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An existentially informed approach to psychotherapy and counselling is one which is concerned with helping you to arrive at your own insights and to make the choices and decisions which you feel are right for you rather than attempting to ‘cure’ or change behaviour which may in fact be fundamental to your way of being. Existential therapy emphasises the need within all of us to find our own inner equilibrium and to live life in accordance with our own deeply held values and beliefs.
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Key contributoes to Existential Therapy:
Rollo May
(1990 - 1994)
May was one of the key figures responsible for bringing existentialism from Europe to the United States and for translating key concepts into psychotherapeutic practice (Wikipedia 2013).
The most obvious ultimate concern.
"A terrible truth".
Conflict between awareness of death and desire to live.
To cope we erect defenses against death awareness.
Psychopathology in part is due to failure to deal with the inevitability of death. (Garrett, 2007)
Refers to the fact that humans are the authors of their own world.
We are responsible for our own choices.
Conflict is between groundlessness and desire for ground/structure.
Implications for therapy.
Responsibility.
Willing.
Impulsivity.
Compulsivity.
Decision.
Existential Psychotherapy. (Garrett, 2007)
Meaning creates hierarchal order of our values.
From a schema regarding the meaning of life an individual generates a hierarchy of values.
Tells us how to live not why to live.
Conflict stems from "How does a being who requires meaning find meaning in a universe that has no meaning?" (Garrett, 2007)
- It is not technique-oriented
- The interventions are based on philosophical views about the nature of human existence
- Free for draw techniques from other orientations
- The use of therapist self is the core of therapy (Garrett,2007)
Techniques are not emphasized:
- Existential therapy is not considered as a system of highly developed techniques
- Subjective understanding of clients is primary
- In the existential approach subjective understanding of clients is primary and techniques are secondary
- The term unfolding refers to the therapist's attempt to uncover with the patient what was there all along (Garrett, 2007)
- To expand self-awareness.
- To increase potential choices.
- To help client accept the responsibility for their choice.
- To help the client experience authentic existence.
References:
Viktor Frankl
(1905 - 1997)
Frankl was an Austrian Neurologist and a Psychiatrist as well as a Holocaust survivor. He was the founder of logo therapy, which is a form of existential analyssis (Wikipedia 2013).
Irvin Yalom
His writings on Existential Psychology centres on what he refers to as the four "givens" of the human condition: isolation, meaninglessness, mortality and freedom, and discusses ways the human person can respond to these concerns either in a functional or dysfunctional fashion (Wikipedia 2013).
Basic Concept:
Existential psychotherapy is more philosophical in nature.
Existential psychotherapy is not a specific technique.
Focuses on issues central to human existence.
Existential therapy is basically an experiential approach to therapy.
It is based on a personal relationship between client and therapist.
It stresses personal freedom in deciding one's fate.
It places primary value on self-awareness (Garrett, 2007).
Existential psychotherapy is not a specific technique.
Focuses on issues central to human existence.
Existential therapy is basically an experiential approach to therapy.
It is based on a personal relationship between client and therapist.
It stresses personal freedom in deciding one's fate.
It places primary value on self-awareness (Garrett, 2007).
Death:
The most obvious ultimate concern.
"A terrible truth".
Conflict between awareness of death and desire to live.
To cope we erect defenses against death awareness.
Psychopathology in part is due to failure to deal with the inevitability of death. (Garrett, 2007)
Freedom:
Refers to the fact that humans are the authors of their own world.
We are responsible for our own choices.
Conflict is between groundlessness and desire for ground/structure.
Implications for therapy.
Responsibility.
Willing.
Impulsivity.
Compulsivity.
Decision.
Existential Psychotherapy. (Garrett, 2007)
Isolation:
The fact that we are isolated from parts of ourselves is termed intrapersonal isolation Intrapersonal isolation = Fact we are isolated from parts of ourselves.
A form of isolation that refers to the fact that each of us enters and departs the world alone is existential.
Existential isolation differs from Interpersonal isolation = Divide between self and others.
Intrapersonal isolation = Fact we are isolated from parts of ourselves. (Garrett, 2007)
A form of isolation that refers to the fact that each of us enters and departs the world alone is existential.
Existential isolation differs from Interpersonal isolation = Divide between self and others.
Intrapersonal isolation = Fact we are isolated from parts of ourselves. (Garrett, 2007)
Meaninglessness:
Meaning creates hierarchal order of our values.
From a schema regarding the meaning of life an individual generates a hierarchy of values.
Tells us how to live not why to live.
Conflict stems from "How does a being who requires meaning find meaning in a universe that has no meaning?" (Garrett, 2007)
Therapeutic techniques and procedures:
- The interventions are based on philosophical views about the nature of human existence
- Free for draw techniques from other orientations
- The use of therapist self is the core of therapy (Garrett,2007)
Techniques are not emphasized:
- Existential therapy is not considered as a system of highly developed techniques
- Subjective understanding of clients is primary
- In the existential approach subjective understanding of clients is primary and techniques are secondary
- The term unfolding refers to the therapist's attempt to uncover with the patient what was there all along (Garrett, 2007)
Therapeutic Goals:
- To expand self-awareness.
- To increase potential choices.
- To help client accept the responsibility for their choice.
- To help the client experience authentic existence.
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| (N.D, 2011) |
(n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Frankl
(n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollo_May
(n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irvin_Yalom
Garrett, J. (2007, October 18). Existential Therapy. Retrieved from http://mucounseling603theories.blogspot.com/2007/10/chapter-9-existential-therapy.html
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://indianatheists.com/2011/12/25/on-rough-rides-and-the-ride-into-the-sunset/franklquote/
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