Existentialism is a philosophical approach to understanding human existence. The nineteenth and twentieth century saw the emergence of many philosophers and thinkers such as Kierkegaard, Jaspers, Marcel, Sartre, Camus, Nietzsche and Buber all of whom greatly influenced existential therapy. During a period in Europe where civil disturbances, localised wars and where two world-wide wars took place, ideologies and the recklessness of humanity came into question. A growing interest in existentialism could be perceived throughout literature, art, philosophy and education. After the Renaissance and Scientific Revolution there was a decline in religious faith and this left many feeling lost and devoid of values and any sense of direction (Corey …show more content…
Greatly influenced by Alfred Adler, he studied under him in Vienna. Later, on returning to America, May was greatly affected by how American society had developed and became disheartened by the seeming collapse of values and those seeking therapy for identity problems. In his book “The Cry for Myth” May proposes “as long as the highest goal remains making money, as long as we teach practically no ethics by example in home or in government, as long as these young people are not inspired to form a philosophy of life, and as long as television is overloaded with aggression and sex with no mentors in learning to love – as long as these obtain, there will continue to be among young people such frightening depression and suicide” (1999, pg. 21).
May viewed Myth and value formation as hugely significant, “Myths are like the beams in a house: not exposed to outside view, they are the structure that holds the house together so people can live in it” (May, 1999, pg. 15). Much of his therapeutic focus and writings encompassed the areas of depression, anxiety and suicide. He focused on helping clients find meaning rather than just focussing on their difficulties in their lives (Tan,
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In his classic text Existential Psychotherapy (1980) he outlines a very comprehensive approach to existential therapy. He integrates the views of many of the aforementioned philosophers, theologians and therapists and focuses on four ultimate human concerns: death, freedom, isolation and meaninglessness (Tan, 2011). Of death he writes, “The fear of death plays a major role in our internal experience; it haunts as does nothing else; it rumbles continuously under the surface; it is a dark, unsettling presence at the rim of consciousness” (Yalom, 1998, pg. 183). Yalom noted books can be therapy and during this time bibliotherapy took off in America. Viktor Frankl was the founder of the existential therapy called Logotherapy. It focusses on an individual’s search for meaning in life as the most fundamental of human motivations. Frankl suggests meaning can be discovered by experiencing values such as love, significant work or enduring suffering (Tan, 2011). Indeed, there is a crossover in the thinking of Yalom and Frankl. Yalom believed in making the world a better place (Altruism) and Frankl states “it did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us” (Frankl E. V., 2004, pg.
Stierlin, Helm. "Existentialism Meets Psychotherapy." Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 24 (1963): 215-39. Jstor. Web. 7 Feb. 2014.
Existentialism is a philosophical movement rooted in the work of the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, who lived in the mid-1800s. The movement gained popularity in the mid-1900s thanks to the work of the French intellectuals Jean-Paul Sartre, and Albert Camus, including Sartre’s Being and Nothingness (1943). According to existentialists, life has no purpose, the universe is indifferent to human beings, and humans must look to their own actions to create meaning, if it is possible to create meaning at all. Existentialists consider questions of personal freedom and responsibility.Existentialism, better classified as a movement rather than a doctrine of philosophy, emerged in the mid to
classicmoviescripts/script/seventhseal.txt. Internet. 4 May 2004. Blackham, H. J. Six Existentialist Thinkers. New York: Harper, 1952. Choron, Jacques. Death and Western Thought. New York: Collier Books, 1963.
Existentialists believe that “to live is to suffer; to survive is to find meaning in the suffering”. Despite all the horrific experiences in the concentration, Viktor Frankl is determined to not lose the significance of his life and succumb to the cruelty of his situation. With the use of three literary techniques- argumentation, rhetoric, and style- Frankl gives his proposition warrant that a man will not find meaning in his life by searching for it; he must give his life significance by answering questions life asks him.
Existentialism as a distinct philosophical and literary movement belongs to the 19th and 20th centuries. Although existentialism is impossible to define, some of its common themes can be identified. One of the major theme is the stress on concrete individual existence and, consequently, on subjectivity, individual freedom, and choice. 19th century Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, was the first writer to call himself existential. He wrote in his journal, "I must find a truth that is true for me . . . the idea for which I can live or die.
The clinicians that use the approach of the humanistic-existential model believe that to function properly, humans, throughout their lives, have a need to develop perceptions and beliefs about oneself and to accept and value their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors regardless of the consequences (Comer, 2016, pg. 58). Humanists argue that people are born good and over the course of their lives, they seek to fulfill their potential known as self-actualization (Comer, 2016, pg. 58). Existentialists believe that human comes to this world with the ability and freedom to choose their destiny and give purpose to their lives (Comer, 2016, pg. 58). From both perspectives, practitioners consider abnormality to be rooted in childhood as a result of
Throughout Viktor Frankl’s life and struggles he discovered and developed his theory of logotherapy. Frankl has helped many patients find meaning in their lives by having them create a work, finding the meaning in love, or by finding the meaning behind hopeless suffering. He has helped people discover these by using different techniques like paradoxical intention, dereflexion, or Socratic dialogue. Thus, to choose one’s attitude in any circumstance allows one to choose one’s way. This saying if a man cannot find meaning in his suffering, then it is easy for him to lose hope or faith. According to Viktor Frankl, man’s deepest desire is to search for meaning and purpose in one’s life.
