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Existential Therapy

 Born from philosophy  A phenomenological philosophy of “humanness”

 Humans are in a constant state of transition, evolving and becoming

 Clients are searching for meaning in their subjective worlds

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 Common questions/sources of existential angst for clients

 “Who am I?”

 “I will die.”

 “What does it all mean?”

 “Will I die alone?”

 “How am I going to get to where I want to be in my life?”

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Basic Dimensions of the Human Condition

 The capacity for self‐awareness

 The tension between freedom & responsibility

 The creation of an identity & establishing meaningful relationships

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Basic Dimensions of the Human Condition

 The search for meaning

 Accepting anxiety as a condition of living

 The awareness of death and nonbeing

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 The greater our awareness, the greater our possibilities for freedom

 Awareness is realizing that:  We are finite‐‐time is limited  We have the choice to act or not to act  Meaning is not automatic‐‐we must seek it  We are subject to loneliness, meaninglessness, emptiness, guilt, and isolation

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 Identity is “the courage to be”– We must trust ourselves to search within and find our own answers

 Our great fear is that we will discover that there is no core, no self

 Being existentially “alone” helps us to discover our authentic self

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 Balancing aloneness and relatedness helps us develop a unique identity and live authentically in the moment

 At their best our relationships are based on our desire for fulfillment, not based on deprivation

 Relationships that spring from our sense of deprivation are clinging, parasitic, and symbiotic  neurotic dependence versus the authentic need to be with others

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 Like pleasure, meaning must be pursued obliquely  Finding meaning in life is a by‐product of a commitment to creating, loving, and working

 “The will to meaning” is our primary striving  Life is not meaningful in itself; the individual must create and discover meaning

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 Yalom’s four givens of existence create anxiety

 Existential anxiety is normal ‐ life cannot be lived, nor can death be faced, without anxiety

 Neurotic anxiety, of which we typically are unaware, is anxiety about concrete things that is out of proportion to the situation

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 A healthy view of anxiety  Anxiety can be a stimulus for growth as we become aware of and accept our freedom; it can be a catalyst for living authentically and fully

 We can blunt our anxiety by creating the illusion that there is security in life

 If we have the courage to face ourselves and life we may be frightened, but we will be able to change

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 Helping clients to accept their freedom and responsibility to act

 Assisting people in coming to terms with the crises in their lives

 Encouraging clients to recognize the ways in which they are not living fully authentic lives

 Inviting clients to become more honest with themselves

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 Broadening clients’ awareness of their choices

 Facilitating the client’s search for purpose and meaning in life

 Assisting clients in developing a deep understanding of themselves and the ways they can effectively communicate with others

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!Relationship Between Therapist and Client

 Therapy is a journey taken by therapist and client  The person‐to‐person relationship is key  The relationship demands that therapists be in contact with their own phenomenological world

 The core of the therapeutic relationship  Respect and faith in the clients’ potential to cope  Sharing reactions with genuine concern and empathy

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 Existential psychotherapy is not technique oriented

 Techniques from other models can be used within the context of striving to understand the subjective world of the client, but they must be used in an integrated fashion

 When the deepest self of the therapist meets the deepest part of the client, the counseling process is at its best

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 Initial phase: Clients are assisted in identifying and clarifying their assumptions about the world

 Middle phase: Clients are assisted in more fully examining the source and authority of their present value system

 Final phase: Clients are assisted in translating what they have learned about themselves into action

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 Provides an ideal environment for therapeutic work on responsibility  Clients are responsible for their behavior in group  Group settings provide a mirror of how clients may act in the world

 Through feedback members learn to view themselves through another’s eyes

 Members learn how their behavior affects others

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 Builds interpersonal skills  Creates an opportunity to relate to others in a meaningful and authentic way

 Provides an opportunity to explore the paradoxes of existence  Learning to experience anxiety as a reality of the human condition

 Making choices in the face of uncertainty  Discovering there are no ultimate answers for ultimate concerns

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Strengths from a Diversity Perspective

 The existential approach has appeal to culturally diverse clients since it does not dictate a particular way of viewing or relating to reality

 It has a focus on universality, or the common ground that we all share, as well as on subjective experience

 It enables clients to examine the degree to which their behavior is being influenced by social and cultural conditioning.

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Limitations From a Diversity Perspective

 Some regard the approach excessively individualistic and insensitive to social factors that cause problems; however, this is beginning to change.

 The external realities of racism, discrimination, and oppression may lead clients to feel patronized or misunderstood if the therapist too quickly conveys that they have choice in improving their lives.

 Some clients may prefer more concrete direction. ory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 6 (19)

Contributions of Existential Therapy

 Existentialists have contributed a new dimension to the understanding of death, anxiety, guilt, frustration, loneliness, and alienation.

 Its emphasis on the human quality of the therapeutic relationship is a strength.

 The key concepts of the existential approach can be integrated into most therapeutic schools.

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Limitations of Existential Psych oth era PY

 The individualistic focus may not fit within the world views of clients from a collectivistic culture

 The high focus on self‐determination may not fully account for real‐life limitations of those who are oppressed and have limited choices

 Some clients prefer a more directive approach to counseling

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Limitations of Existential Psych oth era PY

 The approach may prove difficult for clients who experience difficulty conceptualizing or have limited intellectual capacities

 The approach does not focus on specific techniques, making treatments difficult to standardize

 Limited empirical support

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