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Rollo May’s Critical Position in Psychology

The Concept of Comprehension Applied to Dysfuntional Experiences, Health, and Psychotherapy

Universidad del Norte

In this article, the author refers to Rollo May’s critical position in psychology regarding the need of comprehending human experiences before explaining them. The author also shows how this position helps clarify the existential foundations theorists can use to understand both dysfunctional experiences and the constructive and healthy development of human potential. Furthermore, to be consistent with this perspective on human beings, the author offers an explanation pertinent to the existential foundations of psychotherapy generally. As a rule, to comprehend a person properly, we should start by grasping and clarifying the intentions, lived meaning, and values that a person tries to affirm or preserve in and through each daily experience. After we have clarified those aspects of the experience, we can then appropriately concern ourselves with searching for the causes of the experience by relating it to a theoretical standpoint.

Key Words: Rollo May • comprehension • existential psychotherapy • existential psychology

This version was published on October 1, 2009

Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Vol. 49, No. 4, 462-483 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0022167809339061


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