Kevan Owen Hypnotherapy

Every human being at some point in their life will have times when they feel that they could do with some help with a personal issue or with psychological distress. Whether it is a difficult relationship, a problem at work or a troubling emotion, it can be helpful to talk it over with another person. Ideally that person will be someone who is an empathetic listener or be a “sounding board”. They may also offer another point of view on the problem which might provide greater clarity. Or they may possess skills or knowledge of human nature that in some way is useful to the person at that particular point in their life.

But how does one choose the best person for the job?

Throughout human history there has been no shortage of people willing to step into that role: Shamans, priests, philosophers, medicine men, wise women, counsellors, and psychotherapists of every persuasion.

In the 20th Century several differing schools of thought emerged about how people can be helped.

The medical model attributed psychological distress to physical causes that could be treated with drugs or surgery.

The psychodynamic model decreed that all our neurosis was due to unconscious processes that needed to be uncovered and “worked on”, usually over a long period of time.

The behaviourist school saw people on the level of lab rats, conditioned by what goes on around them, so behavioural therapy focuses on external factors and the way people respond to them.

The humanistic school emphasised free will and the subjective conscious experience of the individual, and humanistic therapy involves reflective listening to encourage what is called “self-actualisation”.

The cognitive model focuses on the thoughts and beliefs that people hold about the things that happen to them and cognitive therapy involves thought and belief “re-structuring”.

There are now literally hundreds of different therapy models to choose from. There is gestalt therapy, family therapy, transactional analysis, transpersonal therapy, cognitive-behavioural therapy, solution-focused therapy, energy therapy and so on. This confusing array of differing modalities makes it difficult for the average person to know which of these, if any, would be right for them.

In the last twenty years there has been quiet revolution taking place in the field of psychotherapy and counselling. It began in the 1990s when a group of therapists began to systematically study precisely which elements from all the different models of therapy are most effective. They went right back to the basics of what it means to be a healthy human being in terms of the basic physical and psychological needs.

This new Human Givens Approach recognises that all the major schools of therapy have contributed important insights and it has incorporated the best elements of each within a broader organising idea. The basis of that idea is that therapy works best when it is aligned to the givens of human nature.

Human Givens Therapists use up-to-date, proven psychological methods and techniques focused on problem solving and helping people to develop new life skills. They offer practical help based on sound scientific knowledge. The treatment is always tailored to the needs of the individual, helping the client to formulate achievable and realistic goals. Relaxation and guided imagery is often used providing relief from psychological stress and enabling the client to access their own natural resources and devise strategies for change.