Understanding the Human Givens Approach
 

The Human Givens approach is a practical, solution-focused framework that offers a clear understanding of what we all need to feel emotionally well and flourish in our daily lives. At its core is the recognition that every human being is born with nine essential emotional needs:

1. Security: A safe territory and an environment that allows us to develop fully.

2. Attention: The ability to both give attention to and receive it from significant others.

3. Autonomy and Control: The freedom to make responsible choices about our own lives.

4. Emotional Intimacy: The knowledge that at least one other person accepts us totally for who we are.

5. Community: A sense of connection to a group or groups beyond our immediate family.

6. Status: Being appreciated for our contributions within our social circles.

7. Privacy: The opportunity to reflect, decompress, and consolidate our experiences.

8. Achievement: A sense of competence and the ability to say, "I’m glad I did that!"

9. Meaning: A sense of purpose that comes from being stretched in what we do and how we think.

When one or more of these emotional needs are unmet or out of balance, which happens to all of us from time to time, we experience emotional distress. This imbalance makes it incredibly difficult to chart a clear path through our challenges.
 

How Our Therapy Sessions Will Help You
 

Using the Human Givens framework, we will work together as a team to get your emotional needs met in healthy, sustainable ways. When you work with me, my commitments to you are to:

• Focus on the Present: Help you find practical ways to navigate the specific difficulties you are facing right now.

• Track Your Progress: Set clear, achievable goals so you can continually measure your progress from session to session.

• Provide Immediate Relief: Aim to have you leave every single session feeling better and more hopeful than when you arrived.

• Build Your Resilience: Identify your existing strengths and explore how to better develop your coping skills and internal resources.

• Resolve Past Trauma Safely: Explore whether a past traumatic event is making your current life challenging. If it is, I use a highly effective, evidence-based protocol to clear the lasting emotional impacts of trauma—without requiring you to disclose upsetting or painful details.

• Keep You in Control: At the end of each session, we will agree together whether and when you need a further appointment.