Chapter 4
Existential Theory and Therapy
Glossary of Key Terms
Cognitive reframing:
A therapy technique where the therapist helps the client view something from a
different perspective. In existential therapy, this is used to help clients see meaning in
situations where they haven’t encountered meaning.
Daimonic:
A form of psychic energy or an urge that can be the source of both constructive
and destructive impulses.
Dialectic:
A paradox in which learning occurs from exploring and integrating opposites or
polarized perspectives.
Dialectical process:
The way by which Hegel believed ideas and human reasoning evolved. The
process includes the generation of a concept that then fuels the development of an
opposing idea. As a result of the conflict between the ideas a greater level of
understanding and higher level of truth can be reached.
Eigenwelt:
One of the four primary existential ways of being-in-the-world; defined as
being-with-oneself or the world of the self.
Existential integration:
Integration (from Schneider’s existential integrative therapy model, 2008, 2010)
that involves acceptance and integration into one’s whole being the diverse emotional
and sensory experiences such as expansive rage beneath an oppressive sadness or
contractive melancholy beneath an expansive bravado.
Existential philosophy:
An abstract philosophical perspective focused on inevitable conditions humans
face during life, such as death, responsibility, freedom and purpose. Traditionally
dismissive of scientific research, existential therapy is guided by the philosophical
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approach and resulting sensibility of the therapist rather than knowledge gathered from
therapeutic practice or a well-defined body of techniques.
Existential psychodynamics:
Also termed ultimate concerns, these issues include: death, freedom, isolation,
and meaninglessness. Existential therapists help their clients face and embrace and
embrace these ultimate concerns (see also ultimate concerns).
I-Am experience:
The experience of being or existing (see also ontological experience). A major
focus of existential therapy, the I-Am experience is a sense of waking and being
completely tuned into what it’s like to be alive, to exist, to be right here, right now in
this particular moment in time.
Invoking the actual:
A way of being in which an existentialist therapist is tuned into all that is being
communicated by the client in any way and mirrors back all the emotions that the client
is manifesting.
I-Thou relationship:
A deep connection between two individuals that is completely mutual and
celebratory in which both self and other are experienced fully.
Logotherapy:
A therapeutic paradigm developed by Frankl focused on helping clients find
meaning in life. Logotherapy was developed by Frankl after he was imprisoned in Nazi
concentration camps and focuses on confronting clients with their will to meaning and
need to define, choose and pursue what they consider personally meaningful.
Mindfulness:
A traditional Buddhist approach to daily living that emphasizes the acceptance
of one’s thoughts and of challenging life situations. A popular psychotherapeutic
approach at the foundation of dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment
therapy, and mindfulness based cognitive therapy, it also shares important elements
with the existential perspective including suspended judgment, nonstriving, and letting
go of any agenda related directly to curing or fixing in place of acceptance of what is.
Mitwelt:
One of the four primary existential ways of being-in-the-world; mitwelt is
defined as being-with-others or the social world.
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Neurotic anxiety:
One of two types of anxiety identified by the existential perspective, neurotic
anxiety is a feeling of angst out of proportion (either repressed or exaggerated) to the
situation used for avoidance, denial or other destructive responses rather than for
creative or effective reactions.
Neurotic guilt:
One of two types of guilt identified by existentialist theory, neurotic guilt is the
pathologic feeling of guilt that doesn’t serve to help the feeler understand ethical
behavior or decisions, but is instead a twisted, exaggerated, or minimized experience of
guilt justifying or causing maladaptive of pathologic behaviors.
Normal anxiety:
One of two types of anxiety identified by the existential perspective, normal
anxiety is a feeling of angst directly proportional to the situation that is within the
awareness of the individual and can be used creatively and effectively in one’s life.
Normal guilt:
One of the two types of guilt identified by existentialist theory, normal guilt is a
healthy, adaptive feeling that functions as a sensor alerting the individual to what
behaviors, thoughts and actions are ethically correct and morally acceptable.
Ontological experience (see also I-Am experience):
The experience of being from the root words ontos meaning, “to be” and logical
meaning, “the science of.” A major focus of existential therapy, it may be thought of as
waking up and being completely tuned into what it’s like to be alive, to exist, to be here
right now in this particular moment in time.
Paradoxical intention:
A therapeutic technique originally employed by Alfred Adler in which the client
is encouraged to intentionally exaggerate rather than avoid a reality or situation that is
causing them anxiety or difficulty. Also employed and discussed by Frankl, the
deliberate shift in perspective provided by paradoxical intention is therapeutic in
allowing the client distance from the symptom or difficulty reality and even invoking a
bit of humor. Frankl felt that it was a technique that was especially effective for anxiety,
compulsions, and physical symptoms.
Philosophy:
From the Greek roots meaning “love” and “wisdom,” the study of the
fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence.
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Presence:
A term used to describe the therapist’s initial approach to the therapy
relationship. A critical component of an existential approach, presence sets the stage for
the therapeutic interaction, highlights important features of the interaction itself and
impacts the client directly.
Überwelt:
One of the four primary existential ways of being-in-the-world; überwelt is
defined as being-with-the-spiritual or over world.
Ultimate concerns (see also existential psychodynamics):
These define the nature of reality for existential philosophy and serve as the
focus of existential therapy. Ultimate concerns include: death, freedom, isolation, and
meaninglessness. Existential therapists help clients face and embrace these concerns
that can be sources of anxiety, avoidance and maladaptive or neurotic behavior.
Umwelt:
One of the four primary existential ways of being-in-the-world; umwelt is
defined as being-with-nature or the physical world.
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