Existential Therapy.pdf

Existential therapy

1. Existential
Therapy
Disusun Oleh:

M. Alvin Ramadhani (200101110101)
Oktavia Ningrum (200101110126)
Nuriyatul Qomariyah (200101110206)

2. 
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Introduction
Key concept
Process
Application
Mapping

3. INTRODUCTION
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Existential therapy is more a way of thinking
than any particular style of practicing
psychotherapy [1]
One of the aims of existential therapy is to
challenge people to stop deceiving
themselves regarding their lack of
responsibility for what is happening to them
and their excessive demands on life.
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[1]Gerald Corey, “Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy 8th ed. Australia", Thomson Brooks Cole, 2009. p. 131.

4. “
The thinking of existential psychologists and
psychiatrists was influenced by a number of
philosophers and writers during the 19th
century. Viktor Frankl, Rollo May, James
Bugental, and Irvin Yalom all developed their
existential approaches to psychotherapy from
strong backgrounds in both existential and
humanistic psychology [2]
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Historical Background in Philosophy
and Existentialism
[2] Gerald Corey, “Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy 8th ed.
Australia", Thomson Brooks Cole, 2009. p. 134-138.

5. Key Figures in Contemporary
Existential Psychotherapy
1. Viktor Frankl (1905-1997)
2. Rollo May (1909-1994)

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Existentialists tend to acknowledge the stark
realities of human experience, and their
writings often focus on death, anxiety,
depression, and isolation.
The humanists, in contrast, take the somewhat
less anxiety-evoking position and more
optimistic view that each of us has a natural
potential that we can actualize and through
which we can find meaning[3]
Existentialism and Humanism
[3] Gerald Corey, “Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy 9th ed. Mason", OH:
CENGAGE Learning Custom Publishing. 2014. p. 173.

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Maslow criticized Freudian psychology for what he saw as
its preoccupation with the sick and negative side of human
nature. Maslow believed too much research was being
conducted on anxiety, hostility, and neuroses and too little
into joy, creativity, and self-fulfi llment. Self-actualization was
the central theme of the work of Abraham Maslow [4]
Abraham Maslow’s Contributions
to Humanistic Psychology
[4] Gerald Corey, “Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy 9th ed. Mason", OH: CENGAGE
Learning Custom Publishing. 2014. p. 174-175.

8. Key Concepts
in Existential Therapy

9. Eksistensial
usually considered freedom but the highest value
is authenticity. This existence begins with an
existential attitude. That is a kind of feeling of
disorientation, confusion, or fear in front of a world
that seems meaningless or absurd to him

10. Existential psychotherapy is a form of
psychotherapy based on models of
human nature and experience developed
by the existential tradition of European
philosophy.
The existential approach emphasizes that
everyone has the capacity for self-
awareness. Everyone has a unique
identity that can only be known through
relationships with other people..
Existential
psychotherapy

11. The existential tradition seeks a balance between
recognizing the limits and tragic dimensions of human
existence on the one hand and the possibilities and
opportunities of human life on the other. It grew out of a
desire to help people involving the dilemmas of
contemporary life, such as isolation, alienation, and
powerlessness.
Existential Tradition

12. “No relationship can remove
existential isolation, but
loneliness can be shared in
such a way that love
compensates for the pain”
(Yalom & Josselson)

13. ●
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have the capacity for self-
awareness, experiencing the
tension between freedom and
responsibility.
create identity and build meaningful
relationships.
search for meaning, purpose and
values in life.
accept anxiety as a condition of life.
aware of death and non-existence.
Key Concepts in
Existential Therapy

14. DIMENSIONS OF THE HUMAN CONDITION
The Capacity for
Self-Awareness
The Search
for Meaning
Freedom and
Responsibility
Striving for Identity and
Relationship to Others
Anxiety as a
Condition of Living
Awareness of Death
and Nonbeing

15. Self-awareness is the capacity that a person has to introspect.
It includes gaining an understanding of and insight into one’s
strengths, qualities, weaknesses, defects, ideas, thoughts,
beliefs, ideals, responses, reactions, attitude, emotions and
motivations.
The Capacity for
Self-Awareness

16. Existential therapy posits that we are free to choose among
alternatives, and thus we are responsible for our lives, actions and
any failure to take action. If clients blame others for their problems,
therapists in this modality would help them recognise how they
allowed others to decide for them and the price they pay for doing
so, and would encourage them to consider the alternative options.
Freedom and Responsibility

17. Struggling for identity and relationships with others is finding
something interesting about yourself. Identity is the courage to be
yourself. Existential therapy shows that we are alone. So connecting
with other people is very important. Therefore, we as humans must
give meaning to life, decide how we will live, establish a relationship
with ourselves, and learn to listen to ourselves. Humans need to
create close relationships with other people.
Striving for Identity and Relationship
to Others

18. Existential therapists encourage clients to ask themselves what
they want from life, and where the source of meaning lies for them
in life. A trusting therapist–client relationship is important in
teaching clients to trust their own capacity to find their way of being.
Finding meaning in life is a by-product of engagement, which is a
commitment to creating, loving, working and building.
The Search for Meaning

19. Anxiety is seen by existential therapists as a condition of life, which
naturally arises from a person's attempts to survive. This is known as
'existential anxiety. Once existential anxiety is recognized, it can be
managed gradually. Anxiety can be a stimulus for growth as we
recognize and accept our freedom. If we have the courage to face
ourselves and the challenges of human life, we may be afraid but we
can change
Anxiety as a Condition of Living

20. Death is seen as providing the motivation for us to live our
lives fully and take advantage of each opportunity to do
something meaningful.
Awareness of Death
and Nonbeing

21. “ THE
THERAPEUTIC
PROCESS
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22. Therapeutic Goals
The task of existential therapy is to teach
clients to listen to what they already know
about themselves, even though they may
not be attending to what they know.
Therapy is a process of bringing out the
latent aliveness in the client [1]
[1] Gerald Corey, “Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy 9th
ed. Mason", OH: CENGAGE Learning Custom Publishing. 2014. p. 154.

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Therapist’s Function and Role
Client’s Experience in Therapy
Relationship Between Therapist and
Client
Therapist and Client

24. APPLICATION:
THERAPEUTIC TECHNIQUES
AND PROCEDURES
Vontress “Existential therapists prefer
to be thought of as philosophical
companions, not as people who
repair psyches” [2].
[2] Gerald Corey, “Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy
9th ed. Mason", op. cit, p. 157-159.

25. Phases of Existential Counseling

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During the initial phase of counseling, therapists assist clients
in identifying and clarifying their assumptions about the world.
During the middle phase of existential counseling, clients are
encouraged to more fully examine the source and authority of
their present value system.
The final phase of existential counseling focuses on helping
people take what they are learning about themselves and put it
into action [3].
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[3] Gerald Corey, “Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy 8th ed. Australia", op. cit, p. 151-152.

26. “Clients Appropriate for Existential Counseling
Application to Brief Therapy
Application to Group Counseling

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APPLICATION

27. “
Thank you
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