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New insights and understandings

The holistic human givens approach has generated, through the research of its co-founders and others, new insights and findings which are consistent with the latest neuroscientific research (as well as findings from other disciplines), and have major implications for making not only psychotherapy and counselling more effective, but also education and psychological interventions in general.

These are covered at length on the HG Diploma course and individually on other HG College's, online courses and UK-based training days and are fully referenced in our many publications.

They include:

  • Helps us to identify why a person is experiencing their current difficulties and what can be done about it
  • A new view of the unconscious mind – the APET™ model – which is compatible with neuroscience, clinical experience and experiment, and which shows how the brain works through ‘pattern matching’. This supersedes cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) because it is more true to the reality of brain functioning
  • A new insight into trauma and, therefore, how best to treat it
  • An holistic understanding of the evolutionary origins and function of human dreaming, which has huge implications for our emotional health
  • The crucial link between thinking styles and fluctuations in emotional arousal
  • An holistic, integrated theory for why depression develops and is maintained
  • A new explanation for addiction and why withdrawal symptoms occur
  • The discovery of ‘molar memories’ which generate and maintain some instances of compulsive behaviour (such as sexual compulsions, anorexia and bulimia)
  • An understanding of why the use of metaphor is so powerful as a form of treatment
  • A comprehensive understanding of the placebo and ‘nocebo’ effects
  • A psychobiological explanation of clinical hypnosis, why it works and what mechanisms are common to all forms of hypnotic induction
  • A new, empowering understanding of the potential cause of autism
  • A new insight into what psychosis is
  • Caetextia: a new definition of autistic and Asperger's behaviour
  • A more comprehensive understanding of the importance of the REM (rapid eye movement) state in generating reality and accessing intuitive knowledge
  • A new understanding of the nature of consciousness.

Explore our articles and interviews

Search our archive

  • Ten-minute therapy

    GP Adam Lake describes how he makes effective use of HG understandings and techniques in consultations for mental health conditions.

  • HG in Practice

    Primary school teaching assistant and HG Diploma graduate, Kashfi Khan describes how she has applied the HG ideas in very practical ways, to the benefit of pupils, parents and teachers alike.

  • Sound sense

    Much more is gained from hearing and telling stories, rather than just reading them, says Pat Williams.

  • “But he gave me flowers”

    Ros Jeal describes how she is helping women stop themselves from being lured back into abusive relationships.

  • Case Study: Antidepressant experience

    Case history: James shares his difficult experience of coming off anti-depressant medication – and reflects on the effects they have had on his life.

  • Great Expectations

    Joe Griffin goes back to basics to arrive at some powerful new insights into the givens of human nature.

Latest News:

BBC Somerset Radio Interview

Charlie Taylor interviews Judith Desbonne and Tiffany Osborne about the human givens approach to therapy and its many benefits.

2020 Conference Programme announced

This year's 2-day conference promises to be another cracking event with some fascinating new insights, a wealth of practical content to expand your professional knowledge and inspirational illustrations of how widely the HG approach is spreading.