Confronting Existential Concerns Through Existential Therapy

Introduction
Existential concerns—questions about the meaning of life, the inevitability of death, freedom, isolation, and responsibility—are at the core of human existence. While these concerns can provoke deep anxiety, they also offer opportunities for personal growth and transformation. Existential therapy[1] provides a unique and compassionate framework for exploring these fundamental aspects of life, helping individuals confront and embrace their existential realities.

Existential Concerns: The Core Themes
Existential therapy, rooted in the philosophy of thinkers like Søren Kierkegaard, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Martin Heidegger, revolves around addressing the following core existential concerns:

1. Meaninglessness: Humans have an inherent desire to find purpose, yet the world does not provide predefined meaning. Viktor Frankl, in Man’s Search for Meaning, emphasized that individuals must create their own meaning, even in the face of suffering (Frankl, 1946).[2]
2. Death: Awareness of mortality can provoke profound fear but also encourage living a more intentional life.[3] Irvin Yalom describes death as the “ultimate boundary” that shapes the choices we make and the meaning we ascribe to our lives.[4]
3. Freedom and Responsibility: With freedom comes the weight of responsibility. Jean-Paul Sartre argued that humans are “condemned to be free,” meaning we must own our choices and their consequences.
4. Isolation: Despite deep connections with others, humans remain fundamentally alone in their subjective experiences. Existential therapy helps individuals grapple with this isolation while fostering authentic relationships.

How Existential Therapy Addresses Existential Concerns
Existential therapy provides a space for individuals to confront these concerns, explore their fears, and move toward a more authentic and fulfilling life. Its approach is rooted in the following principles:

1. Acceptance of Existential Anxiety: Existential therapy views anxiety not as a pathology but as a natural response to confronting life’s uncertainties and limitations. By normalizing this anxiety, therapists help individuals transform it into a catalyst for personal growth and self-discovery.[5]
2. Cultivating Meaning and Purpose: Therapists guide individuals in identifying what matters most to them and how they can align their lives with these values.[6] Frankl’s logotherapy, a branch of existential therapy, emphasizes the power of meaning in overcoming despair, even in the harshest circumstances (Frankl, 1946).
3. Embracing Freedom and Responsibility: Existential therapy encourages individuals to take ownership of their choices, helping them recognize their agency even within external constraints. This empowerment fosters resilience and a sense of control over one’s life trajectory.
4. Balancing Connection and Solitude: While acknowledging the inevitability of existential isolation, therapy also focuses on fostering authentic connections with others.[7] This duality allows individuals to appreciate both their independence and their relationships.

Applications of Existential Therapy
Existential therapy is particularly effective in addressing:

1. Anxiety and Depression: Rooted in fears of meaninglessness, isolation, or existential guilt, these conditions can be explored through a lens of personal responsibility and meaning.
2. Life Transitions: Major changes—such as career shifts, aging, or loss—often evoke existential concerns. Therapy provides tools to navigate these transitions with clarity and purpose.
3. Trauma and Grief: By addressing existential fears, therapy helps individuals process loss and rediscover meaning.[8]

The Transformative Potential of Confronting Existential Concerns
Confronting existential concerns is not about eliminating fear or uncertainty but about embracing life’s ambiguities and contradictions. Existential therapy transforms existential anxiety into an opportunity for deeper self-awareness, meaningful action, and authentic living.

Questions for Reflection

1. What does “freedom” mean in your life, and how do you navigate its challenges?
2. How do you currently create meaning in your daily experiences?
3. In what ways do you avoid or confront existential anxiety?

Conclusion
Existential therapy is a powerful tool for addressing the core questions of existence. By encouraging individuals to face their fears of death, isolation, freedom, and meaninglessness, it fosters a life of authenticity and purpose. In a world that often seeks to avoid discomfort, existential therapy invites us to confront the profound truths of being human—and to find beauty and strength in the process.

[1] Van Deurzen, Emmy. “Existential therapy.” The Handbook of Individual Therapy. sixth ed. London, England: Sage (2014): 155-178.

[2] Israeli, Noam. “Meaning and meaninglessness of the self.” Re-Visioning Existential Therapy. Routledge, 2020. 227-236.

[3] Vos, Joel. “Death in existential psychotherapies: A critical review.” Curing the dread of death: theory, research and practice 145 (2018).

[4] Berry-Smith, Stephen Frederick. Death, freedom, isolation and meaninglessness and the existential psychotherapy of Irvin D. Yalom. Diss. Auckland University of Technology, 2012.

[5] Rey, Kaleigh. “Existential therapy: Supporting youth through anxiety.” (2018).

[6] Russo-Netzer, Pninit, Stefan E. Schulenberg, and Alexander Batthyany, eds. Clinical perspectives on meaning: Positive and existential psychotherapy. Springer, 2016.

[7] Ratanashevorn, Rattanakorn, and Emily C. Brown. ““Alone in the Rain (bow)”: Existential Therapy for Loneliness in LGBTQ+ Clients.” Journal of LGBTQ Issues in Counseling 15.1 (2021): 110-127.

[8] Wilmshurst, Kaitlin. “An integrated existential framework for trauma theory.” Canadian Social Work Review 37.2 (2020): 131-147.