By: Britany Dean
GCEP 550, Nick Sotelo
Existentialism = A branch of philosophical thought
HISTORY & FOUNDERS
Existential tradition seeks a balance between recognizing the limits & tragic
dimensions of human existence with the possibilities & opportunities of
human life.
Jean-Paul Sartre
Rollo May
Viktor Frankl
Martin Heidegger
James Bugental
Irvin Yalom
More Recent
Contributors
Laing and Cooper
Emmy van Deuzen
EXISTENTIAL INTRO
*A Lens to look through*
A journey through
the perceived
experience of the
individual.
Ultimate Concerns
1) Death
2) Freedom
3) Existential Isolation
4) Meaninglessness
We are responsible for our actions.
We are what we choose to be.
The choices that shape our existence are ongoing & never settled.
KEY CONCEPTS
A WAY T O V I E W A N D U N D E R S T A N D G R O U P M E M B E R S
SELF-AWARENESS
 Self awareness is the foundation
 Greater awareness = Greater possibilities for freedom
 Leaders must alert members of the price paid for greater self-awareness
QUESTIONS FOR GROUP MEMBERS TO CONSIDER
 To what degree am I aware of who I am
and where I am going?
 How do I experience my world?
 What meanings do I attach to the events I
experience?
 In what way can I increase my selfawareness?
 In what concrete ways does expanded
consciousness increase my range of
alternatives?
SELF-DETERMINATION
& PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITY
 What we become is the result
of our own choices!
 Our past does NOT dictate
our future.
 We can NOT wait for the
environment or others to change.
DEATH & NONBEING
 Death is essential to the
discovery of meaning
 Urgency is created from the
present being all we have
 It is not how long but how we
live that determines meaning
 In a process of change, old
parts of ourselves must die for
new parts to emerge.
How would you assess your quality of life right now...?
If you knew you were about to die how would your
answer above change…?
EXISTENTIAL ANXIETY
WHAT’S THAT? The basic unease we experience when we become aware
of our vulnerability and our inevitable death. This unavoidable experience
is an invitation to freedom.
 Uncertainty… an ever present threat, but equally a source of
transformation.
 1st Accept anxieties
 2nd Commit to action
SOURCES OF ANXIETY (MUST BE WORKED THROUGH IN THERAPY)
 Recognition of separateness but need to be with others
 Guilt over not living authentically
 Emptiness in the universe and lack of meaning
 The burden of responsibility associated with choosing for oneself
 Fear of death and nonbeing
THE SEARCH FOR
MEANING
Do I like the direction of my life?
If not how can I change it?
 We must constantly be answering existential questions to
create our meaning.
Why am I here?  Meaning must be found by the individual and is not found
overnight.
Who am I?
AREAS TO CREATE MEANING
 Work
 Loving
 Suffering
 Doing for others
Where am I going?
What in my life satisfies me most ?
THE SEARCH FOR
AUTHENTICITY
 Authenticity is a lifestyle
 Engaging in what we see
worthwhile and being true to
ourselves.
 Knowing & accepting our limits.
 Existential Guilt = We all fall
short of what we could become. It is
said to grow out of
 Spiritual dimensions & higher
incompleteness…
aspirations can be addressed to
provide inspiration
Romans 3:23-24 “For all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God, and are
justified freely by his grace through the
redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
ALONENESS &
RELATEDNESS
 Despite friendships & other
relationships we are ultimately
alone.
 Without our own inner strength
we can NOT have nourishing
relationships.
 It is NOT in others that we
find answers to life’s questions
about significance & purpose.
 Group members are
existentially alone but not alone
in their struggles.
3 PHASES OF GROUP
 PHASE 1: Counselors assist
participants in…
• Identifying & clarifying
assumptions
• Challenges to look at values, beliefs,
& assumptions more critically to
determine validity.
• Evaluating personal responsibility
in their problem situation. “How
have I kept myself in a victimized
stance?”
 PHASE 2: Members examine more
fully…
• The source and authority of
their present value system
• Their spiritual selves and find
meaning in that as well
 PHASE 3:
• Members put what they are
learning into action
• Leaders help empower
members to move towards
concrete changes while also
highlighting discovered
strengths.
THE PURPOSE OF GROUP
 An existential group can be described as people making a commitment
to a life long journey of self-exploration with these goals…
1. Enabling members to become truthful with themselves
2. Widening their perspectives of themselves and the world around
them
3. Clarifying what gives meaning to their present and future life
4. Successfully negotiating and coming to terms with past, present,
and future crises
5. Understanding themselves and others better so that they can
communicate more effectively with others
MORE GOALS & TECHNIQUES
 Discover alternative
options then choose what
gives the clients life
meaning
 Challenge clients to
enlarge their vision of
themselves as being free to
engage in action towards
change
 Have courage to deal
with the uncertainty that is
an inevitable part of living
Understanding over
Technique
 Emphasis on
experiencing the ct. in the
present & exploring their
subjective reality
 A variety of techniques
can be used
 Assumptions & Attitudes
guide intervention
COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP
SHARED
VENTURE
LEADER’S ROLE
 Journey through perceived
experience of the client
 Challenge clients to revise their
answers to life’s existential questions
to live more authentically
 Increase range & depth of
awareness
 Confront victimization &
members living by unexamined
values
 Leaders should constantly be
challenging members with ?s
THERAPEUTIC
ALLIANCE
The therapeutic relationship is
given highest priority
EXISTENTIAL GROUPS IN
SCHOOLS
 Adolescence are faced with existential questions often
 Growing violence in schools makes the reality of death much
more close to home
• Crisis-oriented groups are a great example of where an existential
lens could be very beneficial
• Answers to bring closure are not necessary
• Leaders may encourage students to fully acknowledge and express
feelings & thoughts
SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER
PROS
 Flexibility in style
 Does not impose particular
values
 Focus on universality
 Spirituality is incorporated
without pushing a particular
religion
 Humanizes psychotherapy
CONS
 The lack of structure risks
therapy becoming ineffective
 Short term approaches are
difficult
 Ideas can be abstract &
difficult to apply
 Does not work well for
clients who want relief from
specific symptoms & want more
direction from the therapist
We are the authors of our own lives & there are many ways in which each of us
can create a meaningful life.
AUTHENTICITY
SELF-AWARENESS
RESPONSIBILITY
JOURNEY
MEANING
FREEDOM
CHOICE
EMPOWERMENT
DEATH
ANXIETY
OPENNESS
SELF-DETERMINATION