Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy

Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy Psych422 Chapter6: Existential Therapy

Questions? • What key concepts do you know in terms of existential therapy? • What is the meaning or purpose of your life? • What do you want from life? • Where is the source of meaning for you in life? • How do you work through a sense of “no self” and feeling alone? • What are the possible reasons that people tend to blame others for their problems? • What is the positive motivation of being anxious? • If you only have 30 days left, what’s your feelings? What will you do?

Question • What key concepts do you know in terms of existential therapy?

Existential TherapyA Philosophical/Intellectual Approach to Therapy • View of Human Nature • The capacity for self-awareness • The tension between freedom & responsibility • The creation of an identity & establishing meaningful relationships • The search for meaning, purpose, and values of life • Accepting anxiety as a condition of living • The awareness of death and nonbeing

The Capacity for Self-Awareness • We can reflect and make choices because we are capable of self-awareness. • Expanding our awareness in 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

Question • What are the possible reasons that people tend to blame others for their problems?

Freedom and Responsibility • We are free to choose among alternatives • We are responsible for our lives, for our action, and for our failure to take action. • Blaming others for their problems--- • Recognize how they allowed others to decide for them and the price they pay • Encourage them to consider the alternative options

Striving for Identity • Identity is “the courage to be” • We must trust ourselves to search within and find our own answers • Our great fear is that we will discover that there is no core, no self • Struggling with our identity: • Challenging clients---in what ways that they have lost touch with they identity and letting others to design their life.

Question? • How do you work through a sense of “no self” and feeling alone?

Relationship to others • Aloneness • We are alone---So, we must give a sense of meaning to life, decide how we will live, have a relationship with ourselves, and learn to listen to ourselves. • Relatedness • We need to create a close relationship with others • Challenging clients----What they get from they relationship? How they avoid close relationship?

Question • What is the meaning or purpose of your life? • What do you want from life? • Where is the source of meaning for you in life?

The Search for Meaning • Therapists trust is important in teaching clients to trust their own capacity to find their way of being. • Meaninglessness in life leads to emptiness and hollowness (existential vacuum) • Finding meaning in life is a by-product of engagement, which is a commitment to creating, loving, working, and building.

Question • What is the positive motivation of being anxious?

Anxiety – A Condition of Living • Anxiety arises from one’s strivings to survive. • Existential anxiety is normal • an outcome of being confronted with the four given of existence: death, freedom, existential isolation, and meaninglessness. • Recognize existential anxiety and find ways to deal with it constructively. • 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

Question • If you only have 30 days left, what’s your feelings? What will you do?

Awareness of Death • Death provides the motivation for us to live our lives fully and take advantage of each opportunity to do something meaningful.

Therapeutic Goals • To expand self-awareness • To increase potential choices • To help client accept the responsibility for their choice • To help the client experience authentic existence

Therapist’s Function and Role • Understand the client’s subjective world • Encourage clients to accept personal responsibility • When clients blame others, therapist is likely to ask them how they contributed to their situation.

Client’s Experience in Therapy • They are challenged to take responsibility for how they now choose to be, decide how they want to be different, and take actions. • Major themes in therapy sessions are anxiety, freedom and responsibility, isolation, death, and the search for meaning. • Assist client in facing life with courage, hope, and a willingness to find meaning in life.

Relationship Between Therapist and 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 world • The core of the therapeutic relationship • Respect and faith in the clients’ potential to cope and discover alternative ways of being • Therapists share their reactions to clients with genuine concern and empathy as one way of deepening the therapeutic relationship.

Therapeutic techniques and procedures • It is not technique-oriented • The interventions are based on philosophical views about the nature of human existence. • Free for draw techniques from other orientations • The use of therapist self is the core of therapy

Questions • Which populations is existential therapy particularly useful? • Which issues is existential therapy particularly useful?

Areas of Application • Grief work, facing a significant decision, developmental crisis, coping with failures in marriage and work, dealing with physical limitations due to age……

From a multicultural perspective • Contributions • Applicable to diverse clients to search for meaning for life • Be able to examine the behavior is influenced by social and cultural factors. • Help clients to weigh the alternatives and consequences. • Change external environment and recognize how they contribute

From a multicultural perspective • Limitations • Excessively individualistic • Ignore social factors that cause human problems • Even if clients change internally, they see little hope the external realities of racism or discrimination will change • For many cultures, it is not possible to talk about self and self-determination apart from the context of the social network • Many clients expect a structured and problem-oriented approach instead of discussion of philosophical questions.

Summary and Evaluation • Contributions • Stress self-determination accepting the personal responsibility along with freedom • View oneself as the author of one’s life • Understand the value of anxiety and guilty, the positive meaning of death, the positive aspects of being alone and choosing for oneself • Enable clients to examine how their behavior is being influenced by social and cultural conditioning.

Summary and Evaluation • Limitations • Lacks of a systemic principles and practice for therapy • No empirical research validation yet • Limited to apply to lower-functioning clients, clients who need directions, are concerned about meeting basic needs, and lack of verbal skills

Case 1 • I find myself terrified when I am alone. I need people around me constantly, and if I’m forced to be alone, then I run from myself by watching TV. I’d like to learn how to be alone and feel comfortable about it. • What are the issues? • What can you do to help this client?

Case 2 • I feel like my existence does not matter to anyone. If I were to die today, I fully believe that it wouldn’t make a difference to anyone. • What are the issues? • What can you do to help this client?

Case 3 • I rarely feel close to another person. While I want this closeness, I am frightened of being rejected. Instead of letting anyone get close to me, I build walls that keep them removed. What can I do to lessen my fear of being rejected? • What are the issues? • What can you do to help this client?

Questions • Please discuss at least three questions to ask speakers regarding the career issues in social work, private practice, counseling, and family and marriage?

Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy