1. Existential Therapy Chapter 4

2. Existential Therapy Both a philosophy and a philosophical approach to counseling. Both a philosophy and a philosophical approach to counseling. Not a particularly well-defined way of counseling. Not a particularly well-defined way of counseling. Based on the philosophy of 19 th century theologian and philosopher Kierkegaard and 20 th century philosopher Heidegger. Based on the philosophy of 19 th century theologian and philosopher Kierkegaard and 20 th century philosopher 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.

3. The Philosophy Area of philosophy concerned with the Area of philosophy concerned with the meaning of human existence Asking questions about issues of love, Asking questions about issues of love, death, and the meaning of life How one deals with the sense of value How one deals with the sense of value and meaning of one’s life

4. Common Beliefs Existentialists share some common beliefs: Existentialists share some common beliefs: Importance of anxiety, values, freedom, and responsibility in human life. Importance of anxiety, values, freedom, and 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 change The world changes as people’s ideas about it change Ideas of world are a human construction Ideas of world are a human construction “Beings-in-the-World” “Beings-in-the-World” Self cannot exist without a world AND Self cannot exist without a world AND The world cannot exist without a person (a The world cannot exist without a person (a being) to perceive it being) to perceive it Must study human beings in their worlds Must study human beings in their worlds Phenomenological perspective Phenomenological perspective

5. Phenomenology Defined: A philosophy or method of inquiry Defined: A philosophy or method of inquiry based on the premise that reality consists of objects and events as they are perceived or understood in human consciousness and not of anything independent of human consciousness People’s perceptions or subjective realities People’s perceptions or subjective realities are considered to be valid data for investigation Phenomenological discrepancies exist two people perceiving same situation differently Phenomenological discrepancies exist two people perceiving same situation differently

6. View of Human Nature/Personality People are free to choose any course of action AND are responsible for any choice they make, healthy or not. People are free to choose any course of action AND are responsible for any choice they make, healthy or not. Personality is an emerging, a becoming, a process of being that is not fixed or characterized by traits Personality is an emerging, a becoming, a process of being that is not fixed or characterized by traits Believe that existence precedes essence Believe that existence precedes essence To understand a human being is to understand the world he/she constructs To understand a human being is to understand the world 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

7. Chapter 4Copyright © 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Three Levels of our World Umwelt (in-nature): Umwelt (in-nature): ourselves in relation to biological & physical aspects Mitwelt (with-others): Mitwelt (with-others): world of persons; the social world Eigenwelt (for-ourselves): Eigenwelt (for-ourselves): the way we reflect on, evaluate, and experience ourselves S

8. Existence in the World Authenticity Authenticity Existential anxiety Existential anxiety nonbeing nonbeing meaninglessness meaninglessness isolation & loneness isolation & loneness Finiteness Finiteness Existential givens Existential givens Intentionality Intentionality Meaning of life Meaning of life

9. The Meaning of Life Meaning = Being Meaning = Being Some believe we can discover life’s meaning in three ways: Some believe we can discover life’s meaning in three ways: Ultimate Meanings – there is an order to the universe. Ultimate Meanings – there is an order to the universe. Meaning of the moment. Meaning of the moment. Common, day-to-day meaning. Common, day-to-day meaning.

10. Theory of Psychopathology Lying (inauthenticity) leads to neurotic anxiety Lying (inauthenticity) leads to neurotic anxiety Existential anxiety differs from neurotic anxiety Existential anxiety differs from neurotic anxiety Freud: instinctual drives produce anxiety, which produces defense mechanisms Freud: instinctual drives produce anxiety, which produces defense mechanisms Existential: awareness of ultimate concerns produces anxiety, which produces defense mechanisms Existential: awareness of ultimate concerns produces anxiety, which produces defense mechanisms

11. Existential Anxiety Existential anxiety is normal Existential anxiety is normal Life cannot be lived, nor can death be faced, without anxiety Life cannot be lived, nor can death be faced, without anxiety Anxiety can be a stimulus for growth as we become aware of and accept our freedom Anxiety can be a stimulus for growth as we become aware of and accept our freedom We can blunt our anxiety by creating the illusion 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 If we have the courage to face ourselves and life we may be frightened, but we will be able to change

12. Pathology Source of pathology or causes of Source of pathology or causes of existential anxiety Loss of meaning Loss of meaning Not making choices Not making choices Lack of relationship or alienation Lack of relationship or alienation Denying alternatives when making choices Denying alternatives when making choices

13. Existential Vacuum A sense that life has lost all meaning. A sense that life has lost all meaning. Individuals who are self-indulgent may feel a sense of normlessness and valuelessness. Individuals who are self-indulgent may feel a sense of normlessness and valuelessness. Carried to an extreme, these individuals would develop noogenic neurosis – characterized by the feeling that one has nothing to live for. Carried to an extreme, these individuals would develop noogenic neurosis – characterized by the feeling that one has nothing to live for.

