Existential Therapy: Empirical Evidence and Clinical Applications from a Christian Perspective

Existential therapy is a philosophical approach to psychotherapy. It focuses on meaning, freedom, authenticity, and self-awareness in the present moment. This article will cover the empirical evidence for the efficacy or effectiveness of existential therapy and its clinical applications from a Christian perspective.History and TheoryExistential therapy is rooted in existentialism, a philosophy concerned with the meaning of human existence. The tenets of existential philosophy serve as the foundational blocks that drive the theory of existential therapy. Therefore, existential therapy can be considered as both a philosophy and model of therapy. Instead of existing as a unitary modality of therapy, existential therapy encompasses the diversity and variety within existential thought. Thus, "existential psychotherapies" may serve as a more accurate description of the approach (Walsh & McElwain, 2002, p. 254). Nonetheless, this article will use "existential therapy" to refer to the methods of therapy based in existentialism (see Tan, 2011, pp. 102-127).Existential therapy was strongly influenced by philosophers such as Soren Kierkegaard (18131855), Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), Martin Heidegger (1889-1976), Jean-Paul Sartre (19051980), Martin Buber (1878-1965), Gabriel Marcel (1889-1973), Paul Tillich (1886-1965), Edmund Husserl (1859-1938), and Karl Jaspers (1883-1969). Collectively, their work challenged society to consider the purpose and meaning of human existence. Influential psychiatrists and analysts who contributed to the formation of existential therapy include Ludwig Binswanger (1881-1966), Medard Boss (19031991), Viktor Frankl (1905-1997), Rollo May (1909-1994), James Bugental (1915-2008), and Irvin Yalom (1931- )* Each pioneer of existential therapy uniquely integrated existential thought into their work with clients, bridging the gap between philosophy and psychology. Despite each key figure's distinctive existential perspective, they converged on views of human nature and theory of personality.The existential perspective on human nature emphasizes individual freedom to choose one's values and meaning in life. Through the process of defining values and discovering meaning in life, human beings are faced with basic existential questions such as "Where have I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? What do I value?" (Mendelowitz & Schneider, 2008, p. 299). Existential therapy does not view human nature as fixed, fatalistic, or deterministic; rather, individuals are seen as constantly changing and evolving in accordance with their values and meaning in life. Future aspirations, past experiences, and goals influence each individual. Yet, it is awareness in the present moment that allows one to choose freely and responsibly to that which he or she is becoming. Thus, existential therapy views humans as having a dynamic nature due to one's freedom to choose values and meaning in the present moment.Personality is understood as existing as beingin-the-world, or Dasein. One's being and existence in the world coalesce according to the unique way in which he or she perceives and constructs it. There are three dimensions or levels of existence that describe one's relation to the world (i.e., being-in-the- world): Umwelt, Mitwelt, and Eigenwelt (Binswanger, 1963; Boss, 1963). Umwelt (physical dimension) refers to the physical, biological, and natural environments. Comprising both animate and inanimate objects, this includes attitudes toward one's body, natural surroundings, and material possessions. Mitwelt (social dimension) refers to how individuals relate to others in the world. This includes interaction with the culture, race, gender, and class one belongs to. Eigenwelt (psychological dimension) refers to one's inner, personal world. It involves individuals relating to themselves through their subjective experiences, perceptions, evaluations, and reflections. Van Duerzen-Smith (1997, 1998) added an additional dimension, Uberwelt. …