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Existential Psychotherapy
Existential psychotherapies make use of several approaches to therapeutic goals, research methodologies, intervention strategies and case conceptualization. The focus is often on comprehending human experience as well as on the client and not on the symptoms. Existentialists view individuals as meaning-making beings that are both objects of reflection and subjects of experience. Given that existentialists are highly aware of the possibility of theories dehumanizing people and making them objects, there is more emphasis on precedence than there is on artificial explanations (Corsini & Wedding, 2013, p. 265-6).
The concern of existential therapists is rediscovering the human person in the midst of the prevailing culture that is dehumanizing people. To achieve this, a deep psychological analysis is carried out. The focus is not so much about getting rid of the symptoms but on achieving higher freedom and awareness as relates to the living individual (Corsini & Wedding 2013, p.272). Several people link anxiety to be a clash between the non-being and the being. There are levels of anxiety that can, therefore be considered normal. Anxiety presents a key challenge. The condition grows bigger when we make a choice to exert the innate potential within...
Making an emphatic assertion of our existence also brings to our awareness the fact that someday we will not exist. The temptation to repress the comprehension of death is high and sometimes we try to make intellectual rationalizations about it (Dasein) in an attempt to feel safe. The healthiest option is mere acceptance of non-being as a key part of existence. This allows the individual to fully live their life (Corsini & Wedding, 2013, p. 273-4).
Usually, we do not associate freedom with conflict or anxiety. Yet, existentially, freedom is connected to dread. From the viewpoint of existentialists, conflict over the concept of freedom arises from realizing that humans enter and will ultimately depart the universe without any solid structure. Freedom asserts that humans are in part very responsible for their situation, their life and the decisions and choices they make as well as the actions they take. If through such argument we presume that we are the creators of our universe, then the reality, however, is nothingness or void or abyss (Corsini & Wedding 2013, p. 274).
This thought can definitely terrify a person and make the individual anxious and defensive. Being aware of one's freedom implies that the person is responsible for the course their life…
References
Corsini, R. J., & Wedding, D. (2007). Current Psychotherapies (8 edition). Australia; Belmont, CA: Brooks Cole.
Dr. Keshen feels that the reason for this is that most of the literature that is available on the subject is extremely convoluted. Even the foremost authors on the subject disagree on it verities making most existential psychotherapists' ideas heterogeneous. However, the author feel that if a more precise and well-defined model of existential psychotherapy could be developed that would be amenable to some kind of empirical validation it
Instead of passively accepting the circumstances of others and surrendering control, an existential therapist might focus on the question, "Although you have lived with certain patterns thus far in your life, now that you recognize the consequences of some of those patterns, are you willing to discuss creating new ways of dealing with life's situations?"(Ibid). On the positive side, existential therapy offers a relatively easy introduction to psychotherapy for most
My personal reflections on these existential givens will impact my practice as an existential counselor. Although the influence of my personal views is significant to me, they will not inhibit the progress made by a client. Sharing a sense of commonality with the client, including the questioning of life's significance, will better assist with having insights into their feelings (Geller 2003). The aim of existential psychotherapy is to reflect upon
Existential Counseling Case Study The given case is an adequate account of a life of an individual in an unlikely situation. The case speaks about a thirty eight years old woman Michelle. Life and the given history of Michelle form an impression that she is in a stable situation and has enjoyed a highly satisfying career path. Unlike many other she has a successful married life with her partner Dave and
The instillation and the maintaining of hope is one of the most important factors in any type of psychotherapy (Yalom 2005). Yalom (2005) notes that hope is needed to keep the patient going to therapy in order for the other factors to take place, and "faith in treatment mode can in itself be therapeutically effective" (2005). Yalom (2005) compares the importance of the instillation of hope to the efficacy of
When the term depression is used it may refer to the various existing types of depression depending on the factors that lead to that depression. Existential causes of depression occur when people question their life, its meaning, death. By questioning these things they end up sinking into depression (John & Grohol., 2018). The philosophy of existentialism states that human beings find meaning in life internally through their pursuits, desires and