THE FOUNDATİONS OF HUMANİSTİC PSYCHOTHERAPY: YESTERDAY AND TODAY

Journal of science. Lyon №71/2025 53 PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCES THE FOUNDATİONS OF HUMANİSTİC PSYCHOTHERAPY: YESTERDAY AND TODAY Efendiyeva G. Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University Senior Lecturer, Department of General Psychology https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2366-0872 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17533498 Abstract Key aspects of humanistic psychotherapy include client acceptance, creating a safe environment, focusing on self-actualization and personal growth, and the client's responsibility for their own lives. The therapist acts as an equal partner and supporter, not a dictator, and helps the client find their own meaning and values. In humanistic therapy, the therapist does not “treat” or “prescribe exercises,” but rather helps the client explore their needs and find ways to meet them. Humanistic psychotherapy is a deep, life-changing therapy that enables a more conscious life. This approach considers a person's life as a whole, how they live it. Like any deep approach, this approach assumes that symptomatic treatment does not lead to a cure, and that real change is only possible by addressing underlying content. This psychotherapy is a dynamic therapeutic approach, presuming that unconscious forces influence conscious activity. Keywords: basis, humanistic, psychotherapy, development, author, theory, practice, work, correction, influence, client, modern, goal, promotes. Login. Carl Rogers was a co-founder of the humanistic approach to psychology, one of the main approaches to modern understanding of humanity. Many of his ideas influenced not only humanistic psychotherapy but also other therapeutic approaches. The beginnings of humanistic psychology can be found as far back as ancient Eastern philosophy: knowledge of the human being in Ancient China and India has much in common with the concepts that are now accepted to be considered humanistic theories of personality. In particular, it is argued that man is a perfect, essentially creation of nature, who only needs to find the right path in life. Much later humanistic principles can be found in the phenomenology of Edmund Husserl and Franz Brentano, the existential philosophy of Serene Kierkegaard and Martin Heidegger. F. Brentano (1838 - 1917) created an idealistic doctrine of the “intentionality” of mental phenomena. According to this doctrine, the psyche is always intentional, that is, there is always a relation to something, directed towards something, but its object itself does not necessarily exist really. E. Husserl (1859-1938) addressed the investigation of the ‘life-world’ of individual subjects, viewing it as the result of a gradual construction by the subject himself of the sphere of his objects. The concept of "lifeworld" is close in content to the concept of "field of experience" in K. Rogers. A successful therapeutic process results in changes that enable a person to increase internal coherence, take responsibility for their life, and achieve their own goals. A fully functioning person trusts themselves and their experience and makes decisions based on them. They are also open to others and can listen to them without feeling threatened. Such a person can also live in the present, paying attention to the present moment. Self-responsibility is associated with a sense of freedom and free will; it allows one to adapt to changing conditions and approach life and development creatively. The elements of the humanistic psychotherapeutic approach developed by Carl Rogers form the so-called Rogers Triad. They relate to the therapist's attitude, which provides the best possible support to the client during therapy, and are also the result of his work not only with individual clients but also with groups, sometimes even very large ones. He conducted this therapy with the conviction that people should learn from their own experience and that the results will undoubtedly be valuable. Research. Carl Rogers opposed the objectification of patients, diagnosis, psychoanalytic interpretation, and psychological counseling. He believed that the role of the therapist was not to solve the client's problems, but, on the contrary, to help them identify their own goals. The goal of the counseling relationship is to enable the client to gain self-understanding so that they can resolve their difficulties independently. This thinking is based on an unwavering belief in the individual's potential, their ability to grow, and find their own answers. Everyone has sufficient resources within themselves to realize their potential. This growth requires several conditions, namely, the relationship between therapist, teacher, social worker, nurse, etc. must embody: This is the intuitive ability to put oneself in another's shoes. Rogers writes: "To be empathetic means to perceive the internal frame of reference of others as accurately as possible, with the emotional components and meanings that belong to it, as if one were that person." Congruence (authenticity) is the consistency between what a person feels, thinks, and acts in their relationship with another. Specifically, it's the courage to show oneself "as I am, vulnerable, flawed, just being me." As Carl Rogers said, "When my attitude reflects irritation I feel toward someone but 54 Journal of science. Lyon №71/2025 don't realize it, my communication contains conflicting messages that create some confusion in the other person and make them less confident." Unconditional positive consideration, without judgment of the other or oneself. Each person is accepted as they are, with their own frame of