Toward an Ecological Humanistic Psychology

In attempting to understand the dynamics of what distinguishes humans as a unique species, the author argues that humanistic psychology has limited itself to too narrow a definition of the human experience. From its beginning, it struggled with separation from the ideology of humanism and the question as to whether the transpersonal experience is a valid inquiry within its domain. Now it is time to tackle a different aspect of being fully human—our psychological relationship with our environment. This article attempts to explicate how the principles of humanistic psychology—self-actualization, awareness, responsibility, and authenticity—can address our environmental crisis through the concepts and practice of empathy, unconditional positive regard, and a wider identification beyond humankind to include the natural world. An ecological-humanistic psychology and worldview includes humans as part of the environment, not separate from it.