Sidney Marshall Jourard (1926–1974), a Canadian psychologist who was a leading force in the field of Humanistic Psychology, is remembered most as a pioneer in the study of body-awareness and the psychology of self-disclosure, including his book The Transparent Self (1964-71). He wrote Healthy Personality: An Approach From the Viewpoint of Humanistic Psychology (1974), which was a synthesis of the concepts and techniques that humanistic psychologists utilized and built upon in the 1960s and 70s. He has produced many other works, including Personal Adjustment (1958-1963), Disclosing Man to Himself (1968), Self-Disclosure (1971), and Healthy Personality, as well as essays and lectures on growth as a human being.
Jourard's "Self-Disclosure Theory" of humanistic therapy is a therapeutic model of humanistic treatment where total disclosure was encouraged between the client and the therapist. The therapist would also disclose himself to the client to reciprocate; however, the therapist, being a psychologist, would rely on training and the concepts of psychological theories to relate to the client. According to Jourard, disclosure is important in any relationship, as it fosters openness, healthy relationships, and an enthusiasm to grow within the personal and social sphere.
Jourard was a Past President of the Association for Humanistic Psychology. He taught at Emory University and at the University of Alabama Medical College prior to joining the University of Florida in 1958, where he held the rank of Professor until his death in 1974. He was involved in private practice of individual psychotherapy for twenty-five years; and for the last ten years of his life conducted encounter groups, experiential seminars, and workshops for Esalen Institute, Kairos, Oasis, The Center of Man, and other growth centers about the United States, Canada and Europe.
For more information:
- ‹ previous
- Page 7
