Existential Therapy Chapter 4. Existential Therapy Both a philosophy and a philosophical approach to counseling. Both a philosophy and a philosophical.

Existential TherapyExistential TherapyChapter 4Chapter 4

Existential TherapyExistential Therapy Both a philosophy and a philosophical approach to Both a philosophy and a philosophical approach to

counseling.counseling. Not a particularly well-defined way of counseling.Not a particularly well-defined way of counseling. Based on the philosophy of 19Based on the philosophy of 19thth century theologian and century theologian and

philosopher Kierkegaard and 20philosopher Kierkegaard and 20thth century philosopher century philosopher Heidegger.Heidegger.

Focused on the pursuit of becoming an individual.Focused on the pursuit of becoming an individual. Emphasis on the need for commitment.Emphasis on the need for commitment.

The PhilosophyThe Philosophy

Area of philosophy concerned with theArea of philosophy concerned with the

meaning of human existencemeaning of human existenceAsking questions about issues of love,Asking questions about issues of love,

death, and the meaning of lifedeath, and the meaning of lifeHow one deals with the sense of valueHow one deals with the sense of value

and meaning of one’s lifeand meaning of one’s life

Common Beliefs Common Beliefs Existentialists share some common beliefs:Existentialists share some common beliefs:

Importance of anxiety, values, freedom, and Importance of anxiety, values, freedom, and responsibility in human life.responsibility in human life.

Emphasis on people finding meaning in what they do.Emphasis on people finding meaning in what they do. The world changes as people’s ideas about it changeThe world changes as people’s ideas about it change Ideas of world are a human constructionIdeas of world are a human construction ““Beings-in-the-World”Beings-in-the-World”

Self cannot exist without a world ANDSelf cannot exist without a world AND The world cannot exist without a person (aThe world cannot exist without a person (a being) to perceive itbeing) to perceive it

Must study human beings in their worldsMust study human beings in their worlds Phenomenological perspectivePhenomenological perspective

PhenomenologyPhenomenology Defined: A philosophy or method of inquiryDefined: A philosophy or method of inquirybased on the premise that reality consists ofbased on the premise that reality consists ofobjects and events as they are perceived orobjects and events as they are perceived orunderstood in human consciousness andunderstood in human consciousness andnot of anything independent of humannot of anything independent of humanconsciousnessconsciousness People’s perceptions or subjective realitiesPeople’s perceptions or subjective realitiesare considered to be valid data for investigationare considered to be valid data for investigation Phenomenological discrepancies exist two Phenomenological discrepancies exist two

people perceiving same situation differentlypeople perceiving same situation differently

View of Human Nature/PersonalityView of Human Nature/Personality People are free to choose any course of action AND People are free to choose any course of action AND

are responsible for any choice they make, healthy or are responsible for any choice they make, healthy or not. not.

Personality is an emerging, a becoming, a process of Personality is an emerging, a becoming, a process of being that is not fixed or characterized by traitsbeing that is not fixed or characterized by traits Believe that existence precedes essenceBelieve that existence precedes essence

To understand a human being is to understand the To understand a human being is to understand the world he/she constructsworld he/she constructs

Believe that people form their lives by the choices they make.Believe that people form their lives by the choices they make. Being and world are inseparable Being and world are inseparable

Chapter 4Chapter 4 Copyright © 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Copyright © 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc.Thomson Learning, Inc.

