European Therapy Studies Institute

MindFields College was founded by the European Therapy Studies Institute (ETSI) to provide an authoritative education programme for counsellors, psychotherapists and other health and welfare professionals (based on what is reliably known about effective interventions with patients suffering emotional/mental difficulties). The need for such a college became apparent after several years investigation by members of ETSI into the wide variety of ways disturbed members of the public were being dealt with – by both orthodox and complementary health practitioners – and the huge disparity in effectiveness of different approaches.

The Institute is a multi-disciplinary organisation, founded in 1992, with a remit to gather, study and publish information on therapeutic method and practice. It is particularly concerned with the lesser psychiatric disorders that cause so much unhappiness. It also looks at therapy in as wide a context as possible in order to help both orthodox and complementary therapists deal more effectively with the bewildering range of problems that are increasingly presenting themselves.

ETSI has over 700 members including a group of active researchers and people who joined to register their support for its aims and be part of the movement towards a more objective and scientifically holistic approach to therapy.

The Institute believes that the reductionist/causal approach that was so prevalent in the 20th century was a double-edged sword. While it achieved much for the benefit of Mankind, its single stroke attitude towards dealing with symptoms failed to consider the very nature of illness or of the human malaise. It made little allowance for the innate human characteristics – the physical and emotional needs we are genetically programmed with, and the resources nature gave us to get those needs met, which have allowed us to evolve this far.

Institute members do not promote a particular school, methodology or ideology, other than sharing a profound belief that no single discipline knows all the answers, that we all need bigger organising ideas to work from, and that bridge-building between all mental and physical health professionals is vital. However, the human givens approach, which is proving so effective, developed directly as a result of ETSI's research and search for a more holistic way of drawing together current psychological knowledge and proven psychotherapeutic techniques.

ETSI therefore vigorously fosters better understanding and cooperation between all medical and caring professionals. It does this by exploring human behaviour, mind/body science and relevant research and making the results available through the Institute’s journal, Human Givens: promoting emotional health and clear thinking (previously named The New Therapist), other publications, seminars, workshops and conferences.

If you would like further information about ETSI, or would like to support its work by becoming a member, please call us on: +44 (0)1323 811662 or email us with your details: etsi@humangivens.com

© MindFields College 2008