Humanistic and Existential Approaches in Psychology
Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow.
Humanistic and existential approaches are two influential schools of thought in psychology, both emphasising the individual's subjective experience, personal growth, and inherent potential. They contrast sharply with more deterministic views such as psychoanalysis and behaviourism, which emphasise unconscious drives or external stimuli.
In psychotherapy, these two approaches are often integrated into a single modality — humanistic-existential therapy — combining humanistic warmth and support with existential exploration of meaning, freedom, and mortality.
Humanistic Approach
The humanistic approach emerged in the mid-20th century as a reaction against the determinism of psychoanalysis and the reductionism of behaviourism. Often called the "third force" in psychology, it focuses on the inherent goodness of people and their potential for growth and self-actualisation.
Key figures: Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow
Key Concepts
- Self-Actualization — Maslow's hierarchy of needs places self-actualization at the top: realizing one's full potential once basic needs (physiological, safety, love, esteem) are met.
- Unconditional Positive Regard — Rogers's term for accepting and valuing a person without judgment, central to a supportive therapeutic environment.
- Client-Centered Therapy — Rogers's model in which the therapist facilitates rather than directs; the client is treated as the expert on their own life.
- Emphasis on the Present Moment ("Here and Now") — Focus on conscious choice and personal responsibility in the present, rather than digging into the past.
Techniques in Humanistic Therapy
- Unconditional Positive Regard — acceptance without judgment
- Empathy — deep understanding of the client's subjective experience
- Congruence (Genuineness) — the therapist is open and authentic, not distant or clinical
- Focus on the Here and Now — current feelings over past trauma or unconscious conflict
Strengths
- Empowering and growth-oriented
- Widely used in counseling for a non-judgmental, empathetic therapeutic space
Criticisms
- Lack of scientific rigor — critics see it as more philosophical than empirical
- Overly optimistic — may downplay darker aspects of human experience
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Jean-Paul Sartre, Martin Heidegger, Søren Kierkegaard,
Existential Approach
The existential approach is more philosophical, rooted in existentialist thought from Jean-Paul Sartre, Martin Heidegger, and Søren Kierkegaard. Rather than focusing on growth and fulfilment, it centres on meaning, freedom, and the inevitability of death.
Key figures: Jean-Paul Sartre, Martin Heidegger, Søren Kierkegaard, Viktor Frankl, Rollo May, Irvin Yalom
Key Concepts
- Existential Anxiety — awareness of life's uncertainty and the burden of freedom and responsibility.
- Freedom and Responsibility — individuals are free to choose their path, but that freedom is inseparable from responsibility for the outcome.
- Meaning of Life — in a world without inherent meaning, individuals must create their own purpose.
- Authenticity — living in line with personal values rather than societal expectation, and confronting existential truths directly.
- Death and Mortality — awareness of death can provoke anxiety but also motivates a more meaningful, present-focused life.
Techniques in Existential Therapy
- Exploring Meaning — helping clients define purpose for themselves
- Confronting Existential Anxiety — acknowledging fears around death, freedom, and isolation
- Living Authentically — aligning actions with personal values
- Responsibility and Choice — understanding freedom and its consequences
Strengths
- Helps clients grapple with life's biggest questions (meaning, mortality)
- Viktor Frankl's logotherapy shows the approach applied directly — finding meaning even in suffering
Criticisms
- Overemphasis on death and suffering — may risk despair rather than empowerment
- Philosophical and abstract — like humanistic psychology, seen as lacking empirical grounding
Comparing the Two Approaches
Humanistic Existential Tone: Optimistic, growth-focused. Confronts difficulty and darkness. Core focus: Self-actualisation, potential, meaning, freedom, mortality. Key figures: Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow, Sartre, Heidegger, Kierkegaard, Frankl. Main question: "How do I grow into my full potential?" "How do I find meaning despite life's uncertainty?" Therapy style: Client-centred, non-directive Exploratory, confronts existential themes directly
What They Share
- Subjective experience comes first, over diagnosis or symptoms
- Therapeutic relationship quality is central to both
- Holistic view of the person — emotional, spiritual, and social, not just symptoms
- Personal responsibility — clients are encouraged to own their choices
- Non-pathologising — clients are not "ill," but capable of growth
Humanistic-Existential Therapy in Practice
Many therapists integrate both approaches into one modality, balancing humanistic support with existential challenge.
Example: A client feels lost in their career and relationships. The therapist first builds a warm, non-judgmental relationship (humanistic) and encourages open exploration of feelings. Then, using existential techniques, the therapist helps the client examine their values, sense of purpose, and freedom to make life-altering choices — moving the client toward a life that is both authentic and meaningful.
FAQ in Humanistic and Existencialism
What is humanistic-existential therapy? It's an integrative therapy model combining humanistic psychology's focus on growth and self-actualisation with existential psychology's focus on meaning, freedom, and mortality.
Who are the key theorists in humanistic and existential psychology? Humanistic: Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow. Existential: Jean-Paul Sartre, Martin Heidegger, Søren Kierkegaard, Viktor Frankl, and later contributors like Rollo May and Irvin Yalom.
What's the main difference between humanistic and existential psychology? Humanistic psychology tends to be optimistic and growth-focused; existential psychology confronts harder questions like death, freedom, and meaninglessness.
Is humanistic-existential therapy evidence-based? It has less quantitative empirical research than approaches like CBT, and is often criticised for being more philosophical than scientific — but it remains widely used in counselling and psychotherapy for its focus on the whole person.
Further Reading
- Rogers, C. (1961). On Becoming a Person
- Maslow, A. (1943). A Theory of Human Motivation
- Frankl, V. (1946). Man's Search for Meaning
- Yalom, I. (1980). Existential Psychotherapy
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