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Human Givens

The Human Givens approach originated in the field of psychotherapy

The many new insights provided by the research of its founders, Joe Griffin and Ivan Tyrrell, have been quietly revolutionising the effective treatment of mental health and behavioural problems for the last 20 years.

It is a set of organising ideas encompassing the latest scientific understandings from neurobiology and psychology, providing a holistic, scientific framework for understanding the way that individuals work.

At its core is a highly empowering idea:- that human beings come into this world with a set of needs and if those needs are met appropriately, it is not possible to be mentally ill. Perhaps no more powerful a statement could ever be made about the human condition:- If human beings’ physical and psychological needs are met healthily and in balance, they won’t get depressed, they cannot have psychosis, they cannot be in the grip of addictions.

Nature has gifted us our very own internal ‘guidance programme’ to get these physical and emotional needs met; this, together with our needs, makes up what we call the Human Givens. We come into the world with an instinctive knowledge of what we need and with a set of inner resources that can help us get our needs met, provided we use them properly and are living in a healthy environment.

The many new insights provided by the research of its founders, Joe Griffin and Ivan Tyrrell, have been quietly revolutionising the effective treatment of mental health and behavioural problems for the last 20 years.

It is a set of organising ideas encompassing the latest scientific understandings from neurobiology and psychology, providing a holistic, scientific framework for understanding the way that individuals work.

At its core is a highly empowering idea:- that human beings come into this world with a set of needs and if those needs are met appropriately, it is not possible to be mentally ill. Perhaps no more powerful a statement could ever be made about the human condition:- If human beings’ physical and psychological needs are met healthily and in balance, they won’t get depressed, they cannot have psychosis, they cannot be in the grip of addictions.

Nature has gifted us our very own internal ‘guidance programme’ to get these physical and emotional needs met; this, together with our needs, makes up what we call the Human Givens. We come into the world with an instinctive knowledge of what we need and with a set of inner resources that can help us get our needs met, provided we use them properly and are living in a healthy environment.

The many new insights provided by the research of its founders, Joe Griffin and Ivan Tyrrell, have been quietly revolutionising the effective treatment of mental health and behavioural problems for the last 20 years.

It is a set of organising ideas encompassing the latest scientific understandings from neurobiology and psychology, providing a holistic, scientific framework for understanding the way that individuals work.

At its core is a highly empowering idea:- that human beings come into this world with a set of needs and if those needs are met appropriately, it is not possible to be mentally ill. Perhaps no more powerful a statement could ever be made about the human condition:- If human beings’ physical and psychological needs are met healthily and in balance, they won’t get depressed, they cannot have psychosis, they cannot be in the grip of addictions.

Nature has gifted us our very own internal ‘guidance programme’ to get these physical and emotional needs met; this, together with our needs, makes up what we call the Human Givens. We come into the world with an instinctive knowledge of what we need and with a set of inner resources that can help us get our needs met, provided we use them properly and are living in a healthy environment.

The Human Givens framework

…enables us to see where a person’s life is not working well and to tailor solutions for each individual using a combination of effective psychological interventions including education, the most helpful elements of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), relaxation, mindfulness and guided imagery as appropriate. Rehearsing success using guided imagery smooths the process of applying the techniques learnt in the therapy room to real life.

The insights the approach brings into what we all need to live fulfilled, satisfying lives also brings clarity to the much-used phrase ‘wellbeing’ and points to concrete ways of achieving and maintaining such a state.

The often startling success produced by the efficacy, adaptability and practical nature of the Human Givens approach and the new insights and models for effective therapy it encompasses, is borne out by the speed at which the approach is moving into new areas, ranging from psychotherapy, education and social work to international diplomatic relations and the corporate business world.

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