2. KEY FIGURES
SØren KIERKEGAARD: the “grandfather” of existentialism
- He believed that unless we do not directly confront issues of choice
and freedom, we cannot experience the task of becoming human.
Friedrich NIETZSCHE
He urged that individuals who allow themselves to develop their “will
to power” are creative and dynamic, achieving positions of
leadership. By truly realizing their own individual potentials and
courageously living out their own existence, individuals seek to attain
power.
3. KEY FIGURES
Viktor Frankl (1905-1997)- Wrote a book Man’s Search for Meaning, believed
that the essence of being human lies in searching for the meaning and
purpose.
Rollo May (1909-1994) – believed that psychotherapy should be aimed at
helping people discover the meaning of their lives and be able deal with
issues such as sex, and intimacy, growing old, facing death and taking action
in the world.
Irvin Yalom (1931-) – He believes that a different therapy must be designed
for each client because each has a unique story and that the therapist must
be transparent regarding his/her experiences of the client.
4. KEY CONCEPTS
Is more a way of thinking, or an attitude about psychotherapy, than a particular
style of practicing psychotherapy.
The approach is not technique-oriented and does not have a well-defined set of
techniques. It is based on philosophical views about the essential nature of human
existence.
Existential therapy helps people find meaning and purpose in their lives. It seeks to
end the fear of the unknown.
It asks deep questions about the nature of the human being and the nature of
anxiety, despair, grief, loneliness, isolation, anomie, meaning of life, creativity and
love.
5. KEY CONCEPTS
The therapy focuses on exploring themes such as morality, meaning, freedom,
responsibility, anxiety and loneliness as this relate to a person’s struggle
It proposes that an individual is determined by unconscious forces, irrational
drives and pasts events, and by socio-cultural conditioning. But an individual still
retains the freedom to choose how we respond to such events.
It is grounded on the assumption that we are free and therefore responsible for
our choices and actions.
One of the aims of existential therapy is to challenge people to stop deceiving
themselves regarding their lack of responsibility for what is happening to them and
their excessive demand on life(Deurzen)
6. .
VIEW ON HUMAN
NATURE
• The significance of our existence is
never fixed and once and for all;
rather we recreate ourselves through
our projects
• Humans are in constant state of
transition, emerging, evolving in
response to tensions, contradictions
and conflicts in our lives.
7. .
VIEW ON HUMAN
NATURE
Humans are discovering and
making sense of the world.
Human asks questions such as:
Who am I?
Where am I going?
What can I hope for?
What is the best thing to do?
8. BASIC DIMENSION OF HUMAN CONDITION
The Capacity for Self-Awareness • Awareness is realizing that: • We are finite -
time is limited • We have the potential, the choice, to act or not to act • Meaning is
not automatic - we must seek it • We are subject to loneliness, meaninglessness,
emptiness, guilt, and isolation.
Identity and Relationship • We must trust ourselves to search within and find our
own answers • Relatedness – At their best our relationships are based on our desire
for fulfillment, not our deprivation • Relationships that spring from our sense of
deprivation are clinging, parasitic, and not symbiotic
Tension Between Freedom and Responsibility People are free to choose among
alternatives and therefore has a large role in shaping their destiny. Tension arise
when a person refuse to take responsibility of his/her choices.
9. BASIC DIMENSION OF HUMAN CONDITION
The Search for Meaning • Finding meaning in life is a by-product of
a commitment to creating, loving, and working
Anxiety – A Condition of Living anxiety is normal • Anxiety can be a
stimulus for growth as we become aware of and accept our freedom •
If we have the courage to face ourselves and life we may be
frightened, but we will be able to change.
Awareness of Death • Death is a basic human condition that gives
significance to living • Death provides us a motivation to live our lives
fully and take opportunities for meaningful existence
10. THERAPIST’S FUNCTION AND ROLE
• Primary concern is on subjective world of the client and help them
come to new understanding and options.
• Especially concern about the client avoiding responsibility, if the
client complains and blames others the therapist is likely to ask how
the client contributed to the situation.
• The therapists assist the clients with limited awareness of the
themselves and their problems. They help assist client in seeing the
limitation of their awareness and the cost of the limitation.
• Therapist assist in making clients see more options as they try to
broaden their awareness.
11. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE THERAPIST AND THE
CLIENT
Therapy is a journey taken by therapist and client
• The person-to-person relationship is key
• The relationship demands that therapists be in contact with
their own phenomenological world
• The core of the therapeutic relationship is to Respect and
have Faith in the clients’ potential to cope
• Sharing reactions with genuine concern and empathy
