Not all forms of therapy focus solely on the past. In existential therapy, a therapist can help you examine the bigger picture of your existence and values.
Imagine waking up, washing your face, looking into the mirror, and thinking, “Is this it?”
Perhaps you feel this way because you’ve lost someone you love. Or you recently experienced a milestone, birthday, or life transition, and it feels empty or different than you imagined it would.
Or maybe you don’t know why you feel this way… You just do.
If you’re questioning what you’re doing here, and it’s interfering with your quality of life, you’re not alone. Existential therapy can help you explore deeper questions to find meaning in your life.
You may have already heard the term “existential crisis.”
“Existential” refers to your existence, as in, what it means to you to be a human being.
Existential therapy is an extension of this line of thinking. It’s a philosophical style of therapy that explores the human condition.
“The goal of existential therapy is to help you find meaning and purpose in your life as you confront and articulate your values,” says Iris Waichler, a licensed clinical social worker in Chicago.
Existential therapy explores four key concepts:
“Existential therapy investigates matters of life and death and explores how to get the most meaning out of life,” Waichler says. “This process may help enhance your self-awareness, create more meaningful relationships, and help identify what brings the most meaning into your life.”
In many ways, existential therapy sessions seem similar to other therapy sessions, says Dr. Lea McMahon, a licensed counselor in Houston.
“Therapists ask you standard questions, you answer them honestly, and the session builds from there,” she explains. “You may talk about your anxieties, fears, and concerns, while your therapist helps you get to the root of these, in order to acknowledge and overcome them.”
There are a few key differences between this and other treatments, though.
“The approach of existential therapy does not dwell that much on the past, as other treatments do, but only uses it as a tool to gain insight into one’s self,” adds McMahon.
Also, your therapist will likely focus on your well-being as a whole instead of tackling one symptom at a time.
You may explore questions such as:
When you speak about your thoughts and feelings, this can encourage introspection, says McMahon.
Also, your therapist may guide and support you with:
Existential therapy can address a wide range of concerns.
According to Waichler, existential therapy can be effective for people with:
Even if there’s no formal diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) for your specific experience, you may still find this modality helpful.
The uses for existential therapy are vast. Research shows that existential therapy has supported many people, including:
You may have recently experienced a loss or you’re having a tough time navigating one of life’s many changes. Or perhaps you’re facing the fear of the unknown because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
All of this is valid, and these can all be good reasons to try existential therapy.
In general, it may be a good fit for you if:
Post-traumatic growth, while uncomfortable, is a core tenant of this modality.
“Some may view this as depressing or negative,” explains Waichler. “But the reason for this is inherent in existential therapy. It’s the notion that people must experience some type of suffering in order to begin to explore and understand these deeper levels of the human condition.”
In other words, as painful as it may be, you grow through what you go through.
