The power of the present: Understanding humanistic therapy

Deciding to seek therapy is a huge step, and it may have taken a long time to get there. To then find the right therapist might feel like another insurmountable challenge. There are many different approaches to therapy like humanistic, psychodynamic, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and person-centred therapy, to name just a handful. Learning about each one and trying to figure out if it might work for you can feel overwhelming. In this article, I will briefly discuss what humanistic therapy means to me. If something resonates with you, it may be that humanistic therapy is something you would like to explore further.

The foundation of humanistic therapy

Humanistic therapy is a response to the main type of therapy that was popular in the first half of the twentieth century - psychoanalysis. There was a collective wish to move away from theories that generalise how human minds operate and instead move towards valuing the individual experience of each person.

The idea that every human being perceives the world in their own unique way is integral to humanistic therapy. This, of course, includes the therapist themselves, so there is an acceptance in this approach that the therapist can never truly fully understand what you're going through. They are not the expert in your life - you are. However, by being a non-judgemental and attentive presence in your life and trying to understand your world, a humanistic therapist can help you to better understand yourself.

The importance of being present

A humanistic therapist will pay close attention to what is happening in the present moment and bring it to your attention. Being present is something that is often talked about and strived for, but it can be hard to manage in daily life. Practices like meditation and mindfulness can be very helpful and certainly have mental health benefits, but these are usually individual activities.

When you're struggling with overwhelming feelings, you may be feeling stuck in a loop and it may be hard to find solutions on your own. Feeling present in the moment with another person can provide crucial safety, containment and feedback, all of which could enable you to explore your feelings more deeply and from a different perspective.

Humanistic therapy allows you the chance to be present week after week with someone you trust. The relationship between the two of you can offer important information about your relationship with other people in your life. The therapist will tune into what is happening in the moment and feed it back to you. Although this will be done without judgment, it can sometimes be challenging to hear.

Recognising patterns in relationships

The rules of our society mean that we may not be used to such honest feedback. In our everyday lives, we behave the way we always do, and people react to us the way they always do; it has become a reliable pattern. People often come to therapy when these patterns of behaviour are no longer working for them.

Noticing what happens in the therapist-client relationship can be a very useful indicator of what your particular pattern might look like. Then you can take this information into your wider life and be able to see what is happening in your other relationships more clearly.

The power of the present moment

Seeking therapy is a significant step, and finding the right therapist can feel daunting, given the various approaches. Humanistic therapy differs from traditional psychoanalysis by emphasising individual experiences and the present moment. Humanistic therapy operates on the belief that every person perceives the world uniquely, and that you are the expert in your own life.

Through a non-judgmental, attentive presence, a humanistic therapist helps clients understand themselves by focusing on the present and offering honest feedback, which can reveal behavioural patterns. This focus on the present is key to the power and effectiveness of humanistic therapy.