Existential Therapy: Finding Meaning in Life’s Big Questions

At some point, most of us ask ourselves deep questions:

• Who am I?
• What really matters to me?
• What’s my purpose?
• “What is the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything?”

These moments can feel unsettling – even overwhelming – especially during life changes/transitions, personal crises, or times of loss. Existentialism and Existential therapy form a powerful approach that helps people explore these questions, uncover meaning, and create a life that feels authentic and purposeful.

What Is Existential Therapy?

Existential Therapy is a form of therapy that is built on existential philosophical thought and humanism. In a nutshell, existentialism deals with ideas such as meaning in life, mortality, and purpose. You may have heard the term ‘existential crisis’, in which an individual experiences anxiety and dread, as well as questioning one’s life, one’s purpose and meaning in life.

Existential Therapy centres around the above-mentioned issues. Some individuals come to therapy following a loss or at certain life stages. These life stages are sometimes humorously dubbed ‘quarterlife’ or ‘midlife crisis’. However, these experiences are far from funny.

Existential Therapy does not concentrate on symptoms or problems, and rather endeavours to delve deeper in exploring meaning within one’s life. Existential issues can be a reason someone comes to therapy or sometimes these issues come up during a therapy process.

It’s not hard to believe that the above-mentioned questions become a part of one’s therapeutic journey. These deep questions are things that many people may ponder at several points in their lives. They are a part of the human condition. They deserve to be explored and questioned.

Viktor E. Frankl wrote one of the most succinct and easiest to read books on this topic, have a look at ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’. Should you wish to discuss Existential Therapy or book an appointment, I am available at Thrive Psychology.

• Steve