Harvey Jackins

Carl Harvey Jackins (June 28, 1916 – 12 July 1999) was the founder and principal theorist of Re-evaluation Counseling (or RC), the main movement for co-counselling. Originally a labor organizer, Jackins became acquainted with the theory of Dianetics invented by L. Ron Hubbard in the early 1950s and developed new theories that human beings could substantially improve their lives and emotional well-being by the systematic process of discharge, e.g.... more

Carl Harvey Jackins (June 28, 1916 – 12 July 1999) was the founder and principal theorist of Re-evaluation Counseling (or RC), the main movement for co-counselling. Originally a labor organizer, Jackins became acquainted with the theory of Dianetics invented by L. Ron Hubbard in the early 1950s and developed new theories that human beings could substantially improve their lives and emotional well-being by the systematic process of discharge, e.g., crying, laughing, yawning and others. This he came to believe would be actively encouraged by mutual exchange of affectionate attention, which became the co-counseling process. Born in Northern Idaho, Jackins attended but did not graduate from the University of Washington. He was a labor organizer in Seattle, Washington, during the 1940s, a role he said that he withdrew from after a severe beating. In RC publications, Jackins stated that he was repeatedly and sometimes viciously attacked in this period; some RC members who later met Jackins... less