Who founded humanistic theory?

The American psychologist Abraham Maslow, considered one of the leading architects of humanistic
psychology, proposed a hierarchy of needs or drives in order of decreasing priority or potency but
increasing sophistication: physiological needs, safety, belongingness and love, esteem, and self-
actualization.

Basic Assumptions
Humanistic psychology begins with the existential assumption
that people have free will:
Personal agency is the humanistic term for the exercise of free will.  Personal
agency refers to the choices we make in life, the paths we go down and their
consequences.

Cause of mental problem of humanistic theory

In the humanistic vision, human dysfunctions are caused by a faulty or
interrupted development process; essentially human problems are due
to immaturity, generally of the social/emotional variety. The goal of a
humanistic therapy is thus to promote social/emotional maturity and growth.

Goals of Humanistic Therapy

The aim of humanistic therapy is to help the client develop a
stronger, healthier sense of self, as well as access and
understand their feelings to help gain a sense of meaning in
life.
Techniques
Humanistic therapists use a number of techniques that are
designed to support people as they work toward change. Some
of the main techniques that are frequently used include:3
Congruence: This technique is essential to humanistic therapy
and involves the therapist being authentic, open, and genuine
as they interact with the individual who is in therapy.
Empathetic understanding: This involves the therapist not only
understanding what the client is feeling and saying, but also
communicating that understanding to the client. The individual
should feel heard, seen, and understood.4
Reflective listening: This involves actively listening to the
individual and then summarizing what the client has said in
their own words. This strategy can help reinforce what the
client is saying, allow them to reflect back on their own words,
and clear up potential misunderstandings.5
Unconditional positive regard: This technique involves the
therapist accepting the individual without judgment. It is
characterized by a caring attitude that plays an important role
in fostering self-worth, personal growth, and self-awareness.6

Because humanistic therapy is focused on the present, it may

also utilize a practice known as mindfulness to help people
become more aware of themselves and their environment.
Therapists utilize these techniques to support people as they
develop greater self-awareness. These techniques are focused
on solving specific problems; instead, their goal is to encourage
people to view themselves as capable of directing their own
behavior and achieving their unique goals.