Human Givens is a rapidly growing area of knowledge expansion and teaching
Mindfields College was formed in 1997. Up to 15000 annually now attend nationwide seminars and workshops. In 2005, around 8000 NHS staff attended (doctors, nurses, OTs etc) – the largest independent provider of training to the NHS.
HG diploma was started in April 2000. To date, there are approaching 125 Human Givens practitioner level therapists
Thorough Training and Assessment for Human Givens therapists
The Human Givens Diploma programme is a British Accreditation Council accredited course - evaluated as being the equivalent of a Masters degree or above.
Human Givens is the only therapy training which requires evidence of clinical competance from working with clients in real situations.
It is modular, combining theory with practise, in four parts.
- Attendance at designated seminars and workshops (18 in total).
- Home study and work practice.
- Intensive ten day training (including a two hour exam).
- Practitioners assessment (post graduate level).
Human Givens uses best practice from a wide variety of therapeutic models
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – with the emphasis on changes to unhelpful ways of thinking, including the use of tasks. However, by emphasising the prior and powerful pattern match to emotion and feeling that in fact drives the thought; Human Givens therapy is effective more quickly.
Rogerian – with its emphasis on reflective listening is essential as part of rapport building, without which therapy cannot be effective. However, clients are coming to seek help (or to borrow the intelligence of the therapist) and if this is withheld then the result will be a serious loss of effectiveness.
Brief, Solution Therapy – with its emphasis on conversations and questioning that draw attention to positive attributes and past experiences, identify the exceptions to the bad experiences and set clear goals is an important model for Human Givens therapists.
Ericksonian – with its emphasis on utilisation of what the patient brings, on working to elicit positive patterns from the past and trance work to bypass conscious resistance and so rehearse outcomes and remind of resources – is an obvious source of many of the Human Givens tools and principles.
Ethics and Safeguards
Ethical issues are dealt with in line with the general principles of the human givens approach to this subject as published in the Human Givens: radical psychology today journal and taught on the Diploma course.
All members are subject to the Institute’s complaints procedures. If any member of the public or the institute has a grievance or criticism, they should put their complaint in writing and send it to the Institute’s address, in the first instance. The complaint will be considered and assessed by a panel of at least three fellow members and the plaintiff will be kept fully informed of the outcome.
It is a myth that therapists need to undergo counselling themselves. Extensive research shows conclusively that therapists who have personal counselling are no more effective.
What is essential instead is that the therapist has spare capacity - that the therapist’s life has reasonable balance (needs are being met) and that the therapist is not looking to get inappropriate needs met from being a therapist (such as to give and receive attention).
For Human Givens therapists, the welfare of the patient is paramount and that at all times the client is treated with respect. These are the principles underlying the Human Givens Code of Ethics.
Working with the human givens will always include the powerful foundation stones – common sense and clean intentions. The training encourages that the therapist maintains detachment – to be aware of feelings and when these may not be quite right, to be able to put them to one side.
Human Givens Foundation and Charter
The Human Givens Foundation (HGF) is a charity registered in England and Wales.
Its objectives are to promote research and public education into the 'givens' of human nature and their application into the treatment and care of those suffering from mental illness.
It intends to foster initiatives by those endeavouring to use up-to-date knowledge about the givens of human nature in practical ways, particularly in fields where the development of life skills is vital: education, psychotherapy, health, social work, industrial relations and diplomacy.
The principles under which the foundation will operate are contained in the Charter - a project for everyone who looks at how human affairs are run and thinks 'We just cannot go on like this.'
To make a donation to the Foundation or to obtain a copy of the Charter, either contact me or access the appropriate website (see Web Links page).
.