Existential therapy through the eyes of Dr. Yalom is very fascinating. There is never a fixed life that each person is supposed to live. In his therapy the clients are allowed to find out for themselves what it is they need by receiving adequate questioning from Dr. Yalom. His questioning guides them down the existential path to freedom and responsibility.
Existential therapy is concerned with one’s being; the world in which they live, the implication of time, and the mindfulness of being whole. The basic dimensions of the human condition, according to the existential approach, include (1) the capacity for self-awareness; (2) freedom and responsibility; (3) creating one’s identity and establishing meaningful relationships with other; (4) the search for meaning, purpose, values, and goals; (5) anxiety as a condition of living; and (6) awareness of death and nonbeing. All give significance to living and explore the degree to which a client is doing the things they value.
Existential therapy focuses on the positive approach of looking at an individual as whole, incorporating multiple factors and tendencies to applaud human capacities and acknowledgement. Fridrich Nietzsche is a philosopher who is known as the founder of existential theory by theorizing that any individual can overcome any event or concern through internal wisdom and self powerment. In fact, I believe existential therapy is closely related and are similar to multiple approaches, such as the humanistic approach by looking at the concept of individuals having moral, internal ethical values which drives their behavior in a positive aspect. Due to this, existential therapy focuses on the good within individuals bringing out positive attributions
Existentialism is a term that was coined specifically by Jean-Paul Sartre in regards to his own life. Sartre had adopted the Atheistic approach to life and its meaning, and while he was not the first or only one to do so, was the first and only one to come up with a way to describe it. Under Existentialism, man lives without higher power or guidance and must rely solely on himself and what he is aiming to do in order to lead a fulfilling life. This can be anything. Critics of Sartre propose that, because such a vast array of options exists within the meaningfulness of life, this philosophy is obsolete and trivial in nature. This is not true, as it is seen in everyday examples – celebrities, namely – that a thirst
Existentialism is a very broad topic with no exact definition, and it has been interpreted in many different ways by various philosophers. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, existentialism is defined as “a chiefly 20th century philosophical movement embracing diverse doctrines but centering on analysis of individual existence in an unfathomable universe and the plight of the individual who must assume ultimate responsibility for acts of free will without any certain knowledge of what is right or wrong or good or bad”. Existentialism has influenced many authors works and lives, such as the novelist Hermann Hesse. A particular work by Hesse that was heavily influenced by his existentialist beliefs was his book, Steppenwolf. Steppenwolf
Existentialism is the epitome of the unknown. There is no straightforward explanation of what exactly it is, there is only certain characteristics and behaviors that describe existentialist views. Throughout today’s world, there are examples of it everywhere, it’s found in movies, books, songs, and just people in general. Existentialists are known to think and do for themselves only. They believe that to understand what it means to be human requires understanding of themselves first. Some very well known pieces of entertainment existentialism is found in are: Hamlet by William Shakespeare, The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, The Stranger by Albert Camus, and The Breakfast Club by John Hughes. The Stranger is a book written about a young man whose mother dies, which soon leads him to becoming acquainted with the feeling of not caring about what his actions do to others or himself. The main character Meursault starts helping his friend Raymond, carry out ways to torment his mistress. Out of nowhere while at the beach, Meursault shoots Raymond’s mistress’s brother. He is thrown into jail and tried, but he seems to not be affected as much as he should about his actions. He first finds it hard to live without cigarettes, women, and nature, but he soon finds out he doesn’t need any of those. After being sentenced to death, he is suggested to turn away from his atheism but later realizes that human existence has no greater meaning. This realization and acceptance is what truly makes him happy (Camus). Next, The Breakfast Club is a very relatable movie about high school students suffering the consequences of their actions in detention. The kids are all of ...
The existential approach to therapy has six key propositions: (1) We are able to be self-aware, (2) We need to be responsible for our choices that we make freely, (3) We are allowed to be who we are, (4) Things can always change, (5) Anxiety is a normal feeling, and (6) Death is inevitable (Corey & Corey, 2014). There are different types of existential therapy, but the main purpose remains the same. It is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day stress of life. One could easily forget that they are in control of their actions and reactions. “The aim of therapy is that the patient experiences his existence as real…which includes becoming aware of his
Further to the meaning of existentialism, Frankl emphasizes that logotherapy is not only an analysis of the client, but it is also a therapy in which the therapist and client enter into guided therapy as the client begins to determine their purpose and how they can accomplish this through changes in behavior and thought. In the article, Frankl also presents existential therapy not in opposition to Freud’s psychoanalysis but in addition to Freud’s work, stating that “psychoanalysis promotes the self-understanding of man” (Frankl, 1967). As Frankl expresses in the paper, “there are just as many existential therapies as therapist” (Frankl, 1967) but in the textbook Burger shares that Frankl is so aligned with existentialism that he would be labeled as an existential psychologist (Burger, 2015).