Existential Therapy (Frankl, Yalom, May) Humanistic / Philosophical / Existential

Freedom & Responsibility:

We have the freedom to choose and must take responsibility for our lives

Meaning-making:

The search for personal meaning is central

Existential anxiety:

A natural part of living and confronting life's "givens"

Four ultimate concerns:

1. Death

2. Freedom

3. Isolation

4. Meaninglessn

authenticity:

Living in alignment with one's true value

• No standardized techniques; therapy is philosophical and dialogue-based

• Use of reflection, confrontation, and deep questioning

• Logotherapy (Frankl): Finding meaning even in suffering

• Exploring client’s values, choices, and fears

• Techniques

Goal

• Help clients confront existential anxieties

• Discover or create meaning in their lives

• Encourage authentic living and responsible decision-making

best For:

• Clients struggling with purpose, identity, or life transitions

• Grief, trauma, anxiety, or existential crisis

• Individuals seeking deeper self-exploration rather than symptom relief

Limitations:

• Can be abstract or uncomfortable for some clients

• Lacks structured, directive techniques

• Less empirical research support than CBT

existential counseling is use

to help people find their meaning of life

Phenomenological experience

subjective way of living

take a first perspective of I

Focus on anxiety

no predetermined script to follow meaning we do not know what direction to go in life

then you have the culturally made script telling us what to do go to school; become a dentist etc

lastly sense of belong with a sense of society helps reduce anxiety

Freedom and responsibility

Feeling of hopelessness look through the ready made script and find the person true self; passive accept of problems

to change using existential

appreciate agency and freedom recreate your existent through choice and actions

Logotherapy

is an existential form of therapy that focuses on helping clients find meaning in life, especially through suffering, responsibility, and purpose.

🧠 Logos = “meaning” in Greek
📘 Developed by Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist