Existential counselling is a philosophical form of counselling which addresses the situation of a person's life and situates the person firmly within the predictable challenges of the human condition.
Well known authors on existential counselling are Irvin Yalom in the USA through his book Existential Psychotherapy (1981), and Emmy van Deurzen, who created the British School and published Existential Counselling and Psychotherapy in 1988.[1]
Existential counselling considers human living to take place in confrontation with three different dimensions – external world; other people; inner world.[2] Others would nominate four dimensions: physical, social, psychological and spiritual.[3] Each of these dimensions can be seen as constituted like a force field, within which predictable paradoxes, tensions and dilemmas play out. Human beings can learn to deal with these tensions and conflicts more effectively by facing up to the negatives as well as the positives of their lives, including the tensions of life and death, love and hate, strength and weakness and meaning and absurdity.
Personal elementedit
Existential counsellors stress the importance of the examined life, and of preparatory work on oneself, in paving the way for effective counselling.[4] Thus in counselling adolescents the counsellor can optimally model an autonomous life based on the making of realistic decisions, but one which also acknowledges the role of failure as well as success in everyday life, and the ongoing and inescapable presence of anxiety.[5]
Research basisedit
In the debate on evidence-based research in counselling, existential counsellors tend to stress the dangers of over-simplification, and the importance of qualitative as well as quantitative measurements of outcome.[6] While not necessarily expecting an easy resolution of the specific/non-specific factors in therapy debate, an existential counsellor will nonetheless favor evidence-based practice.[7]
^M. Adams, A Concise Introduction to Existential Counselling (2013) p. 25
^E. Berne, A Layman's Guide to Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis (1976) p. 287
^M. Adams, A Concise Introduction to Existential Counselling (2013) p. 25
^H. Johns, Personal Development in Counsellor Training (1996) p. 5-6 and p. 36
^K. and D. Geldard, Counselling Adolescents (2009) p. 76
^R. Woolfe et al, eds., Handbook of Counselling Psychology (2009) p. 145-6
^M. Adams, A Concise Introduction to Existential Counselling (2013) p. 124-6
Further readingedit
D. Langdridge, Existential Counselling and Psychotherapy (2012)
External linksedit
An Introduction to Existential Counselling
April 11, 2024
existential, counselling, philosophical, form, counselling, which, addresses, situation, person, life, situates, person, firmly, within, predictable, challenges, human, condition, well, known, authors, existential, counselling, irvin, yalom, through, book, exi. Existential counselling is a philosophical form of counselling which addresses the situation of a person s life and situates the person firmly within the predictable challenges of the human condition Well known authors on existential counselling are Irvin Yalom in the USA through his book Existential Psychotherapy 1981 and Emmy van Deurzen who created the British School and published Existential Counselling and Psychotherapy in 1988 1 Contents 1 Dimensions of living 2 Personal element 3 Research basis 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksDimensions of living editExistential counselling considers human living to take place in confrontation with three different dimensions external world other people inner world 2 Others would nominate four dimensions physical social psychological and spiritual 3 Each of these dimensions can be seen as constituted like a force field within which predictable paradoxes tensions and dilemmas play out Human beings can learn to deal with these tensions and conflicts more effectively by facing up to the negatives as well as the positives of their lives including the tensions of life and death love and hate strength and weakness and meaning and absurdity Personal element editExistential counsellors stress the importance of the examined life and of preparatory work on oneself in paving the way for effective counselling 4 Thus in counselling adolescents the counsellor can optimally model an autonomous life based on the making of realistic decisions but one which also acknowledges the role of failure as well as success in everyday life and the ongoing and inescapable presence of anxiety 5 Research basis editIn the debate on evidence based research in counselling existential counsellors tend to stress the dangers of over simplification and the importance of qualitative as well as quantitative measurements of outcome 6 While not necessarily expecting an easy resolution of the specific non specific factors in therapy debate an existential counsellor will nonetheless favor evidence based practice 7 See also editDodo bird verdict Existential therapy Gestalt therapy Logotherapy Martin BuberReferences edit M Adams A Concise Introduction to Existential Counselling 2013 p 25 E Berne A Layman s Guide to Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis 1976 p 287 M Adams A Concise Introduction to Existential Counselling 2013 p 25 H Johns Personal Development in Counsellor Training 1996 p 5 6 and p 36 K and D Geldard Counselling Adolescents 2009 p 76 R Woolfe et al eds Handbook of Counselling Psychology 2009 p 145 6 M Adams A Concise Introduction to Existential Counselling 2013 p 124 6Further reading editD Langdridge Existential Counselling and Psychotherapy 2012 External links editAn Introduction to Existential Counselling Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Existential counselling amp oldid 1069233300, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