reference. "The client should feel accepted. In other words, they should feel free to tell me whatever they want, to present themselves to me in any way-their speech is always welcomed with unwavering interest, no matter what the content of the conversation." It's about showing others your human connection, warmth, and reassurance. The richness of this approach is that these relationships can be applied to all areas of life, and we can all learn to apply them in practice [2;4;5]. The humanistic approach, often referred to as the third force in psychotherapy, is diverse. It encompasses a variety of methods (Binswanger's Daseinanalysis, Janov's primal therapy, Frankl's logotherapy, and others). Our course places special emphasis on Rogers' client-centered therapy. Carl Rogers believed that humans are inherently positive and strive for self-actualization (which Abraham Maslow, one of the founders of humanistic psychology, also identified as a key factor in development). Client-centered therapy is based on dialogue. The therapist does not direct or manage; the client independently chooses the issues important to discuss. Communication is built on respect, trust, and the therapist's complete acceptance of the client, which helps discover new ways to solve the problem. The problems of modern society are fundamentally different from those of past eras and are often shaped by the diffuse culture of megacities, which does not provide clear answers to the questions: "Who am I?", "What do I aspire to?", "Where and with whom do I belong in life?" These include issues of selfexpression, freedom of choice, relationships with the world and oneself, and the search for meaning in life. When addressing such issues, behavioral and dynamic approaches are inferior to humanistic psychotherapy, which focuses on personal growth [4,5]. The humanistic approach is also called phenomenalistic, as phenomenology studies how humans perceive and experience reality. People exercise self-control; their behavior is determined by their ability to make choices-to choose how to think and how to act. These choices are dictated by a person's unique perception of the world. For example, if a person perceives the world as friendly and accepting, they are likely to feel happy and safe. If, however, a person perceives the world as hostile and dangerous, they are likely to be anxious and defensive (prone to defensive reactions). Phenomenological psychologists view even major depression not as a mental illness, but as a sign of an individual's pessimistic outlook on life. Emotional disturbances arise from a blocked need for growth (self-actualization), distorted perceptions, or a lack of awareness of feelings. Humanistic psychotherapy is based on the following assumptions (D. Bernstein, E. Roy et al., 1988): 1. Treatment is a meeting of equals ("encounter"), not a medication prescribed by a specialist. It helps patients restore their natural growth and feel and behave in accordance with who they truly are, not who others think they should be. 2. Patients improve spontaneously if the therapist creates the right conditions. These conditions promote awareness, self-acceptance, and the expression of their feelings, especially those they have suppressed and that block their growth. As with the psychodynamic approach, therapy promotes insight, but in phenomenological therapy, insight is the awareness of current feelings and perceptions, not unconscious conflicts. 3. The best way to create these right (ideal) conditions is to establish a relationship in which the patient feels unconditional acceptance and support. Therapeutic change is achieved not through the use of specific techniques, but through the patient's experience of these relationships. 4. Patients are fully responsible for their own choices in thinking and behavior [2,3]. The humanistic approach is reflected in such psychotherapeutic methods as Carl Rogers's "ClintCentered Therapy" (1951) and Frederick Perls's "Gestalt Therapy" (1969). The foundation of Rogers' treatment is the creation of a relationship characterized by three important and interrelated attitudes (the "Rogers Triad"): unconditional positive regard, empathy, and congruence, with the primary goal of helping the client accept and better understand themselves. 1. "Unconditional Positive Regard." The therapist must demonstrate genuine concern for the client, accept them as a person, and trust their capacity for change. This not only requires a willingness to listen to the client without interrupting, but also an acceptance of what is being said without judgment or evaluation, no matter how "bad" or "strange" it may seem. The therapist doesn't need to endorse everything the client says, but they must accept it as a genuine part of the person being assessed. The therapist must also trust clients to solve their own problems independently, and therefore, they don't offer advice. Advice, says Rogers, carries the hidden message that the client is incompetent or inadequate, making them less confident and more dependent on help. 2. Many forms of therapy offer an external perspective on the patient. Empathy requires an internal perspective, focusing on what the patient might be thinking and feeling. A client-centered therapist acts not as an outside observer seeking to slap a diagnostic label on the client, but as someone who wants to understand how the world appears from the client's perspective. Empathy can't be communicated by saying, "I understand" or "I know how you're feeling right now." The therapist conveys empathy by demonstrating active listening to the client. Like skilled interviewers, clientcentered therapists engage with clients through eye contact, nodding when the patient speaks, and other cues of attention. They also employ a tactic called mirroring. Mirroring demonstrates that the therapist is actively listening and helps the client recognize the thoughts and feelings they are experiencing. Indeed, Journal of science. Lyon №71/2025 55 most clients respond to empathic mirroring by paying close attention to their feelings. 