Humanistic TherapyWhat is it and How Does it Work?

What is humanistic therapy?

Humanistic therapy is a type of psychotherapy that emphasizes self-exploration, self-acceptance, and personal growth. The approach centers on the idea that people naturally want to grow and have the capacity to make healthier decisions. Rather than focusing on specific diagnoses and labels, a humanistic therapist aims to see you as a unique individual with unique experiences.

Humanistic therapy can be an empowering journey. In your sessions, you might identify and let go of assumptions and attitudes that hold you back or cause you distress. For example, you might work on embracing your imperfections or giving yourself more credit, building higher self-esteem and self-compassion in the process. Or perhaps you learn to be more open and honest, and this improves the quality of your marriage or friendships.

If you’re curious about this approach to psychotherapy and how it can lead to meaningful change in your life, learn more about the principles, techniques, benefits, and limitations.

Types of humanistic therapies

Multiple therapeutic approaches can fall under the umbrella of humanistic therapy. A therapist might incorporate one or more of these approaches during your sessions. In addition, humanistic techniques are often used alongside other forms of therapy, such as psychodynamic therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) practices.

Person-focused therapy (also known as non-directive or Rogerian) focuses on your ability to heal yourself. Rather than directing you through sessions and offering answers, the therapist uses active listening skills and takes a nonjudgmental, empathetic stance. They ask questions that help you better understand your inner workings and process your feelings.

Narrative therapy is based on the idea that your thoughts, experiences, and relationships are all influenced by the stories you believe about yourself. By exploring new narratives, you can empower yourself to find solutions and let go of unhealthy patterns. For instance, you might learn to reinterpret a traumatic event and let go of the shame you’ve attached to it.

Gestalt therapy emphasizes your current feelings, thoughts, and actions rather than your past experiences. The goal is for you to become more aware of yourself in the present moment and pursue change in the here and now. The process might include activities, such as role-play exercises, that make you more mindful of your thoughts and actions and help you make healthier decisions.

Core principles of humanistic therapy

Several core principles guide humanistic psychology, including self-actualization, a holistic view of individuals, unconditional positive regard, and a focus on the present.

Self-actualization and authenticity

Self-actualization involves a natural drive to become the best, most authentic version of yourself. For instance, you might procrastinate on pursuing an artistic endeavour because you fear failure. Humanistic therapy encourages you to explore your true desires and build your talents.

Holistic perspective

Humanistic therapists consider you as more than just your individual symptoms or issues. Your thoughts, emotions, and body are all taken into consideration during treatment. For instance, if you feel anxious, your therapist might consider how your physical health and negative thought patterns might contribute to anxiety. In this way, the therapist considers how your unique experience of the world affects your mental health.

Empathy and unconditional positive regard

According to this principle, when a person doesn’t feel judged or disapproved of by their therapist, they have an easier time expressing themselves. Consider how easy it is to open up when you know the listener is making a genuine effort to understand where you’re coming from and doesn’t try to shame you for mistakes.

Focus on the present

Humanistic therapy often puts emphasis on living in the present, instead of ruminating on the unchangeable past or unpredictable future. For example, you might practice focusing on the physical feelings of anxiety, such as chest tightness or muscle tension. Then, you might move on to developing coping skills to accept or reduce those feelings.

This is especially true with Gestalt therapy, which encourages you to notice and appreciate your present experiences. In general, humanistic therapy approaches can be combined with mindfulness practices, which involve taking a nonjudgmental awareness of the here and now.

Techniques used in humanistic therapy

Humanistic psychotherapists rely on different techniques to guide you toward positive change and deeper self-awareness.

Active listening

Active listening goes beyond just nodding along with what the other person is saying. An engaged therapist might use questions to encourage you to be more specific. Maybe you say, “I feel like my brother is constantly judging me.” The therapist might ask, “What do you think he is judging you about?” This type of questioning pushes you to explore your feelings on a deeper level.

Active listening also involves paying attention to your body language. Perhaps you tense up while talking about a particular subject. A therapist may also identify the feelings beneath what you’re saying. For instance, you might say something in an angry tone, but beneath that anger is hurt.

