Existential Therapy Paper
Issue of the Client
Laura, 47- years old, reported having chronic feelings of dissatisfaction with her life along with recurrent periods of major depression. The mood associated major depression that she experiences include sad mood, loss of interest, difficulties sleeping, fatigue, and self- criticism. Laura also stated that she experiences anxiety in a number of social environments for fear of having nothing to say, coming across as boring, socially inept, and other will then reject her. Her fear of rejection also explains why Laura has been in a long term relationship for over a decade without planning to commit. She believes that if she fully disclose all the contents of her life to her partner he might see her as being too much to …show more content…
Why do we live? Why were we put here? What do we live for? What do we live by? Meaning is the quintessential of the existential givens. It is meaning that can make life worth living to an individual. The end of freedom, death, and isolation all point to meaning. Ultimate meaning is what assist in the surpassing of the existential issues of the other givens, including meaninglessness itself. This type of meaning necessitates relationship with others or a higher power. When one lives with no meaning, goals, or values they become more vulnerable to …show more content…
When in the existential process of therapy for Laura it is the therapist job not to focus on the past, but rather work with Laura to explore the decisions that are in front of her. However retrospection is used to understand the implications of Laura’s past choices and her beliefs that led her to make them. This would be referring to her relationship with her parents, or the lack there of. Getting Laura to understand her past can help her to take control of her present. Through dialogue, a Laura way of seeing the world is exposed, and their assumptions about their issues and fears of not being liked or loveable are re-examined. In the Existential Theory/therapy approach the goal is about accepting that life and work involves both pleasure and pain, sadness and joy, success and failure, good and
Laura, 47- years old, reported having chronic feelings of dissatisfaction with her life along with recurrent periods of major depression. The mood associated major depression that she experiences include sad mood, loss of interest, difficulties sleeping, fatigue, and self- criticism. Laura also stated that she experiences anxiety in a number of social environments for fear of having nothing to say, coming across as boring, socially inept, and other will then reject her. Her fear of rejection also explains why Laura has been in a long term relationship for over a decade without planning to commit. She believes that if she fully disclose all the contents of her life to her partner he might see her as being too much to …show more content…
Why do we live? Why were we put here? What do we live for? What do we live by? Meaning is the quintessential of the existential givens. It is meaning that can make life worth living to an individual. The end of freedom, death, and isolation all point to meaning. Ultimate meaning is what assist in the surpassing of the existential issues of the other givens, including meaninglessness itself. This type of meaning necessitates relationship with others or a higher power. When one lives with no meaning, goals, or values they become more vulnerable to …show more content…
When in the existential process of therapy for Laura it is the therapist job not to focus on the past, but rather work with Laura to explore the decisions that are in front of her. However retrospection is used to understand the implications of Laura’s past choices and her beliefs that led her to make them. This would be referring to her relationship with her parents, or the lack there of. Getting Laura to understand her past can help her to take control of her present. Through dialogue, a Laura way of seeing the world is exposed, and their assumptions about their issues and fears of not being liked or loveable are re-examined. In the Existential Theory/therapy approach the goal is about accepting that life and work involves both pleasure and pain, sadness and joy, success and failure, good and