My Society for Humanistic Psychology (SHP) presidential address has been published in The Humanistic Psychologist as an advance online publication. SHP is Division 32 of the American Psychological Association. If you don’t have access to The Humanistic Psychologist, a preprint is available here.
Citation
Raskin, J. D. (2022). Using context-centered and person-centered therapies to unite a divided nation. The Humanistic Psychologist. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/hum0000276
Abstract
President Biden has made uniting a divided nation a major theme of his presidency. Humanistic psychology is well-positioned to provide tools necessary to heal the divisions that plague us. Herein, two humanistic theories are combined in just such an effort: (a) using context-centered therapy to foster shifts from defensive and self-protective “mind”-based engagement to more accepting and appreciative “self”-based responding, and (b) employing person-centered therapy’s core conditions for understanding the mind-based anger and upset of our fellow citizens. Combining these perspectives provides a basis for overcoming polarization and fostering the kinds of interpersonal relationships required to carry on together. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)