2. Congruence is the consistency between how the therapist feels and how they act toward the client. This means that the therapist's unconditional positive regard and empathy are genuine, not feigned. Experiencing congruence with the therapist allows the client to see, perhaps for the first time, that openness and honesty can be the foundation of human relationships [1;3;6]. K. Rogers's most important scientific discovery is that he established three necessary and sufficient conditions for the humanization of interpersonal relationships that ensure constructive personal change: non-judgmental, positive acceptance of the other person, active, empathic listening, and congruent (i.e., adequate, genuine, and sincere) self-expression in communication with them. According to K. Rogers, it is impossible to humanize a person or form humanistic beliefs from the outside. Beliefs are not formed externally, but are chosen and built from within. Only the person's own inner experience, a consequence of specific internal work on themselves, can serve as the material for this construction. During therapy, the therapist strives to create a psychological atmosphere of trust, in which freedom of expression gradually develops and the client's defense mechanisms diminish. As a result, the client comes closer to self-acceptance [1,5,6]. Conclusion. The basic principles of humanistic psychology can be summarized as follows: 1. Man is united and integral. This integrity of the "I" creates the unique character of each person's experiences. 2. Man always possesses freedom and the independence he needs. 3. Human nature always strives for continuous development, for the realization of the potential for love. 4. In life, man is responsible for his actions. 5. Ideal relationships between people are based on mutual recognition. Each person is the creator of their own life. 6. Each person lives only in the present tense, "here and now." 7. Each person recognizes and values the inner world of another. In practical terms, the main theme of humanistic psychology is the use of the body's internal experience to study and change its personality. This focus is on the individual, on the joy of life, creativity in communication and interpersonal relationships, on emphasizing the good, the kind, within, and on faith in their personal growth and improvement. The humanistic position is stern. People are responsible for their behavior. It's a sober view of things. The prerequisite for choice is self-awareness, awareness of one's problems, one's potential, one's capabilities, and the constant adjustment of one's goals. A full life is seen as enjoying decision-making and taking responsibility for oneself, rather than blaming one's parents, others, or the authorities. Male and female behavioral traits are not rigidly defined, but rather dictated by social conditions. A person's task is to live in the present, to make it fulfilling, to live every moment of one's life, dedicating oneself to the situation in which one finds oneself. Although humanistic therapies vary greatly, they all rely on the natural human tendency toward selfimprovement and self-actualization. They propose that mental disorders arise when the process of achieving one's potential is blocked by circumstances or other people (parents, teachers, spouses) who attempt to direct a person's development along a chosen path they deem acceptable. If they succeed, the person begins to deny their own desires. The person's sense of their uniqueness narrows, and their potential for development is curtailed. Humanistic therapy helps people connect with their true self and make voluntary choices about their life and behavior, rather than allowing them to be determined by external events. The goal of humanistic therapy is to help the client become more of who they are capable of becoming. Like a psychoanalyst, a humanistic therapist helps a person gain a deeper understanding of their emotions and motives. However, the emphasis is on what the person experiences here and now, not in the past. A humanistic therapist does not interpret a person's behavior (as a psychoanalyst would) or attempt to correct it (as a behavioral therapist would), as such actions would impose the therapist's own views on the client. Their goal is to encourage the individual to explore their thoughts and feelings and help them reach their own decisions. This approach becomes clearer when we consider client-centered therapy (also known as non-directive therapy)-one of the first forms of humanistic therapy. References: 1. Diane Gehart, Aile Terapisi Yeterliklerinde Uzmanlaşma, Çeviri Editörleri: Doç. Dr. Tahsin İlhanYrd. Doç. Dr. HüdayarCihan, 2017, Ankara, 605.s. 2. Halloway J.D. (2003). More protections for patients and psychologists under HIPAA. MonitoronPsychology, 34(2), 22. 3. Jordan K. (1999). Live supervision for beginning therapists in practicum: Crucial for quality counseling and avoiding litigation. FamilyTherapy, 26(2), 81–86. 4. U.S.Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS). (2003). Summary of HIPAA privacy rule. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved December 2, 2007. 5. Wiger D.E. (2005). The psychotherapy documentation primer (2nd ed.). NewYork: Wiley 6. Fraiberg, Selma H. Psychoanalytic principles in casework with children. New York: Family Service Association of America, 1954. (Pamphlet).