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Historical Origins
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From the earliest years of American psychology, there were distinguished social scientists who held what were eventually to
be named “humanistic” views. Among them were Gordon Allport, James F.T.
Bugental, Charlotte Bühler, Rene Dubos, Erich Fromm, Sidney Jourard, William James,
George Kelly, Abraham Maslow, Rollo May, Clark Moustakas, William McDougall, Gardner
Murphy, Henry Murray, Carl Rogers, and Robert White. By the early 1960's it became clear that
their views represented a critical and alternative view of the discipline of psychology. Prompted by the increasing dominance
of behaviorism in academic psychology and psychoanalysis in clinical practice, those who represented the humanistic
perspective began to link up with similarly oriented colleagues to identify and articulate their alternate vision for the field of
psychology. The humanistic psychology movement became a response to mainstream psychology's lack of interest or
involvement in human centered treatment and therapy as well as a critique of the standard psychology practices
of that time.
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Carl Rogers |
The term “humanistic psychology,” as Maslow put it, was selected to represent a new body of
psychological thought. The first issue of the Journal of Humanistic Psychology was published in 1961, and it
continues to this day as a forum for articles and papers written by scholars in the humanistic community and is still edited by a
Saybrook faculty member.
A year later, the American Association for Humanistic Psychology was created and its first meeting was held in 1962.
In recognition of the increasing international membership the association soon dropped "American" from its name. The
early developments of the sixties culminated in a conference sponsored by the Association for Humanistic Psychology (AHP).
The conference convened in Old Saybrook, Connecticut in November 1964 was a milestone event in establishing humanistic
psychology as a legitimate movement embraced by eminent and respected scholars from a variety of disciplines.
In 1969, Dr.Eleanor Criswell, a professor at California State University, Sonoma proposed to the AHP
that an educational program be established to provide an innovative, learner-centered and rigorous educational
environment devoted to the study of humanistic psychology and humanistic psychological research. Under the name The
Humanistic Psychology Institute and lead by Dr.Criswell and pioneer somatics researcher Dr.Thomas Hanna,
the school began to coalesce, offering graduate courses in humanistic psychology; and in 1971 a master's program
was added, and a doctoral program in 1972.
In 1975, the Board of AHP decided to appoint a separate Board for the Institute. In 1976, the newly created
Board of Trustees took steps to strengthen and restructure the Institute by appointing Dr.Donald E.Polkinghorne
as president. During Dr.Polkinghorne's administration, Saybrook was accredited by the Western
Association of Schools and Colleges, and quickly became an internationally respected graduate school with students
engaged in studies for Ph.D.degrees in Humanistic Psychology and Human Science. Such eminent scholars
as Dr.Richard Farson, Dr.Amedeo Giorgi, Dr.Dennis Jaffe, Dr.Stanley
Krippner, and Dr.Rachel Naomi Remen were recruited to become members of the Saybrook faculty.
The educationally innovative learner-centered mentored format of the Saybrook program was attractive to mid-career adult
learners who were able to be matriculated at Saybrook while continuing their careers.
In honor of the conference in Connecticut the now autonomous school changed its name to Saybrook Institute in order to reflect the
wider disciplinary scope and to project a new image, which reflected the Institute's dedication to the highest standards of s
cholarship and research. Founders who remained with the Institute included Old Saybrook conference participants Rollo
May, Clark Moustakas and James Bugental, all of whom served as members of the faculty.
During Polkinghorne's tenure the curriculum diversified, with several new concentrations of study being
available. Though remaining committed to the concept of interdisciplinary studies, areas of faculty and student
specializations were developed that expanded the humanistic vision into organizational systems, peace and conflict
resolution, creativity, integrated health, consciousness and spirituality, and clinical studies.
In 1997 the Board of Trustees appointed Dr.Gerald W.Bush as Saybrook's fifth president and one of Dr.
Bush's first acts was to appoint notable humanistic scholar Dr.Maureen O'Hara as his Executive Vice President
and Dean of the Faculty. The Board also agreed to amend the name of the school from Saybrook Institute to Saybrook
Graduate School and Research Center.
Dr.Bush and O'Hara embarked upon an ambitious program of institutional renewal. Through a series of
Scenario Planning workshops, which involved all levels of the organization including faculty, students, board
members, administration and staff, leading to a five year strategy plan.The plan called for growth in
enrollment, curriculum reorganization and expansion, building a more diverse executive faculty, upgrades in
both administrative information and educational technology, development of Saybrook's web site as the nexus of all
school services, the creation of a digital library and building financial reserves.
Early in 1999 Dr.Bush was stricken with brain cancer and to everyone's loss, passed away in the summer that
year. In October, the Board of Trustees appointed Dr.O'Hara as Saybrook's sixth
President. Her promise to the Board on her appointment was to complete the transformation process begun with Dr.
Bush and to lead Saybrook into the 21st century by reclaiming its humanistic heritage and making it relevant to a new and changing
world.
Since 1999 Saybrook has grown to an enrollment over 500 students, expanded its educational programs to include two new
degrees in Organizational Systems, and concentrations in Humanistic and Transpersonal Psychology, Consciousness
and Spirituality, Social Transformation, and Health Studies. Students can also complete certificate programs in
Creativity Studies, Expressive Arts Therapy, and Socially Engaged Spirituality as a part of their degree
programs.
Saybrook has also committed to enriching its programmatic offerings with the use of new advancements in educational
technology. At present student learning is facilitated by individualized mentoring, face-to-face
residential classroom experience, web-based classes and experiential training, making Saybrook's
“mixed-model” one of the most successful adult-learner graduate programs in existence.
In August 2004 Saybrook moved to its brand new facility on San Francisco's Embarcadero.
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