Existential Therapy

Existential therapy, as outlined by Jones-Smith (2020), emphasizes the clients personal freedom in deciding their fate (p. 177). At the same time, it also focuses on the individual experience of being in the world, of finding meaning and purpose while not ignoring factors like death and other existential conundrums. It allows for the acknowledgement of peoples inherent anxieties and existential dilemmas but in particular focuses on four primary dimensions of human existence: (1) death, (2) freedom versus responsibility, (3) isolation, and (4) meaninglessness (p. 178). These dimensions help the counselor and the patient to realize the importance of understanding a person within their cultural and social contexts, as well as their individual experiences and spiritual beliefs. This approach is particularly attuned to how one's culture influences their experience of being in the world, such as how cultural views on death affect individual choices and existence. It is very much a therapeutic approach that is present-centered, and it is concerned with the past only to the extent that it can shed light on the present; otherwise, it has no interest in the past (Jones-Smith, 2020). The concept of intentionality is central to existential...

The approach's emphasis on individual choice and responsibility can be both a strength and a limitation, depending on the cultural context of the therapy. For existential therapy to be fully effective and inclusive, therapists must be aware of these multicultural blind spots and actively work to integrate an understanding of the client's cultural and social identities into their…