Existential therapy, created out of the existential philosophy tradition, is a treatment orientation based that focuses on the human condition as a whole. One of the primary goals of existential therapy is to help clients face life and its anxieties head on and to embrace the freedom of choice humans have, taking full responsibility for their choices as they do so. Therapists trained in existential therapy believe that unhealthy or undesirable behaviors result from an inhibited ability to make authentic, self-directed choices about how to live. Therefore, in therapy, an existential counselor will work with you to focus on your own responsibility and freedom. You will be challenged to think and behave responsibly by confronting internal thoughts, rather than outside pressures. Existential therapy seeks to help clients live more authentically, to be focused on the present (not the past), to be less concerned with superficiality and to find meaning in their lives. Think this approach might be right for you? Reach out to one of TherapyDen’s existential therapy specialists today.
I have a deep appreciation for the place of meaning in human life.
— Ian Caughlan, Psychotherapist in Columbia, MDOur therapists are experienced in existential therapy, humanistic therapy and other holistic therapies incorporating several modalities into their individual practices.
— Natalie Buchwald, Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Garden City, NYThe existential components of my therapeutic approach involve facilitating self-exploration of how each client understands the world around them and their place in it, allowing them to identify what it looks like to them to live meaningfully and intentionally.
— Kate Upton, Licensed Professional Counselor in Atlanta, GAExistential therapy asks deep questions about the nature of being human. Why am I here? What do I want from life? What gives me purpose? What matters to me? It simultaneously asks us to consider our unique experience in this world while also helping us to see that everything we're going through is also connected to a universal human experience.
— Damon Dodge, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Denver, COAn existential approach to therapy emphasizes the importance of the meaning that each person makes in life and that the path that one takes can only be understood in the context of their unique life experience. This means that the questions, "Who am I?" and "What is the meaning of life" is a personal journey that, ultimately, only the individual can discover for themselves.
— Matthew Beeble, Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Vancouver, WAMy existential approach offers a non-judgmental space to explore the uncertainty, tension, and paradox of being human. I help clients navigate life’s complexities, fostering self-agency, authenticity, and meaning. Through this work, I gently empower individuals to embrace tough choices, confront challenges, and create a life that aligns with their deepest values in an increasingly chaotic world.
— Britt Benson, Licensed Professional Counselor in New Orleans, LAExistential Therapy focuses on free will, self-determination, and the search for meaning. This approach often centers on you rather than on the symptom you are experiencing. The approach emphasizes your capacity to make rational choices and to develop to your maximum potential.
— Cheryl Perry, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in Charlotte, NC"What is the meaning of life?" is an eternally joked about question, but when we do not have our own personal answer to this question it often leads to mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, and interpersonal conflict. I support clients to ask the deep questions, seek and understand their core values, and find meaning in their life as a way to reduce negative symptoms and bring about positive mental health.
— eric bjorlin, Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Chicago, ILExistentialism informs most of what I do. The idea is that meaning must be created, we can't wait for it to find us! This including helping you accept your role in taking responsibility for yourself and creating the life you desire, while acknowledging the real barriers and supports you might need along the way.
— Andreana Mabry, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CAFeeling lost can be one of the most disorienting and uncomfortable experiences in life. It’s a profoundly human feeling, and yet, it often leaves us feeling isolated, uncertain, and unsure of where to turn. We’re not given a map for how to live well, and it takes immense courage to begin the process of creating your own. Existential therapy helps you explore what your authenticity looks and feels like, the ways that you make meaning in your life, and how death in its many forms plays a role.
— Kallan Palmer, Mental Health CounselorI am very interested in how things are interpreted and what meaning we give to things, events, relationships, and life experiences. I believe everyone is different and are just looking for where they fit in their lives and in the universe. The meaning we give to these things influences how we behave and interact with ourselves and others.
— Lacy Isenburg, Licensed Professional Counselor in Houston, TXSo much of what we encounter in our world challenges our beliefs about ourselves, our world, and the meaning of being alive. I think that discussing these big topics in therapy is a great way for us to better connect with our deepest values and bring meaning and purpose to our lives.
— Anthony Rodriguez, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in Evanston, ILWe're all going to die. (Yeah, I know). No but like, really. We are. At one point we didn't exist and at some point we will again not exist. In the meantime, what do we do with that? Is it motivating? Paralyzing? Somewhere in the middle? Let's go there. Let's dive in.
— Tamara Statz, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Saint Paul, MNI have been interested in the meaning of life since I first read Man's Search For Meaning 30 years ago. As a cancer patient, I have had a lot of time to consider my own purpose, and I think most people at some point (or many points) in their lives have moments where they contemplate what this all means. I love helping my clients explore the existential concerns of death, freedom, isolation, and meaning.
— Brandie Sellers, Licensed Professional Counselor in Timnath, COExistential therapy is based on the existentialist belief that humans are free and responsible for their own actions in a world that may lack inherent meaning. This form of therapy focuses on exploring issues related to existence, such as our search meaning, authenticity, freedom and responsibility, isolation, and mortality. Existential therapy can be applied to a wide range of psychological issues, including anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and relationship problems.
— Dr. Claudia Perolini, Psychologist in Weston, FLEspecially in this political and social climate, anxiety, dread, and depression can be attributed to the human condition; that is, being a human in this deeply imperfect world is bound to bring with it anxieties, worries, and a sense of loneliness sometimes. Viewing it as a normal, although unpleasant, part of life can help to shift the narrative from pathology, to a temporary feeling that we can use to explore these emotions and how they impact us globally.
— PSYCHe PLLC, Psychologist in Nashville, TN"Those that have a 'why' to live can bear almost any 'how'" - Friedrich Nietzsche I draw great inspiration from prominent figures that have positively impacted the existential approach. Viktor Frankl, Irvin Yalom, and Emmy van Deurzen are a few individuals that have impacted my own approach to mental wellness.
— Andrew Bekemeyer, Counselor in Orlando, FL