What Is Existential Therapy and How It Works for You
Existential therapy offers a unique path to self-discovery and understanding. If you're seeking a therapy that values your individual experience and helps you navigate life's big questions, you're in the right place.
Understanding the Existential Approach
Philosophy of Exploration in Therapy
The existential approach in therapy views therapy not as a "fixing" process, but as an exploration. It's about understanding your unique experience, delving into the depths of your being, and discovering your authentic self. This type of therapy encourages you to explore the questions that truly matter to you.
Roots in Meaning and Personal Responsibility
Existential therapy is deeply rooted in the concepts of meaning, freedom, and personal responsibility. It suggests that while we are free to make our own choices, we also take responsibility for the consequences of those choices. This personal responsibility is a cornerstone of understanding the human condition and how we navigate our lives.
Self-Understanding Over Diagnosis
Unlike some forms of psychotherapy that focus on diagnosis and symptom management, existential therapy prioritises self-understanding. The existential therapist works with you to explore your subjective experience without imposing labels or categories. The goal is to help you understand yourself deeply and authentically, rather than fitting into a predefined diagnostic box.
How Existential Therapy Differs from Other Approaches
Contrasts with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
While Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) often looks at changing your thoughts to influence your feelings and behaviours, existential therapy focuses on what those thoughts reveal about your life and choices. This therapeutic approach delves into the underlying existential themes and anxieties that contribute to your experiences, offering a different layer of understanding.
Unique Focus on Life Choices and Experiences
What sets this type of therapy apart is its deep dive into your life choices and experiences. It acknowledges that you are the author of your own life. Understanding the impact of your decisions is central to this form of psychotherapy.
Existential vs. Solution-Focused Models
In contrast to solution-focused models that prioritise immediate solutions, the existential approach takes a longer view, focusing on the underlying existential issues that may be driving your challenges. The existential psychotherapist helps you to explore these issues at a deeper level, encouraging introspection and a more profound understanding of your existence.
When Existential Therapy Can Help
Contexts of Uncertainty and Life Changes
The existential approach can be particularly beneficial during times of uncertainty and significant life changes. When faced with such transitions, existential therapy focuses on helping you find meaning and purpose amidst the chaos. This type of therapy can provide a framework for navigating these challenges while promoting personal growth and resilience. The existential therapist can offer support and guidance as you adapt to new circumstances.
Emotional Themes: Anxiety and Disconnection
Emotional themes, such as anxiety and disconnection, are common areas where existential therapy can offer significant support. These feelings often arise from a sense of existential isolation, or a perceived lack of meaning in life. An existential therapist helps you explore these emotions, understand their roots, and develop coping strategies that align with your values and beliefs, helping you find a sense of connection.
Identity Struggles and Lack of Fulfilment
Existential counselling is valuable for individuals grappling with identity struggles or a pervasive lack of fulfilment. This form of psychotherapy encourages a deep exploration of your values, beliefs, and sense of self, helping you clarify who you are and what truly matters to you. Through this process of therapy, you can begin to live a more authentic and fulfilling life, aligned with your deepest sense of purpose.
What to Expect in a Session
Open and Flexible Conversation
In a session, you can expect an open and flexible conversation, driven by your concerns and reflections. The existential psychotherapist acts as a facilitator, guiding you through your thoughts and feelings without imposing a predetermined agenda. This therapeutic approach allows you to explore your experiences freely and authentically. This also gives you the power to direct the process of therapy and lead the change you want to see.
Collaborative Nature of Therapy
The process of therapy is collaborative. This collaborative approach emphasises the importance of the therapeutic relationship, creating a safe and supportive space for self-discovery. It acknowledges that the existential therapist is a partner on your journey, not an authority figure providing all the answers.
Absence of Fixed Structures or Homework
Unlike some therapeutic models that rely on fixed structures or homework assignments, existential therapy is more fluid and adaptable. The absence of rigid protocols allows for a deeper, more organic exploration of your experiences, guided by your own insights and reflections. The existential psychotherapist supports this process by encouraging introspection and self-awareness, helping you find your own path to understanding.
Why People Choose Existential Therapy
Outcomes of Self-Understanding and Clarity
Many individuals find the existential approach appealing because it fosters profound self-understanding and clarity. Through the process of therapy, you gain insights into their values, beliefs, and motivations. This form of psychotherapy encourages individuals to examine their lives critically and authentically, leading to a clearer sense of purpose and direction.
Finding Peace and Renewed Purpose
One of the key reasons people choose existential therapy is to find peace and renewed purpose in their lives. When facing existential anxiety or a sense of meaninglessness, therapy aims to help you reconnect with your values and passions. This type of therapy emphasises personal responsibility for making decisions and finding meaning, helping you align your actions with your authentic self, bringing a sense of calm and direction.
Philosophical Insights on Being Whole
The existential philosophy emphasises seeing individuals as whole beings, not as problems to be fixed. This humanistic approach resonates with many people who feel misunderstood or pathologised by other forms of psychotherapy. The existential therapist acknowledges the complexity of the human condition and approaches each client with empathy and respect, focusing on their unique experiences and perspectives, which can give them the feeling of being whole.
Getting Started with Therapy
Addressing Hesitation and Uncertainty
It's normal to feel hesitant or uncertain about beginning therapy. Starting any form of psychotherapy can be a significant step, and it's essential to find a therapeutic approach that resonates with you. Acknowledging these feelings of uncertainty is a part of the process of therapy, and an existential therapist can help you explore your concerns and determine if this approach is right for you.
Inviting Conversation in a Confidential Space
The first step in starting existential counselling involves opening a conversation in a calm, confidential space. This is where you can explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences without judgment. The existential psychotherapist provides a supportive environment for this exploration, helping you articulate your concerns and gain clarity about your goals for therapy, which is central to the therapeutic approach.
Taking the First Step Towards Exploration
Taking the first step towards exploration is a courageous decision. The first session of therapy aims to give you a sense of what it's like to work with an existential therapist. If you’d like to explore how therapy might help you, I offer a calm, confidential space to begin that conversation. Get in touch and discover how this humanistic and existential approach can benefit you.
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