1. Existential Therapy

2. Themes Each of us is responsible for who we are and what we become
People have an equal degree of freedom (possibility of changing) and responsibility
We often desire freedom but run away from it as well
We all search for meaning and significance
Authenticity: the courage to be who we are
Authentic experience takes precedent over artificial explanations
Phenomenology (subjective experience)
Theories dehumanize people
Themes

3. Themes Dasein (being-in-the-world)
The basic unity of a person and their environment (world)
Daseinanalysis: the analysis of our immediate experience
Includes:
Umwelt:
One’s relationship with the natural world or environment around us
Mitwelt:
Our relationship with other people and the meanings given to those relationships
Eigenwelt
One’s relationship with one self and how we interpret things based on self
Alientation from these is the “illness of our times”
Themes

4. Themes Anxiety: Two types: Normal anxiety
Due to choices and the growth and changes that occur around them
Part of the normal growth process
Includes facing death and the possibility of non-being (nothingness)
Neurotic anxiety
Attempts to escape normal anxiety
Guilt:
Arises when we:
deny our potentiality
fail to accurately perceive the needs of fellow humans
remain oblivious to our dependence on the natural world
Themes

5. Process Therapist is genuine and transparent
Promotes I/THOU relationship (instead of I/IT).
Promote self awareness. Hold up a mirror for client to see themselves and self-confront
Often use more self-disclosure than other theories
Confront anxiety that client feels.
Help client take responsibility for thoughts and behaviors
Instead of looking at what’s been happening to me toward look at what I’ve been doing
Help clients redefine themselves and their world in ways that foster greater genuineness of contact with life.
Process

6. In what ways are you not living as fully as you might
In what ways are you not living as fully as you might? How are you limiting yourself?
To what degree are you living a life outlined by others?
What choices have you made so far, and how have these choices affected you?
What are some of the choices you are faced with now? How do you deal with the anxiety that is part of making choices for yourself and accepting personal freedom?
What changes do you most want to make, and what is preventing you from making them?
Process