PSYCHOTHERAPY A. MASLOW

Another major representative of humanistic therapy is the American psychologist and psychotherapist Abraham Maslow. The basis of his approach Maslow put such concepts as personal growth and development. To a certain extent, he contrasted his views on the active creative role of man with the provisions of psychoanalytic and behavioral schools, which in fact denied the forces of man’s spiritual self-development.

Maslow argues that not only animal instincts were originally laid in man, but also the need for spiritual self-perfection, creativity, unselfish love and friendship, the desire for altruism and even self-sacrifice, etc.

The basis of the teachings of A. Maslow is the theory of self-actualization. Recognizing the authority of S. Freud and many of his theoretical and practical achievements, he believed that Freud's psychoanalysis is more focused on working with neurotic personalities. Maslow offered to supplement the data of Freud with the results of working with practically healthy people.

It can be said that A. Maslow began his main work on the theory of self-actualization by studying outstanding people who, in general opinion, were quite mentally healthy personalities. Among such famous people were Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Albert Einstein, Franklin Roosevelt, Albert Schweitzer, and others whose biographies, works, and recalling contemporaries of them were carefully analyzed by them.

As a result of this analysis, A. Maslow identified the following characteristics of people whom he called self-actualizing. Despite many individual differences, it was common for all of them:

- more effective (effective) perception of reality and a more comfortable attitude towards it than most people;

- acceptance of oneself, others, nature is real and positive;

- spontaneity, simplicity, naturalness;

- centeredness on the task, activity, external object (as opposed to centeredness on oneself);

- some separation from others (when ready for cooperation), self-sufficiency, a healthy need for periodic seclusion;

- autonomy, independence of the main character traits and behavior from the influence of culture and environment;

- constant freshness (not stereotype) of evaluating people and events, readiness for an objective correction of their views and opinions;

- mysticism (as an unconscious belief in the predestination of certain events) and the experience of higher states, intuitive insights;

- a sense of ownership, unity with others (while maintaining the individual "separateness");

- deeper interpersonal relationships than most people;

-democratic structure of character (it should be noted here that Maslow studied mainly US politicians brought up in democratic traditions. - A. R. );

-the unification of means and goals, good and evil (here it is also important to note the value system propagated by US politicians, while we know from history that many prominent politicians did not conform to the values ​​proclaimed by their actions);

- non-aggressive sense of humor;

- self-actualizing creativity;

- resistance to acculturation: the transcendence of any particular culture (that is, the ability to adequately evaluate various aspects of different cultures without bias, taste, and the desire to fit them under a common denominator).

At the same time, A. Maslow did not assert that self-actualizing personalities are perfect. They, like other people, may manifest egocentrism, inadequate aggressiveness, nonsense, they may periodically experience feelings of depression. However, these negative feelings they do not prevail over the above noted positive features and do not play a decisive role in their way of thinking and activity, do not prevent them from separating real problems from mood problems.

In the words of A. Maslow, “self-actualization is not the absence of problems, but a movement from seeming and simple problems to real and difficult problems” (quoted in N. Lindé).

A. Maslow cites eight definitions of self-actualization from the standpoint of ways to achieve it:

1. Self-actualization is the complete mental and emotional inclusion in a real problem, task, activity.

2. Self-actualization is a movement with every life choice in the direction of personal growth, progress, even if it is associated with risk, above all with the risk of facing new, yet unknown problems.

3. Self-actualization - this means the realization of their potential creative possibilities in practice, and not only in dreams and plans.

4. Self-actualization is honesty to oneself and others and taking responsibility for one’s decisions and actions, and not shifting it to other people and circumstances.

5. Self-actualization is the development of a “better life choice” strategy in oneself, the strengthening of faith in one’s ability to make the right decision, both on the basis of objective analysis and through intuition.

6. Self-actualization is not only the process of realizing one’s own personal resources available at the moment, but also the further continuous development of potential possibilities for their subsequent practical realization.

7. Self-actualization is a progressive ability to experience periodically the “peak of experience”, as a state of highest integration of personal resources, in which breaks occur in a better awareness of oneself and the surrounding reality, in making clear and accurate decisions and their effective practical implementation.

8. Self-actualization is the ability to honestly, critically look at yourself and your problems, expose psychological defenses, self-deceptions and begin to eliminate them decisively.

Abraham Maslow also developed the concept of a hierarchy of fundamental needs. In accordance with this concept, our needs consistently develop from the lowest, physiological needs of the body (for food, sleep, etc.) to the highest.

The highest needs of A. Maslow primarily include the need for a person to feel security, love, belonging to a group, respect and, finally, the need for self-actualization, which includes almost all spiritual needs.

According to A. Maslow, the highest needs can be successfully realized only after satisfying the lower ones, that is, after creating satisfactory priority living conditions.

This is a very important conclusion from a social point of view for society as a whole. One cannot hope for an increase in the cultural level and the disclosure of the creative potential of people who are not provided with the satisfaction of their primary needs.

This conclusion is also important for the psychotherapist, who, before starting to work with a specific client on the problem of his creative self-actualization, should know how satisfied his lower primary needs are.

However, it should not be forgotten that the highest needs (for security, love, respect, etc.) also do not refer to “architectural excesses”, but to the most important fundamental needs, without satisfying which a person cannot receive normal development and self-realization.

A. Maslow himself did not consider himself a practicing psychotherapist, but his influence on the practice of psychotherapy is not questioned. The most important condition for effective psychotherapy A. Maslow considered the establishment of a trusting relationship between the client and the therapist. In this case, the therapist acts as an equal partner, a wise friend, and not a leader. In creative communication with the client, he should adhere to the so-called model of Taoist assistance, that is, without intervention, gradually transferring more and more initiative and responsibility to the client.

The main task of the psychotherapist here is to create an optimal, benevolent and protected atmosphere for self-disclosure and self-actualization of the client.

As we have said, the psychotherapist should be aware of the satisfaction of the lower needs of the client, but he works towards the satisfaction of his higher needs.

A. Maslow emphasizes that most people who seek help from a psychotherapist suffer (experience frustration) because they do not meet the need for love, respect, and real (not ostentatious) self-esteem.

Maslow sees a way out of the client's neurotic state in the awakening of the forces of his self-actualization. The psychotherapist helps the client to realize their true potential abilities, to believe in the possibility of their successful practical realization, to create an atmosphere conducive to the beginning of this process, to psychologically support in case of difficulties and to encourage the first successes on this path.