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Any psychological problems can be traced back to one or more
needs not being met in a person's life. Of course a person may
feel better going along to see any kind of psychotherapist because
it may be fulfilling a need not being met elsewhere in the patient's
life such as the need for attention or intimacy or purpose but
if the therapist believes the improvement is down to uncovering
a 'penis envy complex' or 'getting in touch with the inner child'
or because the 'id is becoming stronger' then inevitable confusion
results.
An effective therapist will seek to teach the patient to ensure
their own needs are met away from the therapist's office. After
all the real role of a therapist should be to become redundant
in the patient's life, not central to it!
The Human Givens approach recognises the resources nature gave
us to seek out the fulfilment of these needs including:
- The ability to develop complex long term memory.
- An imagination which can allow us to focus attention away from emotions in order to problem-solve objectively.
- The ability to understand the world through metaphor - complex pattern matching.
- An 'Observing Self' the part of the individual which can take a step back and watch our own psychological and physical processes. A unique centre of awareness.
- The ability to empathise and connect with others.
- A rational mind to check out emotions.
- A dreaming brain that preserves mental and physical health by metaphorically defusing emotionally arousing introspections not acted out the previous day.
Next, Psychotherapy Research