Reflection and validation

Reflection is when your therapist attempts to paraphrase your feelings, or at least their understanding of your feelings. For instance, they might say, “It sounds like you feel crowded by your aunt’s persistent need for attention.” Although this might seem like a simple action, hearing someone else summarize your feelings can help you process them.

Validation is when someone assures you that what you’re feeling and thinking is understandable and important. A person can provide you with validation, even if they disagree with you. Imagine you say, “My partner is being completely unreasonable, and it drives me crazy.” Your therapist might offer validation by saying, “It sounds like you’re upset because you think your partner’s behavior is unfair. I know that can be challenging.” This process of recognizing and accepting another person’s perspective and internal experience can help reduce that person’s negative emotions.

Goal setting

Being free to make decisions and accept responsibility for your actions is an important aspect of humanistic therapy. So, expect a collaborative approach to goal-setting, rather than a therapist setting all the objectives for you. For instance, a therapist might take a vague goal you’ve suggested, such as “I want to be more authentic,” and set a more specific goal. Perhaps they suggest, “Identify one situation each week in which you can more openly and honestly express your opinion.”

The more you and your therapist agree on the goals and the path toward reaching those goals, the more success you might find in your sessions.

Benefits of humanistic therapy

Like other forms of psychotherapy, humanistic therapy offers many potential benefits for overall well-being. Here are a few ways your sessions may lead to lasting change in your life.

Increased self-awareness. A therapist who uses active listening and reflection can help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings, deepening your understanding of yourself. The sessions might also help you hone in on your values and desires.

Higher self-acceptance. Validation from the therapist can enhance your self-acceptance and self-esteem. Perhaps you learn to stop seeing yourself as a bad person for experiencing feelings like jealousy or anger.

Personal growth. You can start achieving personal growth by learning to identify your genuine passions and set realistic goals during sessions. Maybe you decide to let go of an unhealthy habit and replace it with something more aligned with your real values.

Sense of empowerment. Humanistic therapy’s emphasis on personal responsibility and decision-making allows you to build self-efficacy. Perhaps you leave a session feeling empowered to set new, firmer boundaries with an overbearing parent.

Decrease in mental illness symptoms. Each approach to humanistic therapy may also help you manage specific mental health conditions. For example, evidence points to person-based therapy being an effective treatment option for conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Gestalt therapy might also help with anxiety and depression. A review of narrative therapy research shows that this particular humanistic approach might help with mood disorders, but more research is needed.

Critiques and limitations

No approach to psychotherapy is perfect. Here are some shortcomings of humanistic therapy to be aware of.

Lack of research. Perhaps one of the biggest limitations of humanistic therapy is that, overall, it tends to be underresearched. Certain concepts in humanistic psychology can be difficult to measure in research or distinguish from other concepts. For example, the idea of positive regard might blur together with empathy. As a result, less is known about the effectiveness of humanistic therapy, compared to other approaches, such as CBT.

Not as structured as other approaches. Humanistic therapy is open, flexible, and often requires some degree of self-direction. This might not be everyone’s preference. For instance, if you’re a highly anxious person, you might want more direction from your therapist and structure from the sessions. However, it can be combined with more structured approaches, such as CBT.

May not be suitable for all conditions. Humanistic therapy alone might not be helpful if you’re struggling with psychosis or another condition that affects your perception of reality. These types of conditions might make it difficult to engage in the self-directed sessions or fully open up to the therapist.

Is humanistic therapy right for me?

Humanistic therapy is gentle and supportive. The sessions provide you with a space where you can feel heard and accepted, and the therapist acts as a guide to deeper self-awareness and more honest decision-making.

This approach to therapy is especially useful if you struggle with self-acceptance, want to strive for your full potential, or are on a search for meaning. That said, you don’t necessarily have to choose between humanistic therapy and a different type of psychotherapy. You can find a therapist who simply incorporates humanistic principles and techniques into their overall practice.

Last updated or reviewed on July 31, 2025