Humanistic Therapy
What is Humanistic Therapy?
Humanistic therapies are rooted in dialogic and relational values, focusing on self-development, personal growth, and taking responsibility for one’s life. They aim to help you recognize your strengths, creativity, and capacity for choice — all in the here and now.
Humanistic approaches include Existential Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, Person-Centred Therapy, Human Givens Psychotherapy, Psychosynthesis, Reality Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Transactional Analysis, and Transpersonal Psychology.
The theoretical foundation of contemporary humanistic counselling is deeply influenced by the intersubjective philosophy of Martin Buber and the philosophy of alterity as developed by Emmanuel Levinas.
Levinas describes alterity as our fundamental difference from one another — we are each uniquely other. The other is not something to be interpreted, grasped, or classified. As he proposed:
“If one could possess, grasp, and know the other, it would not be other. Possessing, knowing, and grasping are synonymous with power.” (Levinas, 1982, cited in Orange, 2010)
Attempts to reduce the other to concepts or categories, Levinas argues, are a form of violence — even a “form of murder.” The irreducible presence of the other is what he names Face:
“The way in which the other presents himself, exceeding the idea of the other in me, we here name Face.” (Levinas, 1964/1969)
The Face of the other can never be fully reduced by our subjectivity; it invites us into an infinite ethical responsibility and deeper human encounter.
At the heart of this relational matrix is contact, which unfolds through true dialogue. Martin Buber’s philosophy of I-Thou dialogue, inclusion, and confirmation has deeply shaped humanistic therapy.
As Orange writes:
“They have seen in his philosophy of I-Thou encounter a therapeutic healing through person-to-person contact and what they, following Buber, call confirmation.” (2010)
Our mind and self develop in connection with others — through authentic, embodied contact. Practicing a dialogical attitude allows an honest, living meeting between two human beings, nourishing both.
Jacobs explains:
“Dialogue establishes the ontological significance of contacting. Contact is the means by which we feed ourselves, understand, orient, and meet our needs. Cast in the light of I-Thou, contact also stands at the ontic center of the psychological and spiritual development unique to our human existence.” (1989)
“To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe.” — Marilyn vos Savant
“To acquire knowledge, one must study; But to acquire wisdom, one must observe.”
– Marilyn vos Savant
How can Humanistic Therapy Help?
The I-Thou encounter in humanistic therapy is a powerful moment of true meeting, where you connect with your own humanity and the humanity of the other. This process involves deep trust in dialogue, held within an atmosphere of presence, acceptance, and warmth.
As Brownell states:
“In support of presence, acceptance, and commitment to the process.” (2010)
In this space, the therapist brackets off preconceptions and judgments, creating a transparent “sphere of the between” where real, unfiltered contact can happen.
This moment-to-moment contact allows you to integrate parts of yourself and to affirm your wholeness — often surprising and transformative. It’s a place where you can learn to be fully present, feel deeply, and express yourself authentically.
In Gestalt-informed humanistic therapy, attention is given to the awareness continuum, focusing on what is alive right now rather than simply talking about experiences.
As Friedman says:
“Buber says that dialogic relation unifies one’s soul and makes one whole.” (1976b)
And Latner reminds us:
“In Gestalt therapy, wholeness comes through awareness.” (1973)
Unlike person-centred dialogue, which focuses on discussing experiences, Gestalt dialogue emphasizes the direct awareness of experiencing — living it fully, as it happens.
Jacobs notes:
“What Gestalt therapy has, which neither Rogers nor Buber had, is for increasing awareness. The assumption is that patients can learn to deal with what they are experiencing; they can learn how they experience and how they interfere with their own experience.” (1989)
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My approach
In my work, I deeply integrate body awareness and mindfulness into humanistic therapy. By gently tuning into the breath, bodily sensations, and subtle emotional currents, you begin to inhabit your body and your life more fully. This embodied presence allows you to reconnect with yourself beyond words, beyond stories — inviting healing and growth at the deepest level.
My own journey is at the heart of how I hold this space. When I left Brazil and moved to London at 23, alone and without speaking English, I stepped into the unknown guided by an inner trust in life itself. Through presence, body awareness, and a deep relationship with my own inner world, I found resilience and meaning in each step.
These experiences taught me that true transformation comes not just from understanding but from living, feeling, and being fully in contact with ourselves and the world around us.
Through humanistic therapy, I support you in coming home to yourself — to feel more whole, alive, and able to create a life that feels authentic and true to you.
Please get in touch
Alternatively, you can call me on 07449 484819
Feel free to text my mobile number with your name and telephone number and I will phone you back as soon as I am available.
– Janaina
