Humanistic psychology

Humanistic psychology, as a general concept, began with The works of Abraham Maslow and his hierarchy of human needs.

As a therapeutic technique, in psychotherapy started in the 1950s with Carl Rogers. Rogers, who went to Columbia University, earned a PhD and simultaneously became interested in existentialism. By the early 1930s he had finished his doctoral work and had brought Person centered psychotherapy into mainstream focus. Rogers' basic tenets were unconditional positive regard, genuineness, and empathic understanding, with each demonstrated by the counselor. According to Rogers, these tenets were both necessary and sufficient to create a relationship conducive to enhancing the client's psychological well being, by enabling the client to fully experience themselves.

Inspired by Rogers, others followed his mode of thinking like Fritz and Laura Perls in the creation of Gestalt therapy, as well as Marshall Rosenberg, founder of Nonviolent Communication. Rogers' technique of active listening is considered fundamental to most counseling styles, and is included in virtually every counselor preparation program.