Existential Theraphy

Chapter 6 Summary:

Existential Therapy is associated with several individuals: McElwain, C.T. Fischer, DuBoise, James Bugentao, Abraham Maslow, and Carl Rogers. Many of its roots are also embedded within philosophy. Existential Therapy has four main concerns that it focuses on: freedom, death, meaningless, isolation. All four of these are associated with significant aspects of life. There has been difficulty with associating this theory to most, but many people have found in it helping them find meaning in life and value in life.

How the theory applies:

Students in college are in a very pivotal and transitional point of their life. Regardless of their year, they are often searching for some type of meaning in their lives and where they are going with it. As a GHD, I often act as a resource to these to help figure out some of the bigger questions they are dealing with. While it is not complete counseling, it can still go a long way to these students to just have someone to talk too.

Video:

Client Homework:

The therapist is assigning a type of homework in this video. The clients are suffering from two common issues that the therapist has them reflect on. He explains that when it happens they should talk about it and then discuss it at the next session; this placing emphasis on the clients living within the now. Instead of letting it build up, the clients deal with the problem right as it happens.