Customer Reviews

Human Givens

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I have clearly read a different book by a different Joe Griffin to the first reviewer. Griffin's research reinforces the evidence on human nature and nails the coffin on archeic forms of psychotherapy of unproven value. The short intervention therapies based on human givens therapy as taught in his seminars have proven to be far more succesful in my practice: the proof of the pudding. How you can read this book and not know what is meant by "human givens" is mystifying.

This book is putting forward a set of common-sense, practical ideas about the way the human mind works. It explains very interesting theories on a range of subjects, such as; dreaming, psychosis and autism, in an entertaining and highly readable way, drawing on a range sources - from ancient philosphy to the latest scientific research. Each area is dealt with chapter by chapter; so you can dip in and out at your leisure. But more importantly, the book gives us a valuable 'manifesto' for the way in which people should approach their lives. It will be thought provoking not only for mental healthcare professionals, but for anyone interested in finding out more about themselves. The numerous recommendations (Radio 4, Doris Lessing etc. etc.) inside the front cover and on the book's reverse are endorsements that speak for themselves.

The authors call the 'Human Givens' an 'organizing idea'. I heartily agree. Like all great organizing ideas it has an elegance and subtlety that makes sense of decades of conflicting models and ideas. Although the focus of the book is clearly counseling, the breadth of the Human Givens approach and the APET model of thought will - I hope - have repercussions across all of our society.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough for those interested not only in counseling, but in the structure of human societies and the health of our thinking patterns. Humanity today is facing challenges that, in order to manage successfully, will require fundemental changes in the way we precieve and act. We cannot afford to make decisions based solely on belief, or under the deforming influenence of emotional needs not being met. The ideas in this book provide a much needed model of thinking that can assist us in meeting those needs and understanding the basis of belief. As such, it appears to me to be an indispensible part of the tools needed for making healthy decisions and building healthy societies.

This book is an self-indulgent rant. It's telling that it was published by the Human Givens publishing house (i.e. presumably the authors self financing) because no decent editor would accept such rot. The 'Human Givens' concept is repeatedly bandied about, but the whole concept is really a mishmash of psychological concepts that fits the authors pet views. This book has nothing to add to knowledge. It references the absurd, and leaves giant statements hanging.... like 'givens'. Avoid this book, unless you need source material about how not to write about something. Truly dreadful stuff.....