Reflection on course learning and development

Psychology

Practicing existential therapy: Personal and professional benefits

One of the challenges that every psychologist and practicing psychological therapist -- as well as many researchers -- must eventually face is that of which psychological theory and perspective resonates best with them, and with their personal beliefs and styles. There are, of course, many different approaches to the professional practice of psychology and therapy, as well as the many different underlying theories, and though some major schools of psychological thought and the smaller sub-theories they subscribe to might be mutually exclusive, there are many general conclusions that are shared by multiple theories. This makes the decision of which psychological theory to use in practice a more complex one, as a determination of which approach to utilize in practicing therapy cannot be made solely on the basis of the specific conclusions drawn by that approach and one's agreement with them, as many of these overlap.

The determination of which psychological theory to use in professional practice, then, must be made both intellectually and intuitively. While an intellectual comparison of ideas will not itself be sufficient in making a determination, as the intellectual underpinnings of many theories are largely similar, it would be foolish to discount intellectual factors and influences altogether. Yet these intellectual influences must be balanced by what "feels right" to the psychologist/practitioner and their personal style of engagement and philosophy of life. In general, an agreement on these more intuitive basic principles will lead automatically to a higher degree of intellectual agreement with the specifics of the psychological theory. This means that finding an agreement or preference first based on these more intuitive terms might be beneficial when faced with the dilemma of choosing from amongst the various approaches available.

To this end, I believe that my personal outlook on life and my general style in viewing the world and interacting with other individuals supports the existentialist theory of psychology. One of the main tenets of existential psychology -- and philosophy, for that matter -- is the impossibility of explaining or justifying human existence and the essential isolation that every human being lives in from birth to death (Wilkes 2006). Existentialist theory is often interpreted in an incredibly bleak manner, but I do not see it this way. It is ultimately impossible for one human being to communicate with another and be absolutely certain that each little detail of feeling and thought for which communication was attempted actually made it to the other person. The likelihood, in fact, is that something slightly different, if only in the minutest way, was interpreted differently by the other than was meant by the originator of the communication. This is the isolation that is inherent to humanity, but it need not be depressing.

On the contrary, I believe that this isolation is the driving force behind creativity, as well as behind many common psychological disturbances and general human discomfort and uneasiness. It is the desire to communicate as fully and as accurately as we can that drives human progress, and that often leads to so much frustration that counseling is sought-or even more often, warranted. Existentialist theory understands the basic frustration and guilt that is part of being human, and does not attempt to eradicate such feelings but instead to mitigate them; to place them in a context of understanding so that they can be seen and utilized as healthy parts of the human condition (Wilkes 2006). Though there are of course instances where such feelings become too powerful to be healthy, denying their merits in all circumstances is presumptuous.

One of the major ways that I believe existentialist theory is well-suited to my values as a therapist is through its emphasis on individual responsibility. In recognizing the ultimate and inherent isolation of the human condition, existentialist theory and therapy centers on making the individual feel whole without depending on external individuals, events, or things in order to make them happy and/or comfortable with who they are (Schneider 2007). I personally have come to recognize and utilize the value of placing myself higher on my list of priorities than had always been the case, and I am much happier for it. This is not exactly a selfishness either on my part or inherent to existential theory, but rather a necessity before I or anyone else can attempt to make the world better for others. Taking responsibility for the self is the first step.

One of my favorite analogies is the standard instruction in aircraft to, in the event of a drop in cabin pressure, secure your own oxygen mask before helping anyone else, even your children. The point is, if you pass out trying to help your child, no one is awake to save you. But if you take care of yourself first, you can help your child, and the old woman across the aisle, etc. Existentialist therapy paces the same responsibility on the therapist, and ultimately on the patient -- it is up to the individual and only the individual to solve their problems. Guidance and assistance are often necessary and usually beneficial, but any change in perspective, attitude, or behavior must ultimately come from within as that is the only center of any certainty that exists in this world. My own sense of responsibility makes this approach ideal for me.

My life experiences have also closely aligned me with the underlying beliefs and assertions of existential theory. Though I was very close to my brother and sister growing up, I was also acutely ware of my father's absence from family life and my mother's long hours at work. I understood that my siblings and I functioned as a unit, supporting each other and providing much needed assistance and guidance, but I also always understood that I needed to work hard to accomplish things, and that no matter how much I was loved or supported I would have to be the one to make things happen for me. My experience on the other side of things, as a parent, has done little to abuse me of this notion. Though I do everything I can to help my children achieve their best, and try to afford them every opportunity for improvement and enjoyment that I can, I know that ultimately they must sink or swim on their own. I am careful not to overindulge them or make things too easy for that very reason; they need to be prepared to make things happen for themselves when the time comes that I can't catch them if they fall.

I feel that I would be very effective practicing this type of therapy because it reflect both how I was raised and how I raised my children to a large degree. There is a great deal of compassion inherent to existential therapy that appears to be missing in the description of the theory and therapy, but having a true understanding of another's isolation creates deep feelings of empathy, especially when coupled with the knowledge that even this compassion and understanding cannot be fully communicated. This can make for deeply personal therapy that at the same time places the responsibility for becoming whole and comfortable again squarely with the patient. This is at once burdensome and empowering, and having walked both sides of this aspect of self-reliance in relatively extreme situations, I believe that I can strike an effective balance of each during my professional practice of existential psychological therapy.