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Not All Therapy Is Equal: Narrative Therapy


Existential Therapy

The Who of Existential Therapy


Psychologists Rollo May, Irvin Yalom and theologian Paul Tillich, inspired by the work of psychiatrist Ludwig Binswanger in the early 20th Century, developed existential therapy as a mainstream therapeutic approach. Some say Otto Rank, an Austrian who learned under Freud and eventually broke away from his teachings in the mid-1920s, was the first existential therapist. It is said this therapy was developed out of the philosophies of Friedrich Nietzsche and Soren Kierkegaard.


The What of Existential Therapy


Existential therapy has four key themes: death, meaning, isolation and freedom. These are also known as the four pillars of existential therapy. These are the existential 'givens', those things humans wrestle with as we stumble our way through this life. Existential therapy's core question is, how do I exist in the face of conflict, uncertainty or death. This kind of therapy can help those who have lost meaning and/or purpose in their lives.


The How of Existential Therapy


Key processes of Existential Therapy:

  • Exploration of Meaning: Helping clients find personal meaning and purpose in life.

  • Facing Existential Anxiety: Addressing fears related to death, freedom, isolation, and meaninglessness.

  • Authenticity: Encouraging clients to live authentically and align their actions with their true values.

  • Personal Responsibility: Emphasizing the client's role in creating their own life path and making meaningful choices.


The main aim of existential therapy is to help the individual cope with life's anxieties. It can also help with depression, PTSD, addiction and existential crises of faith. Some individuals might find the themes explored in existential therapy to be too dark for them so it is not suited for everyone.


The role of the therapist is to help the individual focus on personal responsibility for their decision-making. The therapist aims to help the individual focus on and understand their unique experience.


The Books on Existential Therapy

  • Existential Psychotherapy - Irvin D. Yalom.

  • Man's Search for Meaning - Viktor E. Frankl.

  • The Existential Counselling Primer - Mick Cooper.

  • Existential Counselling & Psychotherapy in Practice - Emmy van Deurzen

  • he Art of Existential Counseling: A New Perspective for Working with Women - Kirk J. Schneider.


Parting thoughts


Like every therapy out there, existential therapy will not be for everyone. It is incredibly important to find the therapeutic tools that fit best for you. For instance, I take a little bit out of all the different therapeutic approaches and combine them into a multimodal soup that works best for me. No one therapeutic approach will work for every single individual so it is up to you to seek the ones that fit best for you and your needs. Be sure to check out the master blog Not All Therapy Is Equal: A Series to explore some of the other modalities out there.



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