There are three main approaches to counseling: humanistic, cognitive-behavioral (CBT), and psychodynamic. In this essay I want to identify and describe some of their key concepts, starting with the humanistic approach. The humanistic or (person-centered therapy) approach began in the 1950s due to theorists' views that there were limitations in the two previous approaches of CBT and psychodynamics. . The two main theorists associated with this movement are Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers, who believed that humans were naturally good and possessed a drive for growth and fulfillment called self-actualization. Abraham Maslow based his findings on healthy people who had found meaning in their lives that allowed them to flourish, thereby achieving self-actualization and noted that a hierarchy of needs had to be met starting with basic needs like food, water, air, etc. He believed that if a deficiency or need ceases to be met, the motivation to strive for progress or maintain growth is lost and problems may arise. Carl Rogers, although agreeing with Abraham Maslow, also felt that in order to strive for self-realization and be able to overcome their problems, they needed to be in an authentic environment. In this environment, they could open up while feeling unconditionally accepted and understood, and here they could realize their full potential. To provide this therapeutic environment, Carl Rogers states that three basic conditions are necessary:-• Congruence: - be transparent or authentic, showing the client that the counselor accepts them as equals and that there is no pretense , allowing an openness thus allowing the client to have a deeper knowledge of themselves. The advisor will never attempt to deceive the client ... middle of paper ......best position to use knowledge, resources and energy to resolve current and future problems. To conclude, the cognitive behavioral approach is educational, it uses structured learning experiences that teach clients to monitor their negative thoughts and mental images. The goal is to recognize how these thoughts and images affect their mood and behavior, making them depressed or anxious, etc. The counselor teaches important coping skills, such as problem solving and making time for pleasant experiences, although this only works on present-moment issues. not on problems from the past, that is to say from childhood, it is based on time and not on an indeterminate duration. Some critics argue that due to this focus it does not address possible underlying causes such as an unhappy childhood, although one approach that examines this aspect is the psychodynamic approach..