Mairead Fitzsimons

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contact Mairead at:

Tel:
01-8463758 / 087-6979294

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Institute of Guidance Counsellors

About Human Givens

Contents

  1. 1 What are the Human Givens?
  2. 2 Why choose Human Givens therapy?
  3. 3 Why is this approach so effective?
  4. 4 What does this treatment involve?
  5. 5 How long will it take?
  6. 6 What does it cost?


What are the Human Givens?


We are all unique, yet we all come into this world with basic physical and emotional needs. Physical needs such as the need for shelter, sustenance, warmth and safety. And innate emotional needs which include: security, attention, being emotionally connected to others, feeling in control, having status, self-esteem and a sense of meaning, derived from being ‘stretched’ in our lives. 

We also have a range of innate resources to help us meet these needs. These include: memory, imagination, problem-solving abilities, self-awareness and a range of different thinking styles to use in various changing situations. Built into our biology, together these needs and resources make up the ‘givens’ of human nature. However, if our innate emotional needs are not being met well, for whatever reason, or our resources are being used incorrectly, we can suffer considerable distress – and so can those around us. 

Understanding this, therapists and counsellors working from the Human Givens approach focus on helping distressed people identify their unmet emotional needs and empower them to meet them by creatively activating their own natural resources in new ways.

To do this, we use a variety of up-to-date, proven psychological methods and techniques focused on problem solving and developing new life skills.

To find out more about the Human Givens approach, and a wealth of other helpful information, please visit the Human Givens Institute’s website:

For a useful checklist (produced by the European Therapy Studies Institute), of what to expectfrom effective counselling or psychotherapy, visit:

Why choose Human Givens therapy?

  • Facilitates long-lasting improvements
  • Takes as few sessions as possible
  • Involves minimal dwelling on the past
  • Explores your individual needs and resources
  • Finds practical solutions to your problems

Why is this approach so effective?

The Human Givens approach draws on the latest findings from psychology and neurobiology about how people really function and what we need to lead fulfilling lives. It also takes into account international research studies that have established which psychotherapeutic techniques are the most effective for relieving a wide range of emotional distress and behavioural difficulties. 

Human Givens therapists do not just endlessly listen to you or attempt to dredge up real or imagined miserable memories from the past, since research shows this tends to confuse and upset people when they are vulnerable and can actually make depression and anxiety worse. Neither do we deal in time-wasting and prolonged so-called voyages of ‘self-discovery’. Instead we offer practical help in the here and now, based on a sound body of scientific knowledge and skills that have been proven to be effective.

 The Human Givens approach is supported by Primary Care Mental Health Education (Primhe), affiliated with the Royal College of General Practitioners, and as a member of our professional body, the Human Givens Institute (HGI), I abide by their professional conduct and ethics policies.

What does this treatment involve?

The treatment begins with me finding out about you and the difficulties you are experiencing. More often than not, right from the first session we will also begin using relaxation methods, together with a wide range of other techniques. These exercises work to activate your own natural resources and are key to providing you with immediate relief from psychological stress.

We will also work out some achievable and realistic goals to focus on, starting with small manageable steps and continuing at a pace which suits you. We will work together to set goals that are clear and meaningful to you. 

From here on we activate your natural resources to help you to feel better and take back control of your life. At each session we check out what effects the treatment is having for you and, if necessary, work through any unanticipated difficulties. Treatment ends when you are happy that you have made enough progress to continue living a healthy life without regular assistance from me.
(Human Givens therapists do not encourage people to become dependent on therapy.)

How long will it take?

Everyone’s situation is different, but we aim to take as few sessions as possible and you can fully expect improvements to begin from the first session. People rarely need more than six sessions to make significant progress and lasting improvements, often as few as three or four are necessary.

What does it cost?

Because the length of a session can vary, depending on the work we do, I charge my time out at an hourly rate of €80.