Test 2- Existential Therapy Flashcards
A philosophical belief that emphasizes the isolation and uniqueness of the individual experience in a world that is unexplainable, indifferent, and often hostile.
Definition of Existentialism:
A primary virtue in existentialist thought is
Authenticity.
- It stresses freedom of choice, and the responsibility for our decisions that come with that freedom.
- It emphasizes that each person determines the subjective meaning and purpose of life. There is no “universal” meaning of life.
- A primary virtue in existentialist thought is authenticity.
3 Points
Freedom of
What does Existentialism focus on?:
Name 2 existentialist:
2 Point
- Viktor Frankl (1905-1997):
- Rollo May (1909-1994):
Frankl believed we have the ______to choose our own way and the _______ of being human lies in our individual search for _____and _______ in our lives.
- Freedom
- Essence
- Meaning
- Purpose
- Born and educated in Vienna. Had an MD and a Ph.D. (neurologist & psychiatrist).
- During WW II, was in a concentration camp where his parents, brother, pregnant wife, and children were all killed.
- Knew and read Freud but differed in his beliefs.
- Frankl believed we have the freedom to choose our own way and the essence of being human lies in our individual search for meaning and purpose in our lives.
Viktor Frankl’s life :
- American
- Initially had a degree in theology, then went on to earn his doctorate in clinical psychology from Columbia.
- Believed the nature of the human experience was accepting freedom and responsibility and discovering your own identity, facing death, and taking action in the world.
- Struggled with his own anxiety and depression.
- Very unhappy childhood.
Rollo May
These are all examples of :
- Being who we are at our core.
- When our behavior and words are congruent with our inner beliefs and values.
- Being ourselves, not what we think we should be, not what others want us to be, or what we were taught to be.
Authentic Self:
Two Types of Anxiety from the Existential Perspective:
- Existential Anxiety
- Neurotic Anxiety
- Who am I? (the authentic self)
- Life is finite.
- What meaning does my life have?
- How will I get to where I want to be in my life?
- Finding meaning in our life is a byproduct of creating, 6. loving, and working.
- Life itself is not meaningful. The person must create and discover their own subjective meaning.
Common Themes of Existential Anxiety
- This anxiety is a part of living and can’t be avoided.
- Anxiety can help us grow by becoming more aware of our freedoms and facing life more authentically.
- When we face our authentic self, we may be frightened, but it’s necessary to achieve change.
Existential Anxiety:
- This anxiety is usually out of our awareness.
- It’s when our anxiety is out of proportion to the situation at hand.
- It often comes about when we don’t deal well with existential anxiety.
Neurotic Anxiety
- Clients move towards accepting their freedom and the responsibility of that freedom
- Clients recognize how they’re not living authentic lives
- Clients become more aware of their choices
- Clients search for the meaning in their life
- Clients develop deeper understanding of themselves so that they can communicate better with others
5 Therapeutic Goals of Existential Therapy
- Assist client to see the ways in which they constrict their awareness and what that’s costing them (how they’re keeping themselves a prisoner by some of their old decisions)
- Assist client in accepting responsibility for changing their own future
- Encourage client to look at their own contribution to negative situations
- Assist client to confront ultimate concerns, rather than immediate problems
4 Points about the therapist’s Role in Existential Therapy:
6 Points about the Client’s Role in Existential Therapy:
- Client assumes responsibility for change
- Client is an active participant in therapeutic process
- Explores fears, guilt, anxieties
- Gradually become aware of who they were as a child, who they really are now, and who they want to be going forward (their authentic self).
- Experiment with new ways of behaving, discover new interests to encourage change
- Confront ultimate concerns, rather than immediate problems
- Not technique oriented
- Can use techniques from other orientations to be part of the philosophical journey
2 Therapeutic Techniques in Existential Therapy:
Three Phases of Existential Therapy:
- Initial Phase
- Middle Phase
- Final Phase
Client begins to identify and clarify their current view of the world and examines their role in creating their problems.
Initial Phase:
Client begins to examine the source of their value system; what their authentic self believes in and values.
Middle Phase:
Client begins to translate what they’ve learned about their authentic selves into action, to now live a purposeful and authentic life. This is when change happens.
Final Phase
- Clients at a crossroad and questioning the state of affairs in their own world and willing to challenge the status quo
- Clients working through a developmental, or situational period and feeling that they no longer belong in their surroundings (children leaving home, disappointments at work, retirement).
2 Types of Clients Appropriate for Existential Therapy:
Which client is not appropriate for existential therapy
It is not for clients in crisis.
- May be excessively individualistic, and not sensitive enough to cultural, social, or familial factors that may be contributing to their problems and holding the client back from changing
- Clients may feel the therapist is not giving the external realities of racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination enough weight to the limitations the client has in controlling their life
- Approach may not be a good fit for those who have difficulty conceptualizing or have limited intellectual abilities
- Because it doesn’t focus on immediate problems, it may not be beneficial to those in crises.
4 Shortcomings of Existential Therapy:
