Selected Writings of Maureen O’Hara on the Art, Science, and Hope of Humanism: Vitalising Persons for Turbulent Times

This book presents the work of the eminent British-American psychologist, Maureen O’Hara. It explores the trajectory of humanistic psychology over the last few decades, providing a link between its original proponents, notably Carl Rogers, and its contemporary manifestations.

The text reproduces 18 of O’Hara’s original papers arranged in six parts, each of which reflects a significant area in which she has contributed her rigorous analysis and creative thinking, i.e., the person-centred approach, humanistic psychology, third force science, client-centred therapy, psychology futures, and education. A unique feature of the book is a series of dialogues about O’Hara’s contributions in each of these areas with the book’s editor, Keith Tudor. The dialogues reveal not only O’Hara’s reflections on and further thinking about each area of her contributions, but also how prescient her analysis was, and how contemporary and relevant her thinking still is.

Bringing together a collection of O’Hara’s works to a broader audience, this book will be of interest to humanistic psychologists and psychotherapists, as well as those studying and/or training in this field.

Keith Tudor is Professor of Psychotherapy at Auckland University of Technology, Aotearoa New Zealand, where he is also currently a co-Lead of Moana Nui Research in the Psychological Therapies. He is the author and/or editor of over 100 publications on various aspects of person-centred psychology, including (with the late Berne Neville) Eco-centred Therapy: Revisioning Person-centred Psychology for a Living World (Routledge, 2023).

Maureen O’Hara is Director of the International Futures Forum US, Professor Emerita of Psychology at National University, San Diego, CA and President Emerita of Saybrook Graduate School, San Francisco, CA. Working closely with American psychologist Dr Carl R. Rogers for two decades, she helped develop the person-centred approach to psychotherapy and large group process.