freedom, meaninglessness, and the inevitability of death. Humanistic therapy can also help those dealing with existential depression, brought about by similar anxieties and dreads about the meaning of life.
Accordingly, a humanistic therapist can help with these issues:2,3,6
- Anxiety
- Panic
- Depression
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Substance use
- Personality disorders
- Relationship problems
- Low self-esteem
Whether humanistic therapy is the right approach for psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia remains controversial. Some studies indicate that it can be helpful while others, including some conducted by Carl Rogers, the founder of person-centered therapy, have found that it’s not appropriate.2,3 Humanistic therapy can likely help people who live with psychotic disorders find meaning and fulfillment, but it isn’t meant for periods of active psychosis.
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Is Humanistic Therapy Effective?
Because it is unstructured and focuses mainly on the supportive counselor-client relationship, humanistic therapy is difficult to research, but not impossible. A meta-analysis of 86 studies indicated that people receiving this type of therapy experienced more positive change than people who didn’t receive therapy at all, and about as much change as people in other types of therapy. Further, gains made in humanistic therapy tended to last over time.7
Specific types of humanistic counseling, such as person-centered therapy, have been found to be effective for interpersonal and relationship issues, and as effective as CBT for depression, substance use, and chronic medical conditions. However, therapies that merely claim to be “non-directive” (just one element of humanistic therapy) are less effective.6
Criticisms of Humanistic Therapy
Some mental health experts question the quality of the studies supporting humanistic therapy.4 Random controlled trials that compare a research group to a control group are considered the gold standard in psychological research, but this type of study is nearly impossible to apply to humanistic therapy because its key elements are difficult to measure.3
Instead, much of the research into humanistic therapy involves quantitative investigations (gathering data via questionnaires, polls, and surveys and analyzing it numerically) and qualitative studies (case studies, conversations, video, and audio recordings) to understand how the process does or doesn’t help.4 These forms of research are considered less valid and reliable than randomized controlled trials.
Other criticisms relate to the nature of humanistic therapy itself.3 Some people believe that humanistic counselors provide too little structure, direction, and guidance. It’s been criticized for its inability (or unwillingness) to address practical problems that people face, such as prejudice and poverty. Some have even accused it of being elitist, tailored to people who are highly articulate and have unlimited time and money to spend on therapy.
Humanistic Therapy Examples
A humanistic approach to therapy is about the equal relationship between counselor and client, with the therapist seeking to listen deeply and practice genuine empathy. Conversations aren’t about identifying and fixing problems but exploring the client as a whole person and helping them reach their potential. Accordingly, therapy is highly individualized.
Here are three examples of humanistic therapy:
1. Humanistic Counseling For Depression
Instead of seeking to uncover the cause of depression or cope with symptoms, the therapist and client will likely reflect on what might bring greater meaning to the client’s life. The therapist might use what’s called dereflection to help the client focus on something other than their depression. The client will explore how to meet their true potential by identifying their unique strengths and talents. They will also likely explore ways of experiencing wonder and awe to increase motivation, energy, and engagement with life.
2. Humanistic Therapy For Anxiety
Humanists see existential anxiety as an inevitable part of life that restricts potential, causing people to avoid seeking meaning and fulfilment due to fear of loss or failure. While it doesn’t completely disappear, people are capable of choosing to live with courage and meaning in spite of anxiety. During therapy, the therapist might use paradoxical intention to exaggerate rather than suppress feelings of anxiety so the client can see that they’re capable of facing their fears.
3. Humanistic Therapy For Guilt
Many humanists believe that a sense of guilt underlies the challenges that cause people to seek therapy. They also believe that this guilt may appear as a sense of general unwellness, discontent, regret, dread, or despair over things someone has or hasn’t done.3 Humanistic therapists view guilt as an opportunity for growth and positive action. Rather than dwelling on issues from the past, the therapist will focus on how the client can move out of a place of unease into a more meaningful life.
Cost of Humanistic Therapy
Humanistic therapy costs about the same as traditional talk therapy. Fees are set by each individual therapist based on their education, experience, and geographic location. As of 2018, the median cost of mental health therapy in the United States was $125 for a 45-minute session and $130 for a 60-minute session.8
Mental health therapy is increasingly covered by insurance; however, many policies require an official diagnosis and specific treatment. Because humanistic therapies don’t tend to assign diagnoses, some insurance companies may not cover it. Call the number on the back of your insurance card or visit their website to learn what your policy covers.
How to Find a Humanistic Therapist
There are different ways to find a therapist, including asking your doctor for a referral, checking with trusted friends or family members, looking at local mental health organizations, or using an online directory. If you are searching for a humanistic therapist, look for key terms in their biography or on their website like “non-directive,” “client-centered,” “unconditional positive regard,” “full-potential,” and “self-actualization.” When in doubt, call and ask if they take a humanistic approach.2
Many factors are involved in choosing a therapist who is right for you. Above all, make sure that you feel comfortable. It’s important that you feel like you can trust them and that they value you as a person. All humanistic therapists strive for this, but you want to make sure that your personalities are a good fit.
What to Expect at Your First Appointment
You won’t dive into problems at your first appointment, and you probably won’t be given a mental health assessment.3 Instead, you and your therapist will get to know each other. They may ask you gentle questions about your hopes, goals, interests, beliefs, relationships, and passions.. Above all, your therapist will listen to you and treat you with empathy and respect.2,3
History of Humanistic Psychology
Humanism draws from the philosophies of ancient Greece and many Eastern cultures.4 In 15th century Europe, with the onset of the protestant reformation and the Renaissance, humanism’s focus on reason, rational thought, and exploration coupled with the belief that every individual person has worth was a reaction to the strict control of the Catholic Church and monarchies during Medieval times.9
Similarly, in the 1950s, psychologists began to break away from Freudian psychoanalysis and staunch behaviorism, considered the first and second forces of psychology, respectively.9 Many professionals disagreed with the psychoanalysts’ pessimistic view of human nature and belief that humans were driven by unconscious urges and desires. They were also unhappy with what they believed to be the behaviorists’ emphasis on manipulating and controlling human behavior through punishment and reward.
Psychologists like Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, Rollo May, Irvin Yalom, and Viktor Frankl had different ideas about human nature and helping people thrive; these ideas were built on humanism. From their research, a third force in psychology arose, the approach known collectively as humanistic therapy.2,5
Final Thoughts on Humanistic Therapy
If you’re experiencing any type of mental health challenge, working with a therapist can be invaluable. If you’re not concerned about receiving a diagnosis and would like to focus on discovering who you are at your core so you can use your unique strengths and talents to feel fulfillment and meaning despite life’s inevitable problems, humanistic therapy may be the right approach for you.
