The Human Givens’ organising idea
Human Givens is based in psychotherapy. Its approach, started over 20 years ago, created by the research and work of its founders, Joe Griffin and Ivan Tyrell. Together, their work has been evolutionising the treatment of many mental health and behavioural problems.
The core idea is empowering and straightforward. That, just like all organic and living beings, human beings have a set of needs. We enter the world with these needs, and when these needs are met in balance that the possibility of mental ill-health is simply not possible.
The simplicity of the idea means that once these needs (both physical and emotional) are fully met in balance, a human will not suffer from depression, or anxiety, or addiction. In order to get these needs met, nature provides an “internal guidance”, which creates an instinctive knowledge of what we need. And nature also provides those inner resources that humans use. And that means we can get these needs met properly, use them properly, and ensure that we are living in a healthy environment.
For more information about the Human Givens Organising idea, please see: LINK: https://www.hgi.org.uk/human-givens/about-human-givens-approach
All living things have needs – for example they need nutrients from their environments – trees, plants, animals, and humans too. When the environment is toxic, wellbeing suffers. When other needs are not met in balance, that can also cause suffering.
Human Givens (HG) Therapy
The human givens approach to psychotherapy and counselling is a brief, solution-focused approach, which helps people feel better and move on in their lives as quickly as possible.
Practical and flexible, it combines the latest insights from neuroscience and psychological research with proven therapeutic techniques from a wide range of approaches to provide highly effective interventions tailored to individual clients. (1)
The principles behind the human givens approach grew out of the work of a group of psychologists and psychotherapists who wanted to bring greater clarity, understanding and consistency to the field of mental health – and to make the way children and adults are helped safer and much more reliably effective.
People find the psycho-educational component of HG therapy particularly helpful, and this in turn helps individuals build resilience.
Informed by NICE guidelines
“The HG approach is informed by NICE guidelines and the evidence upon which they are based … the approach is a bona fide treatment that significantly contributes to assisting service users in primary care to move towards recovery.” (2)
Although the HG approach itself is not explicitly recommended within NICE guidelines, it uses many approaches and techniques which are, such as diaphragmatic breathing/ controlled breathing, structured relaxation, cognitive restructuring and cognitive reframing.
Clients of all ages find HG empowering – it gives them clear explanations about the causes of mental health and behavioural problems, as well as the ‘tools’ they need to manage their own wellbeing and cope with future setbacks. By helping people move on in their lives as quickly as possible and helping to prevent relapses, this effective approach has enormous cost-saving implications for our health and educational services, and beyond.
Human Givens Institute Code of Conduct
As a Human Givens Therapist, my work adheres strictly to the Human Given’s code of conduct which can be found here: LINK https://www.hgi.org.uk/about-hgi/ethics-and-conduct/hgi-ethics-conduct-policy/section
The Human Givens Institute
The Human Givens Institute (HGI) is the official membership body representing Human Givens Practitioners.
The HGI’s Professional Register is independently accredited in the UK by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA). This is the same government authority that accredits and oversees BACP, UKCP, NCS and other similar membership organisations – thus the HGI is on a par with all of them. The PSA Mark of Quality assures the general public, service commissioners and employers that human givens practitioners belong to a register vetted and approved by an independent statutory body.
Accreditation with the PSA was achieved by the Institute following a rigorous process of evidence provision and demonstration of high standards in all of the measured areas.
The HGI successfully met the PSA’s high standards in: governance, education and training, managing the register, setting standards, providing information and complaints handling.
Accreditation also offers practitioners working in counselling and psychotherapy a means, by joining the HGI, of demonstrating their personal commitment to meeting these high standards.
The NHS seeks counsellors on an Accredited Register, such as the HGI’s. NHS Choices states that “reputable therapists will be registered with a professional organisation that’s been accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) – this means they have met the PSA’s required professional standards to practice” and NHS Employers lists the Human Givens Institute (HGI) as a provider of counselling services under details of the use and benefits of Accredited Registers, view here. Health Education England, on the NHS Health Careers website, also highlights the importance of Accredited Registers under ‘Entry Requirements and Training’ and lists the Human Givens Institute.
For more information about the Human Givens Institute please visit: https://www.hgi.org.uk/
REFERENCES
- Andrews, W., Twigg, E., Minami, T. and Johnson, G. (11 February 2011) ‘Piloting a practice research network: A 12-month
- evaluation of the Human Givens approach in primary care at a general medical practice.’ Psychology and Psychotherapy:
- Theory, Research and Practice.Andrews, W. P., Wislocki, A. P., Short, F., Chow, D., Minami, T. (2013) “A 5-year evaluation of the Human Givens therapy
- using a Practice Research Network”, Mental Health Review Journal, Vol. 18 Issue: 3, 2013, pp 165-176