Humanistic Psychology centers on the ideas of self-realization and actualization. Several proponents of self-actualization have suggested that individuals have an innate tendency to self-fulfill, and consistently aspire to improve aspects of their life and seek out meaning and fulfillment in life.
Carl Rogers, Carl Jung and Abraham Maslow are critical proponents of self-realization through internal exploration. Humanistic Psychology also acknowledges the possibility that an individual's environment may also impact an individuals ability to self-realize, or find meaning in their life. These ideas and more are explored in greater detail below, as well as an examination of their relationship to my own insights and individualization.
Carlo Rogers is a leading proponent of humanistic psychology. His ideas and theories represent a principal component of humanistic psychology. Humanistic psychology developed during the 1950 and 1960s within the United States; its focus is client centered or person centered approaches to therapy (Cummins, 1996: 108). Carl Rogers help promote the ideal of self-realization which is critical to this theory. Rogers published several books that promoted the idea of growth. Rogers postulated that "the individual has a sufficient capacity to deal constructively with all those aspects of his life which can potentially come into conscious awareness" (Cummins, 1996:108). This ability is derived from internal investigations.
Early works created by Rogers suggests that responsible self-direction occurs when an individual is faced with a problem, and when responsibility for solving that problem is directed toward the person in which it is facing. Rogers also supported the notion that individuals have an "actualizing tendency" whereby human beings have an "inherent tendency to preserve or to perfect themselves" (Cummins, 1996:108). Rogers acknowledges that there are many environmental factors that can hinder an individual's move toward self-actualization or realization. The purpose of therapy from a psychological perspective in this respect, is to help offer empathy and complete acceptance as well as unconditional regard for clients (Cummins, 1996).
Carl Jung made popular the notion of individuation, which refers to the idea of personality transformation and cultural regeneration...
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