The_Humanistic-Existential_Perspective

The Humanistic-Existential Perspective The Humanistic-Existential Perspective The humanistic-existential perspective is both a reaction to and an outgrowth of the psychodynamic perspective. These thinkers refer to psychodynamic theory as inadequate, many were repulsed with its tendency to break down the "whole" person into discrete components, and, the idea of adapting to one's society, however questionable its values. Most importantly, they disagree that human action is beyond the individuals control, in fact they believe that if we could develop with out constraints, we would be rational and socialized. Humanists and existentialists also think psychology should be converted into a human science, different from psychological theories with more focus on natural science. Nonetheless, there would be four basic premises that both groups (humanists & existentialists) would follow. First is the Phenomenological Approach. This entails the therapist entering into the patients world by tuning into their mental life and seeing the world as they do through their eyes. This is accomplished by listening with through, person, perspective, values, own, world, self, needs, life, human, existential, both, theory, process, patients, oneself, experiences, work, therapy, therapist, rogers, responsibility, psychodynamic, patient, modern, met, meaning, maslow, humanists, first, concept, being, approach, abnormality, while, unique