14. Roles of the Counselor/Therapist There is virtually no agreement among existentialists about how to systematically formulate their ideas into a uniform way of helping others. There is virtually no agreement among existentialists about how to systematically formulate their ideas into a uniform way of helping others. Part of the reason is that existentialists believe that every client is distinctive. Part of the reason is that existentialists believe that every client is distinctive. As a result, counselors are sensitive to voice, posture, facial expression, dress and apparently accidental moves of the body. As a result, counselors are sensitive to voice, posture, facial expression, dress and apparently accidental moves of the body. Not unusual for counselors to share personal experiences to deepen the relationship. Not unusual for counselors to share personal experiences to deepen the relationship.

15. Chapter 4Copyright © 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Therapeutic Relationship A “being-together” A “being-together” A process of change & a source of content A process of change & a source of content Honesty Honesty Patient responsible for patient; therapist not responsible for patient Patient responsible for patient; therapist not responsible for patient In-the-moment “I-thou relationship” In-the-moment “I-thou relationship” Authentic Authentic Positive regard important but not universal Positive regard important but not universal S

16. Roles of the Counselor/Therapist Concentrate on helping the client experience subjective feelings, gain clearer self- understanding and move toward the establishment of a new way of being in the world. Concentrate on helping the client experience subjective feelings, gain clearer self- understanding and move toward the establishment of a new way of being in the world. Focus on living productively in the present, not recovering a personal past. Focus on living productively in the present, not recovering a personal past. Focus on ultimate human concerns. Focus on ultimate human concerns. Do not use psychological tests or make diagnoses. Do not use psychological tests or make diagnoses.

17. Therapeutic Content Focuses on all aspects of content Focuses on all aspects of content Intrapersonal = being-for-oneself, responsibility Intrapersonal = being-for-oneself, responsibility Interpersonal = being-for-others, intimacy Interpersonal = being-for-others, intimacy Individuo-social = being-in-the-world, transcendence Individuo-social = being-in-the-world, transcendence Meaning/fulfillment = just that Meaning/fulfillment = just that

18. Chapter 4Copyright © 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Therapeutic Processes Help individuals see themselves capable of directing their lives through active choice Help individuals see themselves capable of directing their lives through active choice Encourage clients to enter into an authentic, equal therapeutic relationship Encourage clients to enter into an authentic, equal therapeutic relationship Binswanger, Boss, and May draw heavily on psychoanalytic techniques Binswanger, Boss, and May draw heavily on psychoanalytic techniques S

19. Chapter 4Copyright © 2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Therapeutic Processes Patients freely express themselves, with little intervention from therapist Patients freely express themselves, with little intervention from therapist Patients become conscious of repeating patterns of being Patients become conscious of repeating patterns of being Existentialist's honest feedback facilitates breaking out of closed world Existentialist's honest feedback facilitates breaking out of closed world Burden of choosing is on client Burden of choosing is on client S

20. Goals Realize the importance of meaning, responsibility, awareness, freedom and potential. Realize the importance of meaning, responsibility, 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.

21. Strengths 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 rather a part of the human condition and can act as a motivator. Recognizes that anxiety is not a negative condition, but rather a part of the human condition and can act as a motivator. Access to a tremendous amount of philosophy and literature. Access to a tremendous amount of philosophy and literature. Stresses continued human growth and development. Stresses continued human growth and development. Effective in multicultural and gender counseling situations. Effective in multicultural and gender counseling situations. Helps connect individuals to universal problems faced by humankind. Helps connect individuals to universal problems faced by humankind. May be combined with other perspectives and methods. May be combined with other perspectives and methods.

22. Limitations and Criticisms Has not produced a fully developed model of counseling. Has not produced a fully developed model of counseling. Lacks educational and training programs. Lacks educational and training programs. Difficult to implement beyond an individual because of its subjectivity. Difficult to implement beyond an individual 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 theories and therapies associated with counseling. Closer to existential philosophy than to other theories and therapies associated with counseling.