Reflection Paper: Existential Therapy
Armando Jesus Rodriguez
Panther ID: 3682494
Florida International University

Reflection Paper: Existential Therapy
Existential Therapy is not a clear-cut therapy approach unlike Psychoanalysis or Behaviorism for example. It does not reduce individuals to labels such as depressed. But instead helps a person along the walk to express their depression and therefore lead that person through their depression into happiness. Existential therapy is a philosophical approach more than anything. It places a lot of emphasis on living and what it means to be an individual capable of making choices. It describes life as a constant state of metamorphosis as every individual is trying to make sense of this world while searching for its meaning. Life is never what we desire it to be which may lead to negative outlooks on it but Existential therapy seeks to help others see that they are the only ones in charge of their life through their thoughts and actions. Existential therapy is a positive approach that “applauds human capacities while simultaneously maintaining a genuine perception of the limitations of the human being, human spirit, and human mind” (Mulhauser, 2011) Practitioners that employ Existential therapy seek to teach clients how to change and embrace their lives so that they are now able to view it more as a journey that they are in charge of than anything else. I chose Existential Therapy as my preferred approach to counseling simply because it is not like any other school of therapy. I believe that Existential therapy is quite unique since it places an immense emphasis on what it is to be a human on this confusing journey we call life. Existential therapy allows individuals to reflect on life to ultimately allow them to see for themselves that they are the only ones that can take responsibility and change their life.
The central goal for Existential Therapy is quite simple which is to increase awareness. What is meant by that is that clients sometimes lose their path in life or their self-awareness of who they are and whom they want to be. At times, individuals tend to blame others for their shortcomings or they believe that they are trapped with their current lives with no room for change. According to the text (Corey, 2013), there are three central tasks to Existential therapy. The first task is to strengthen clients in their confrontations of anxiety that have been prolonged in their life. The second task is to help clients understand they are not “fully present in the therapy process itself.” (Corey, 2013). This is because if clients believe they are fully present in the therapy process, it might hinder their views and affect them outside of therapy. Lastly, the third and most vital task in my opinion is to aid clients in the process of redefining themselves and changing their worldviews for the better. The textbook states that Rollo May believed individuals seek out therapy to have a therapist free them from their unhappy lives, which can be compared to being enslaved. Existential therapy seeks to show clients that there have always been multiple possibilities and different options and that the client is the sum of their choices.
The role of a practitioner employing Existential therapy can be summed up in sentence. It is to get a “stuck person moving again” (Corey, 2013). It may sound like an easy task but it is actually quite daunting. First, the practitioner needs to comprehend the client’s subjective world. This can be done by employing a four-part framework consisting of personal, physical, social and physical dimensions (Mulhauser, 2011). If a client begins to complain about their current situation and how they are helpless in it or how they are a victim, the therapist guides them by having the client elaborate on their past choices which have led them into their current predicament though the emphasis is never on the past unlike other schools of therapy. To sum up their role, therapists are there to help clients accept personal responsibility and change the way they view life. The client’s therapeutic process should be as such. As clients express themselves, they are simultaneously releasing their anxieties and fears of a situation and therefore begin naturally to open doors. Clients are also challenged to take responsibility for how they choose to be, decide how they want to change and be different as well take actions that will better their life in the long run. With the assistance of the therapy, clients begin to face life with hope, courage and determination to sort out their goals and meaning.
A beautiful and appreciated fact about Existential therapy is that it is not technique oriented whatsoever. This is because the therapy itself is based on philosophical views regarding the nature of human existence. These practitioners prefer description, understanding, and exploration of the client’s subjective reality, as opposed to diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis according to the textbook (Corey, 2013.). It is quite refreshing to see such a therapy approach that does not divide humanity into types nor reduce individuals to components. Even though there is no set technique for Existential therapy, practitioners are allowed to use techniques from other branches of therapy. It is important for mental health professionals to establish their views on life and living so they don’t get lost in their client’s lives. This helps the person to personal relationship that is essential in Existential therapy. One fundamental detail about this type of therapy is that the practitioner needs to be both genuine and empathetic when interacting with their clients.

Life is never easy for anyone despite one having better circumstances. We are all part of this rollercoaster we call life. It is never clear-cut and at one point or another, we may fall and believe we have no way out. But self-awareness and self-responsibility is key to living a meaningful life, which is what Existential Therapy tries to show others. Sometimes it just takes someone to show you what you have been blind to all along; that you do have choices and you are the one in charge of your life.

References

Corey, G. (2013). Existential Therapy. Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (9th ed., pp. 131-163). Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole Pub. Co..

Mulhauser, G. (2011, April 22). Existential Counselling. CounsellingResourcecom Library RSS. Retrieved June 17, 2014, from http://counsellingresource.com/lib/therapy/types/existential/