HHC Centre Psychotherapy & Holistic Medicine | Page 10

* Humanistic Therapy
*
*
Humanistic therapy gathered popularity in the mid
20th century as an alternative form of
psychotherapy which focused on showing an
unconditional positive attitude towards the patient.
Carl Rogers was known to practice a method of this
he called client-centred therapy. Aspects of this
method are still widely used today and focus on
helping patients maximize their potential.
Personality attributes such as free will, self-
exploration and actualization are developed with
this approach.
* Cognitive Therapy
*
During the 1960’s, psychoanalysts began to focus
more on how behaviour and functioning are
influenced by human thought processes. The idea of
cognitive therapy revolves around the concept that
our mental well-being is heavily influenced by our
thoughts. It presents the notion that if one has a
pessimistic or negative outlook on life, then they
too will have a negative overall experience of life.
Cognitive therapy aims to identify the delusions that
cause these thoughts and instill more positive and
realistic thoughts in their place.
* Cognitive-behavioural Therapy
*
Cognitive-behavioural therapy, or CBT, attempts to
assist patients in understanding thoughts or feelings
that affect their behaviour. Disorders such as
phobias, addiction, anxiety and depression all
benefit from cognitive-behavioural therapy. The
method involves modifying undesired behaviours and
ending cycles of abuse by changing the negative
thoughts caused by distress related to these
behaviours.