Three Levels of our WorldThree Levels of our World

Umwelt (in-nature): Umwelt (in-nature): ourselves in relation to biological &ourselves in relation to biological &

physical aspectsphysical aspects Mitwelt (with-others):Mitwelt (with-others):

world of persons; the social world world of persons; the social world Eigenwelt (for-ourselves):Eigenwelt (for-ourselves):

the way we reflect on, evaluate, and the way we reflect on, evaluate, and experience ourselves experience ourselves

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Existence in the WorldExistence in the World AuthenticityAuthenticity Existential anxietyExistential anxiety

nonbeingnonbeing meaninglessnessmeaninglessness isolation & lonenessisolation & loneness

FinitenessFiniteness Existential givensExistential givens IntentionalityIntentionality Meaning of life Meaning of life

The Meaning of LifeThe Meaning of Life

Meaning = BeingMeaning = BeingSome believe we can discover life’s Some believe we can discover life’s

meaning in three ways:meaning in three ways:Ultimate Meanings – there is an order to the Ultimate Meanings – there is an order to the

universe.universe.Meaning of the moment.Meaning of the moment.Common, day-to-day meaning.Common, day-to-day meaning.

Theory of PsychopathologyTheory of Psychopathology

Lying (inauthenticity) leads to neurotic Lying (inauthenticity) leads to neurotic anxietyanxiety

Existential anxiety differs from neurotic Existential anxiety differs from neurotic anxietyanxiety Freud: instinctual drives produce anxiety, Freud: instinctual drives produce anxiety,

which produces defense mechanismswhich produces defense mechanisms Existential: awareness of ultimate concerns Existential: awareness of ultimate concerns

produces anxiety, which produces defense produces anxiety, which produces defense mechanismsmechanisms

Existential AnxietyExistential Anxiety

Existential anxiety is normalExistential anxiety is normal Life cannot be lived, nor can death be faced, Life cannot be lived, nor can death be faced,

without anxietywithout anxiety Anxiety can be a stimulus for growth as we Anxiety can be a stimulus for growth as we

become aware of and accept our freedombecome aware of and accept our freedom We can blunt our anxiety by creating the illusionWe can blunt our anxiety by creating the illusionthat there is security in lifethat there is security in life If we have the courage to face ourselves and lifeIf we have the courage to face ourselves and lifewe may be frightened, but we will be able to we may be frightened, but we will be able to

changechange

PathologyPathology

Source of pathology or causes ofSource of pathology or causes of

existential anxietyexistential anxietyLoss of meaningLoss of meaningNot making choicesNot making choicesLack of relationship or alienationLack of relationship or alienationDenying alternatives when making choicesDenying alternatives when making choices

Existential VacuumExistential Vacuum

A sense that life has lost all meaning.A sense that life has lost all meaning. Individuals who are self-indulgent may feel Individuals who are self-indulgent may feel

a sense of normlessness and a sense of normlessness and valuelessness.valuelessness.

Carried to an extreme, these individuals Carried to an extreme, these individuals would develop would develop noogenic neurosisnoogenic neurosis – – characterized by the feeling that one has characterized by the feeling that one has nothing to live for.nothing to live for.

Roles of the Roles of the Counselor/TherapistCounselor/Therapist

There is virtually no agreement among There is virtually no agreement among existentialists about how to systematically existentialists about how to systematically formulate their ideas into a uniform way of formulate their ideas into a uniform way of helping others.helping others.

Part of the reason is that existentialists believe Part of the reason is that existentialists believe that every client is distinctive.that every client is distinctive.

As a result, counselors are sensitive to voice, As a result, counselors are sensitive to voice, posture, facial expression, dress and apparently posture, facial expression, dress and apparently accidental moves of the body.accidental moves of the body.

Not unusual for counselors to share personal Not unusual for counselors to share personal experiences to deepen the relationship.experiences to deepen the relationship.

Chapter 4Chapter 4 Copyright © 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Copyright © 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc.Thomson Learning, Inc.

Therapeutic RelationshipTherapeutic Relationship

A “being-together”A “being-together” A process of change & a source of contentA process of change & a source of content HonestyHonesty Patient responsible for patient; therapist Patient responsible for patient; therapist

notnot responsible for patient responsible for patient In-the-moment “I-thou relationship”In-the-moment “I-thou relationship” AuthenticAuthentic Positive regard important but not universalPositive regard important but not universal

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Roles of the Roles of the Counselor/TherapistCounselor/Therapist

Concentrate on helping the client experience Concentrate on helping the client experience subjective feelings, gain clearer self-subjective feelings, gain clearer self-understanding and move toward the understanding and move toward the establishment of a new way of being in the establishment of a new way of being in the world.world.

