Secular humanism is a belief system with a primary focus on human values, needs and concerns rather than the divine or supernatural. According to the American Humanist Association, humanism is a philosophy that "affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity."

So what's humanism doing in a discussion of religious therapy? This series is about how a therapist's belief system intersects with their clinical practice. No, humanism isn't an organized religion, but it is an ideology with adherents who share common views on human nature. I thought a decidedly non-religious ethical viewpoint would lend an interesting alternate perspective to the series. And I knew my guest would give intriguing responses.

I'm honored to host PT's own Leon Seltzer (Ph.D.s, SUNY, Buffalo & University of Cincinnati), a psychologist practicing in Del Mar, California who pens the Evolution of the Self blog. Seltzer, who holds doctorates in both English and Psychology, wrote books comparing Conrad and Melville and an overview of Paradoxical Strategies in Therapy. A longtime humanist who occasionally speaks and writes on the topic, Dr. Seltzer graciously shares his thoughts on the VRT. Enjoy!

What is the role of religion or spirituality in your clinical practice?

Rarely is humanism considered a religion, and in describing their beliefs many humanists prefer to avoid the term spirituality altogether. Placing their confidence in science rather than religion, humanists trust reason over faith. Still, I've always regarded humanist ideals as quite spiritual in that they celebrate non-materialistic values I personally cherish--values that are (ahem) "secularly sacred" to me. That is, humanism extols such virtues and ideals as courage, fortitude, innovation and creativity, generosity, empathy and compassion. And--perhaps more broadly--it reveres altruism and a deep sense of community, justice and equal opportunity, and living in harmony with nature. Beyond that, humanism affirms the inherent value and dignity of all humans, independent of their religion or socio-economic status.

Humanism really isn't so much atheistic as it is non-theistic. It simply doesn't attend to--or focus on--anything supernatural, but rather aims its lens solely on the mortal life of us humans. Both what we must take full ownership of, and what we're potentially capable of. It's not really "anti-religious" as such, but it does oppose certain elements in religion that--whether excessively righteous, intolerant, or hypocritical--can culminate in actions inconsiderate of, or even cruel to, humanity. Humanism also contends that we ought not to be living our lives passively (as though some all-powerful Deity is personally looking out for us and ready to rescue us if necessary). Instead, it predicates that we should live pro-actively and in the here-and-now, accepting life as it is and consciously creating our own desired destiny.

So as a humanistic therapist, I endeavor to help clients in the kinds of self-discovery and personal evolution that will assist them either to better cope with their present-day difficulties, or to transcend them altogether. I also try to help them discover (or re-discover)--as is stated so eloquently in the Humanist Manifesto III--"the wonder and awe in the joys and beauties of human existence, its challenges and tragedies, and even in the inevitability and finality of death."

The cornerstone of humanistic principles is living in accord with The Golden Rule. So in my work I do all I appropriately can to increase my clients' empathic caring and concern for others. In fact, many of my clients' problems relate either to their self-absorption or the heedless, single-minded pursuit of their own interests. Ironically, assisting them to get outside themselves and better identify with the wants and needs of others can be exactly the therapy they need. Additionally, I attempt to help them resolve issues through engaging others in a more collaborative and cooperative manner--vs. through aggression and dominance. I regard the latter, antagonistic approach as both divisive and detrimental to their developing a healthy sense of interdependence.

As another example of applying humanistic principles to therapy, I might refer specifically to my work with couples. Here my interventions are at once contrived to challenge the assumptions--and promote the well-being--of both parties. As long as neither spouse's interpersonal stance is untenable (e.g., "It's my way or the highway!" or "You're the one who needs to change!"), I seek to help both of them grow their empathy, understanding, and acceptance of the (inevitable) differences that separate them. I also encourage both partners to uphold their integrity, rather than sacrifice it simply to keep the marital peace. But mostly, I try to get them to better appeciate and respect their unchangeable dissimilarities.

Finally, it's not their individual behaviors that need to change so much as their attitude toward one another. They need to learn that more than one perspective on a matter can be valid and not to let the harmony between them suffer merely because they don't--and maybe can't--agree on something. When this approach is successful, many of their conflicts simply fade away. For now they're able to recognize how their conjugal happiness is contingent on just such mutual tolerance and acceptance. Regardless of the couple's religious views, the principles I employ to assist them in recapturing the joy they once shared are solidly grounded within a humanist framework.

How does your technique or theory differ from mainstream psychotherapy?

As a humanistic therapist--and, of course, depending on my particular client's goals--my questions would likely be more global and existential than simply inquiring about current symptoms. In general, I attempt to help clients achieve greater clarity about who they are and their longer-term aspirations. How, that is, can their day-to-day lives become more congruent with their larger sense of purpose? To help them resolve immediate problems, I might employ techniques from cognitive-behavioral therapy and other mainstream approaches . But since, principally, I want to help them lead richer and more meaningful lives, I'll have them look beyond their present-day frustrations, too. And I'll emphasize that the perceptual shifts that can enable them to best realize their potential--as well as their heart's deepest desires--will almost certainly require that they give more thought to how they can significantly contribute to the lives of others (not to mention planet Earth!).

A new client comes to therapy reporting his main problem is feeling detached from God. How would you proceed?