Wellbeing Hub

Why humanistic and psychodynamic therapy has, and always will, matter.

In a world full of quick fixes, apps, and endless advice, it’s easy to forget something simple yet profound: people change through connection with other people. Long before psychology had names for therapy, humans healed each other by listening, reflecting, and offering genuine presence.

Humanistic (person-centred) and psychodynamic therapy are rooted in this deep, timeless way of helping. They aren’t outdated; they’re built on what makes us human. And modern science confirms it: these approaches work, and they work because they honour how we naturally heal.

At Hammock Counselling, this understanding shapes everything we do, from the way we select our counsellors to the way we supervise them. We seek practitioners who embody the relational qualities that research shows make therapy effective.

The evidence that humanistic and psychodynamic therapy work

Some people assume these approaches are “less scientific” because they’re less structured. In fact, decades of research show they are highly effective.

1. Large-scale studies show these approaches make a real difference

A major review by the American Psychological Association’s task force found that the therapeutic relationship predicts outcomes more than any specific technique, across hundreds of studies.

Psychodynamic therapy, summarised by Jonathan Shedler, shows improvements that are often as strong as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), with many clients continuing to improve after therapy ends—what researchers call the “sleeper effect” Shedler, 2010.

Humanistic therapies, including person-centred and emotion-focused approaches, reliably outperform no treatment and often perform as well as CBT Elliott et al., 2013.

These findings make a simple point clear: it isn’t just techniques that help—it’s the empathy, attunement, and presence therapists offer. At Hammock, we deliberately choose counsellors and supervisors who embody these qualities; they are the heart of what we provide.

How therapy changes the brain

Many clients ask, how does talking about my feelings actually change anything? Neuroscience now gives us some answers.

1. Feeling understood calms the threat system

When a person feels genuinely understood, activity in the amygdala, the brain’s alarm system, decreases, while areas involved in reflection and self-awareness, such as the medial prefrontal cortex, become more active Singer & Lamm, 2009.

This means that empathy and emotional presence aren’t “soft extras.” They help the brain shift from defence into safety, creating the conditions for real change.

2. Exploring emotions strengthens regulation and integration

Humanistic and psychodynamic therapies encourage clients to explore emotions they may have avoided or never fully understood. Research shows that emotional exploration strengthens the connection between limbic regions (which handle emotion) and prefrontal areas (which help us reflect and regulate) Lane et al., 2015.

Emotion-focused therapy, which builds on person-centred principles, shows that engaging with difficult feelings helps the brain integrate self-reflection and emotional experience, supporting greater flexibility and resilience.

3. Relationships themselves rewire the brain

The therapeutic relationship is not just a container for change—it’s part of the change. Studies using simultaneous brain imaging (hyperscanning) show that when client and therapist are attuned, their neural rhythms can synchronise Feldman, 2017.

Being met with empathy, consistency, and genuine presence can increase vagal tone, support parasympathetic activation, and release oxytocin. In other words, the relational environment itself is healing.

At Hammock, this is why we focus so much on selecting counsellors and supervisors who can create safe, attuned, emotionally responsive spaces. It’s not optional—it’s the foundation of change.

4. Self-acceptance and congruence reshape experience

Person-centred therapy emphasises self-acceptance and congruence. Neuroscience supports this: practices fostering self-compassion activate areas of the brain involved in self-soothing and reduce activity in regions linked to self-criticism Neff, 2011.

When clients experience acceptance in therapy, they gradually internalise this relational environment, creating a new, more compassionate template for themselves.

Integrating emotion and reflection

You may have heard of “left brain versus right brain” thinking: left equals logical, right equals emotional. That’s an oversimplification. Emotion and cognition rely on networks across both hemispheres.

What therapy really does is help emotional systems (limbic) integrate with reflective, verbal systems (prefrontal). It links early, implicit relational patterns with conscious understanding. This integration helps clients feel more grounded, able to reflect, and more in control of their inner world Lane et al., 2015.

Why these approaches have always mattered

Science is persuasive, but these therapies also matter because of who we are as humans.

We grow through connection, reflection, and meaning-making. Pain, conflict, and struggle are part of life, and humans have always relied on relationships to make sense of them. Humanistic and psychodynamic therapy formalise these ancient truths.

They are not just methods—they are attempts to create the conditions for human growth: empathy, understanding, emotional depth, safe exploration, and reflective insight.

Why these approaches remain essential

As mental health care becomes increasingly standardised, we risk losing what truly heals. People are not symptoms; people are relational beings with emotional depth. Quick solutions and checklists cannot replace the subtle, attuned presence of another human.

Humanistic and psychodynamic therapy protect these essential qualities. They resist oversimplification, invite emotional honesty, and honour complexity. They help people build self-awareness, resilience, relational capacity, and meaning in life Muran & Eubanks, 2020.

At Hammock, this is why every counsellor and supervisor is chosen for their capacity to hold this kind of relational space. Skills and techniques matter, but the relational qualities make the real difference.

In an age of technology, human connection heals

Even as AI and apps become part of mental health care, they cannot replace key ingredients:

co-regulation
emotional resonance
nuanced attunement
embodied presence
shared silence
being truly seen and understood

Humanistic and psychodynamic therapy continue to offer something irreplaceable: a human relationship where change becomes possible.

Why Hammock is built on these foundations

At Hammock Counselling, everything starts with this principle: the therapist matters as much as the therapy.

We choose counsellors and supervisors who demonstrate:

empathy and attunement
reflective capacity
psychodynamic insight
integrity and consistency
the ability to create genuinely safe relational spaces

Clients deserve more than technical competence. They deserve to be met by someone who can sit with them honestly, gently, and with emotional presence. This is what changes lives. This is what the science supports.

The conclusion: these approaches work because they honour our humanity

Humanistic and psychodynamic therapy are not alternatives or relics. They are rooted in the core of human healing. Relational safety calms the brain, emotional exploration integrates experience, compassion reshapes internal life, and the therapeutic relationship is itself transformative.

These truths are timeless. They were relevant before modern therapy existed and will remain relevant long after treatment fads pass. They preserve what is most human: the capacity to reflect, feel, relate, and grow.

At Hammock Counselling, this belief guides every decision: the counsellors we bring in, the supervisors we train, and the relationships we nurture with clients. This is why we commit to humanistic and psychodynamic therapy—and why they will always matter.

Thanks all

(Hammock co-founder & private practice therapist)