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Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (Chapter 6) Corey

Existential Psychotherapy

Born from Philosophy

o A phenomenological philosophy of humanness

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

o Clients are searching for meaning in their subjective worlds

Common uestions!sources of e"istential angst for clients

o #ho am $%

o $ will die&

o #hat does it all mean%

o #ill $ die alone%

o How am $ going to get where $ want to be in my life%

Existential Therapy: A Philosophical/Intellectual Approach to Therapy

Basic 'imensions of the human condition

o (he capacity for )elf*awareness

o (he tension between freedom and responsibilityo (he creation of an identity and establishing meaningful relationships

o (he search for meaning

o Accepting an"iety as a condition of living

o (he awareness of death and nonbeing

The capacity for Self-awareness

(he greater our awareness, the greater our possibilities for freedom

Awareness is reali+ing that

o #e are finite - time is limited

o #e have the potential and the choice, to act or not to act

o .eaning is not automatic - we must see/ ito #e are subject to loneliness, meaninglessness, emptiness, guilt and isolation

Identity and Relationship

$dentity is the courage to be - #e must trust ourselves to search within and find our own

answers

o 0ur great fear is that we will discover that there is no core, no self

o Being e"istentially alone helps us to discover our authentic self

1elatedness - At their best our relationships are based on our desire for fulfillment, not our

deprivation

o 1elationships that spring from our sense of deprivation are clinging, parasitic and

symbiotic

Clients must distinguish between neurotic dependence and the authentic need to

be with others

o Balancing aloneness and relatedness helps us develop a uniue identity and live

authentically in the moment&

The search for meaning

.eaning - 2i/e pleasure, meaning must be pursued obliuely

o 3inding meaning in life is a by*product of a commitment to creating, loving and wor/ing&

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(he will to meaning is our primary striving

o 2ife is not meaningful in itself4 the individual must create and discover meaning

Anxiety A condition of li!ing

5alom6s four givens of e"istence create an"iety

7"istential an"iety is normal - 2ife cannot be lived, nor can death be faced, without an"iety

7"istential therapists help clients develop a healthy view of an"ietyo An"iety can be a stimulus for growth as we become aware of and accept our freedom

o An"iety can be a catalyst for living authentically and fully

o #e can blunt our an"iety by creating the illusion that there is security in life

o $f we have the courage to face ourselves and life we may be frightened, but we will be

able to change

"oals of Existential Psychology

Helping clients to accept their freedom and responsibility to act

Assisting people in coming to terms with the rises in their lives

7ncouraging clients to recogni+e the ways in which they are not living fully authentic lives

$nviting clients to become more honest with themselves

Broadening clients6 awareness of their choice

3acilitating the client6s 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

Relationships #etween therapist and client

(herapy is a journey ta/en by therapist and client

o (he person*to*person relationship is /ey

o (he relationship demands that therapists be in contact with their own phenomenological

world

(he core of the therapeutic relationship

o 1espect and faith in the clients6 potential to copeo )haring reactions with genuine concern and empathy

Application to "roup $ounseling

Provides an ideal environment for therapeutic wor/ on responsibility

o Clients are responsible for their behavior in group

o 8roup settings provide a mirror of how clients may act in the world

o (hrough feedbac/ members learn to view themselves through another6s eyes

o .embers learn how their behavior affects others

Builds interpersonal s/ills

o Provides members with the opportunity to be fully themselves while relating to others

o Creates an opportunity to relate to other sin meaningful ways Provides an opportunity to e"plore the parado"es of e"istence

o 2earning to e"perience an"iety as a reality of the human condition

o .a/ing choices in the face of uncertainty

o

%imitations of Existential Psychology

(he individualistic focus may not fit within the world views of clients from a collectivistic culture

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(he high focus on self*determination may not fully account for real*life limitations of those who

are oppressed and have limited choices

)ome clients prefer a more directive approach to counseling

(he approach may prove difficult for clients who e"perience difficulty conceptuali+ing or have

limited intellectual capacities

(he approach does not focus on specific techniues, ma/ing treatments difficult to standardi+e 2imited empirical support