Comments on: Existential Therapy http://www.novicecounselor.com/2009/03/25/existential-therapy/ Different scenarios in counseling and how they are handled by this Novice Counselor Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:32:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Clare Mann http://www.novicecounselor.com/2009/03/25/existential-therapy/comment-page-1/#comment-155 Clare Mann Sun, 30 Aug 2009 01:24:05 +0000 http://www.novicecounselor.com/?p=138#comment-155 Valuable comparisons being made here. I have a few thoughts on the existential perspective. It might be more accurate to consider 'creating meaning' rather than finding it - subtle words but profound in that the notion that 'it exists out there but is as yet illusive' is very different than living with the total co-construction of our reality i.e. that nothing is fixed. The Existential-Phenomenological perspective questions the assumption of fixed identity, instead, seeing Self as a focal point in relation, i.e. the self-in-relation (to others, to itself) rather than a fixed or separate entity. (Heidegger 1962, Spinelli 1994). 'Understanding Jake's condition' might possibly be understood as 'it is measurable and identifiable'. Subtle words again but the key is to 'help Jake understand his predicament' - care must be taken by the therapist not to 'fix' the condition by applying existential concepts as items - instead by using their relationship the client came bring into awareness his worldviews i.e. personal, social, physical and worldviews - which are ever changing and intersubjective. 'Gaining closure' is an interesting notion. A client can be assisted to confront 'their' meanings of endings. 'Closure' is, as with each of our experiences, a highly subjective process - there is no point at which something is ended - it is merely re-oriented within our 'meaning making' existence. Valuable comparisons being made here. I have a few thoughts on the existential perspective. It might be more accurate to consider ‘creating meaning’ rather than finding it – subtle words but profound in that the notion that ‘it exists out there but is as yet illusive’ is very different than living with the total co-construction of our reality i.e. that nothing is fixed. The Existential-Phenomenological perspective questions the assumption of fixed identity, instead, seeing Self as a focal point in relation, i.e. the self-in-relation (to others, to itself) rather than a fixed or separate entity. (Heidegger 1962, Spinelli 1994).

‘Understanding Jake’s condition’ might possibly be understood as ‘it is measurable and identifiable’. Subtle words again but the key is to ‘help Jake understand his predicament’ – care must be taken by the therapist not to ‘fix’ the condition by applying existential concepts as items – instead by using their relationship the client came bring into awareness his worldviews i.e. personal, social, physical and worldviews – which are ever changing and intersubjective.

‘Gaining closure’ is an interesting notion. A client can be assisted to confront ‘their’ meanings of endings. ‘Closure’ is, as with each of our experiences, a highly subjective process – there is no point at which something is ended – it is merely re-oriented within our ‘meaning making’ existence.

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