Existential Psychotherapy is a therapeutic approach that is optimistic about human nature and, while reminding individuals of their limitations, also values their strengths, talents, and unique abilities. Existential psychotherapy is a subfield of humanistic psychology and shares many similarities with humanistic psychology, experiential therapy, analytic therapy, and relational therapy.
Existential therapy is inspired by the philosophies of Friedrich Nietzsche and Søren Kierkegaard. Kierkegaard, considered one of the first existential philosophers, proposed that only through reason could human dissatisfaction be overcome. Later, Nietzsche developed existentialism further with concepts such as the “will to power” and personal responsibility. In the early 20th century, philosophers such as Martin Heidegger and Jean-Paul Sartre began exploring the role of inquiry and interpretation in the therapeutic process. In the decades that followed, other thinkers contributed to the expansion of this therapeutic approach, referring to it as a method for achieving psychological health and balance.
Otto Rank was one of the first existential therapists to actively pursue this field, and in the mid-20th century, psychologists Paul Tillich and Rollo May brought existential therapy into the mainstream of existential psychology through their writings and teachings. Soon after, Irvin Yalom contributed significantly to the development and updating of this approach, with a focus on death psychology. This popular approach began to influence other theories, including logotherapy, created by Viktor Frankl, as well as humanistic psychology, transforming them in the process.
Fundamental Concepts in Existential Psychology
Is there meaning behind life? Is everything pointless and meaningless?
These are the questions posed in existentialism. This approach is more philosophical than psychological. Existential psychotherapy is based on the fundamental belief that all individuals experience inner conflict due to confronting specific conditions inherent to human existence. Four core principles of this approach are:
- Freedom
- Responsibility related to death
- Isolation
- Meaninglessness
In existential psychotherapy, the key issue is to create a balance between awareness of death without becoming overwhelmed by it. Individuals who maintain this balance are motivated to make decisions that can positively affect their lives and the lives of those around them. While they may not know exactly how their decisions will play out, they at least acknowledge the responsibility, will, and choice involved. Essentially, the reality of our mortality encourages us to make the most of opportunities and appreciate what we have.
When an individual begins to seek answers to these questions, they encounter the phenomenon of the existential crisis.
The existential crisis refers to freedom, choice, and the meaning of life. If one can answer these three factors, they can achieve higher human levels of understanding. This crisis is also known as the existential crisis.
What is the Existential Crisis?
The fact that we all have limitations, that we are all destined to die one day, and whether life can have meaning or not, and whether our choices are correct—these are the questions that lead to an existential crisis. If an individual cannot find satisfactory answers to these questions, they will face an existential crisis. If they are unable to respond appropriately to this crisis, over time, as they age and the shadow of death looms heavier over their life, they may experience confusion, lack of direction, and depression.
In existentialism, confronting death is a way to discover life and to make meaningful use of it. Existential crises typically arise during periods of transition or change in a person’s life. Loss of security can fuel an existential crisis—events such as divorce, marriage, career changes, and other life transitions can create insecurity and lead to such crises. From the perspective of existential thinkers, every existential crisis that an individual faces is a journey into a specific domain with unique experiences. Existential psychology is a novel and integrative approach that combines elements of philosophy and psychology.
Another fundamental concept is existential guilt. If an individual fails to fully utilize their potential and talents, they experience a form of guilt, known as existential guilt.
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The impact of existential psychotherapy
Existential psychotherapy encourages individuals not only to address the emotional issues they face through interaction but also helps them take responsibility for the decisions that contribute to the development of those issues. Those participating in this form of therapy are guided to accept their fears and are equipped with the skills needed to overcome these fears through action. By gaining control over the direction of their lives, the person in therapy can begin to work on designing their chosen path. Through this process, people often experience both a sense of liberation and the ability to free themselves from the despair associated with meaninglessness and insignificance.
Therefore, existential psychotherapy involves teaching individuals in therapy to grow, embrace their lives, and move forward with awe and curiosity. Developing the ability to see the wonders of life can help individuals view the experience of living as a journey, not as a series of trial and error. It can also help in alleviating the fear associated with death.
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The Process of Existential Therapists
Therapists who practice existential psychotherapy do not focus on an individual’s past. Instead, they focus on the present moment—here and now. They work with the person in therapy to explore the choices available to them. Through reflection on the past, the individual and the therapist collaborate to understand and accept the consequences of past choices and the beliefs that led to those choices. They use these past choices as a means to gain a clearer insight into themselves.
In existential therapy, the emphasis is not on the past but on using the past as a tool to enhance freedom and foster a new existential expression. By understanding that they are neither unique nor predestined for a specific purpose, the individual can break free from the compulsory chains that may hinder their existential growth moment by moment. When this happens, they gain the ability to truly experience freedom.