The Human Givens approach is a large organising idea, which provides a larger framework for understanding emotional wellbeing.
The approach is devised from a rational body of knowledge from a range of scientific and psychological disciplines.

The emphasis is of this approach is on what is missing in a person’s life, their resources and on opportunities for change, rather than a focus on specific difficulties and where they might originate.
The Human Givens framework is therefore a solution focused, therapeutic approach, appropriate to any situation.

The key message of this approach reminds us that although all human beings are unique, we are born with a common set of needs.
As with other living things we need to take nourishment from our environment in order to thrive.
These essential, basic needs are both physical and emotional. Much of our behaviour is a combination of needs.

Our needs must be met for a healthy self concept and for healthy relationships.
Unmet needs lead to poor mental health and a range of negative feelings including frustration, anger, sadness, confusion, lack of trust, jealousy, hurt.
These negative feelings can cause conflict both within ourselves and with others.

Physical needs and survival needs include air, food, shelter, medical care, rest, recreation.

Our key emotional needs are a need for security, attention, control, connection to others, a sense of self esteem from being stretched and achieving, a sense of status, meaning and purpose, friendship/fun/intimacy, belonging to a wider community and privacy.

Nature has also given us an innate guidance system to get these needs met – our own innate resources.
Our resources include imagination, long term memory, self awareness, the ability to problem solve, a range of thinking styles, the ability to pattern match, a rational mind, a dreaming brain and an ability to empathise with others.

Neither needs or resources are a hierarchy – all are needed and all are important, in balance.

A simple, working definition of the Human Givens approach is that we need to have our needs met, well enough, in balance, and nature has provided the ‘tools’ to get those needs met in our environment.

If our needs are met adequately, we are content and we can continue to thrive, to connect with others and to learn throughout life
If our needs are unmet or inadequately met, our systems are unbalanced, leading to distress and an inability to function effectively.

A key message is unmet needs create high emotional arousal, which leads to emotional distress, including depression, fear, anxiety, threat to security, anger and so on. All limit learning.

High emotional arousal creates an inward focus, which is linked to our survival.
Individuals develop a narrow frame of reference, a spotlight on a situation rather than a searchlight which can see ‘the bigger picture’ and all it’s possibilities.
This is creates a ‘black & white’, ‘all or nothing’, ‘good or bad’ thinking style.

In this thinking state, we tend to predict negatively based on previous experiences or beliefs. This creates a cycle of worry, with many “what if?” scenarios, imagining obstacles which our brains think are really there, from old, established, familiar patterns and circuitry.

“I have known many troubles in my life and most of them never happened ”
(Mark Twain)

The significance of having goals in our lives is a key part of a Human Givens approach.
Most people spend more time moving away from what they don’t want than moving towards what they do want, especially when they are struggling emotionally.