Focus on living productively in the present, not Focus on living productively in the present, not recovering a personal past.recovering a personal past.

Focus on ultimate human concerns.Focus on ultimate human concerns. Do not use psychological tests or make Do not use psychological tests or make

diagnoses.diagnoses.

Therapeutic ContentTherapeutic Content

Focuses on all aspects of contentFocuses on all aspects of content Intrapersonal = being-for-oneself, Intrapersonal = being-for-oneself,

responsibility responsibility Interpersonal = being-for-others, intimacyInterpersonal = being-for-others, intimacy Individuo-social = being-in-the-world, Individuo-social = being-in-the-world,

transcendence transcendence Meaning/fulfillment = just thatMeaning/fulfillment = just that

Chapter 4Chapter 4 Copyright © 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Copyright © 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc.Thomson Learning, Inc.

Therapeutic ProcessesTherapeutic Processes

Help individuals see themselves capable Help individuals see themselves capable of directing their lives through active of directing their lives through active choicechoice

Encourage clients to enter into an Encourage clients to enter into an authentic, equal therapeutic relationship authentic, equal therapeutic relationship

Binswanger, Boss, and May draw heavily Binswanger, Boss, and May draw heavily on psychoanalytic techniques on psychoanalytic techniques

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Chapter 4Chapter 4 Copyright © 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Copyright © 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc.Thomson Learning, Inc.

Therapeutic ProcessesTherapeutic Processes

Patients freely express themselves, with Patients freely express themselves, with little intervention from therapistlittle intervention from therapist

Patients become conscious of repeating Patients become conscious of repeating patterns of beingpatterns of being

Existentialist's honest feedback facilitates Existentialist's honest feedback facilitates breaking out of closed worldbreaking out of closed world

Burden of choosing is on clientBurden of choosing is on client

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GoalsGoals Realize the importance of meaning, responsibility, Realize the importance of meaning, responsibility,

awareness, freedom and potential.awareness, freedom and potential. Discarding old values Establish a will to meaning.Establish a will to meaning. Make a decision about both present and future directions in life.Make a decision about both present and future directions in life.

Take more responsibility for their life.Take more responsibility for their life. Coping with Meaninglessness Creating new meaning

Shift from an outward to an inward frame of reference.Shift from an outward to an inward frame of reference. Become sensitive to experiences.Become sensitive to experiences.

Improve encounters with others.Improve encounters with others.

Strengths and ContributionsStrengths and Contributions Emphasis on the uniqueness of each individual.Emphasis on the uniqueness of each individual. Recognizes that anxiety is not a negative condition, but Recognizes that anxiety is not a negative condition, but

rather a part of the human condition and can act as a rather a part of the human condition and can act as a motivator.motivator.

Access to a tremendous amount of philosophy and Access to a tremendous amount of philosophy and literature.literature.

Stresses continued human growth and development.Stresses continued human growth and development. Effective in multicultural and gender counseling Effective in multicultural and gender counseling

situations.situations. Helps connect individuals to universal problems faced by Helps connect individuals to universal problems faced by

humankind.humankind. May be combined with other perspectives and methods.May be combined with other perspectives and methods.

Limitations and CriticismsLimitations and Criticisms

Has not produced a fully developed model of Has not produced a fully developed model of counseling.counseling.

Lacks educational and training programs.Lacks educational and training programs. Difficult to implement beyond an individual Difficult to implement beyond an individual

because of its subjectivity.because of its subjectivity. Clinicians do not diagnose or test their clients.Clinicians do not diagnose or test their clients. Closer to existential philosophy than to other Closer to existential philosophy than to other

theories and therapies associated with theories and therapies associated with counseling.counseling.