The Human Givens Approach

The Human Givens Approach works with the idea that humans are born with a body of knowledge, developed through evolution, that has become so familiar that it is not recognised as knowledge and simply taken for granted. The knowledge is made up of physical and emotional needs and the abilities to meet them. The approach tries to get people to recognise these 'givens' and give them extra abilities, through therapy, where they are needed. Therapists place a high value on relaxation in order for clients to think their way through a process and use breathing exercises to achieve this. Clients are set individual goals including communication skills, how to be assertive and dealing with depression. The approach also believes that it is important for people to have a social life within their community.

You can find out more about the Human Givens Approach at

www.hgi.org.uk