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Overcoming problems caused by wilful blindness features throughout the next issue of the HG journal

A difficulty for people using the HG approach in psychotherapy or education is the resistance they get from some colleagues who are unable to see what is obvious about human nature: that we have innate needs that must be met fairly well or we become emotionally disturbed. The next issue of Human Givens deals with this topic – the failure of people to see what is right in front of them – in a number of fine articles and a riveting interview in which Denise Winn talks to Margaret Heffernan about her book Wilful Blindness.

The same difficulty of wilful blindness faces diplomats trying to bring peace to the Middle East as John Bell’s vivid article about the high levels of emotion in the region testifies. He and his colleagues champion the adoption of the human givens approach by leaders of conflicted cultures steeped in high emotion.

And a theme is picked up in another article, where research about forgiveness is discussed. For example, people who exhibit physically aggressive behaviour against their spouses (such as throwing insults, swearing, stamping out the house, throwing items or pushing, slapping, kicking or hitting their spouse), were more likely to continue such behaviour if their partner was forgiving.

If you don’t already subscribe to our iconoclastic journal, please do so here.

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The innate need for meaning

The human brain strives to find meaning, even in the most trivial things. That our actions should be meaningful is an important innate need. On a prosaic day-to-day basis that search for meaning is just concerned with securing personal advantage, but many thoughtful people also want to understand the mysteries of existence, the greatest of which is often said to be how consciousness arose.

This is a topic that Ivan Tyrrell and Joe Griffin have spent much of their adult life exploring and you are invited to spend a weekend with them on a course devoted to their findings about this most fundamental, cosmic and intimate aspect of human life. It is called Consciousness and attention: the science of spirituality, and will be held at Sunningdale Park, Ascot on Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th June. If you want to be mentally stimulated and stretched, book now at Human Givens College.

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The new HGI board and its role

The Human Givens Institute board has the overarching aim of promoting HG organising ideas and their application in society. These ideas and the skills associated with them have enormous, beneficial implications for education, mental health, social order, diplomacy and the running of various types of organisations in the public and private sectors.

The Institute (HGI) is soundly established as both a learned society with its own journal, Human Givens, and a membership organisation open to those wishing to research, support and promote the human givens approach through all forms of psychological, educational and social interactions. It also acts as the professional body representing the interests of those who have completed the HG Diploma, or who are training for it with Human Givens College. In addition it supports those who are using the ideas and skills in professional practice – in whatever sphere.

The board reflect the support and goodwill of all HGI members and carry the responsibility of overseeing that the institute remains economically viable, ensuring the continuance of the journal and organising regular conferences. They agree to work together to raise the profile of the Human Givens approach, to support, represent and increase the membership and to establish the Institute more firmly as a force for good in society.

The board members are: Farouk Okhai (chair); Joe Griffin; Ivan Tyrrell; Ros Jeal; Julian Penton; Nick Meredith; Gail Rhodes; Kevin McDonagh; Sue Saunders; Bart McEnroe.

Please channel ideas and offers of help to the board through Ros Jeal.

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British Psychological Society highlights the HG Emotional Needs Audit (ENA).

Writing in the lead letter of the February issue of The Psychologist, Paul Allin, Director of the government’s Measuring National Well-Being Programme made special mention twice of the contributions offered by HGI members and the findings derived from our emotional needs audit. This followed the publication in the latest British Psychological Society’s peer reviewed publication: Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice of a 12-month evaluation of the Human Givens approach in primary care at a general medical practice that showed the approach helps three out of four patients to improve, which compares very favourably to the measured IAPT results where CBT is used.

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One last thought...

"‘Be yourself’ is about the worst advice you can give some people".
T. Masson

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Human Givens Institute
www.hgi.org.uk

 

Further information:
Read previous enewsletters at: www.hgi.org.uk/newsletters.htm
Useful publications: www.humangivens.com
Courses and training: www.humangivenscollege.com
Talk about the human givens: www.vimeo.com/754995
Registered charity:www.hgfoundation.com
Website about depression: www.lift-depression.com