Existential Psychology and Christianity Existential

Existential Psychology and Christianity

Existential psychology is often championed by therapists with a variety of backgrounds because it allows them and their clients to address some of the most important questions about the human condition, including the inevitability of death and the responsibility that comes with freedom of choice. While these concerns are relevant to humanistic therapists as well as those who work from a variety of religious perspectives, existential psychology is most especially well adapted to the perspective of the Christian therapist and her or his client.

Existential psychology is a means of addressing perhaps the most compelling questions that arise in therapy, including what it means to be human and what is the purpose of human existence. While different epistemology traditions (including humanism and Judaism) also address these concerns, Christian therapists have an ethical obligation to their clients to help guide them to answers to these queries that are concordant with Christian doctrine.

The anxiety prompted by so much of modern life that brings so many clients into therapy can be addressed in many different ways. Existential psychology and Christianity can dovetail in this task, helping guide a client along Biblical paths to find ways in which to mitigate the stressors of daily life that allow sufficient intellectual energy to begin to address the deepest questions of what it means to live a Christian life.

I. History of existential psychology.

A. Origins of traditional psychoanalysis within a humanistic framework.

B. Origins of existential psychology as a response to the reductionist elements of science-based psychology.

C. Philosophical aspects of existentialism as applied to psychology and therapy.

D. Kierkegaard and German existentialism.

E. Sartre and French existentialism.

F. Religious aspects of existentialism.

G. Humanistic aspects of existentialism.

II. Tenets of Christian therapy

A. Historical origins of Christian therapy.

B. Relationship of Christian therapy to Jungian therapy.

C. Function of Christian therapy.

1. Reconciliation of Christian beliefs and daily stressors

2. Reconciliation of Christian advocacy of selflessness and modern capitalist society

D. Goals of Christian therapy.

III. Intersection of existential psychology and modern Christian thought.

A. Exploration of ways in which Christian thought and humanistic discourses intersect

B. Exploration of the ways in which the practice of Christian therapy and humanistically-based modes of therapy intersect.

C. Expectations of Christian clients.

1. Will Christian clients feel that they are being appropriately served by existential psychology given its roots in humanistic and philosophical traditions rather than in Christian doctrine?