existential therapy
My approach incorporating an existential philosophy focuses on helping you explore and clarify your values, beliefs, assumptions, and experiences about being human, what it means to be human, and how to be in relationship with others. These views are important to be aware of because they influence how we think, feel, and show up in the world, even if we are not clearly aware of them. We grow and develop over the course of our lives so naturally, we are in a constant state of becoming more fully who are are, as long as our authentic selves are the ones defining and redefining those versions of ourselves over time. So many understandable factors can put us in a trance of inauthenticity. For example, maybe you live in the safety of being a people-pleaser because you don't want to be judged or disliked. Essentially, existential therapy is about taking a closer look at your life and way of being in order to work toward becoming someone who lives in alignment with their true self. This is a non-pathologizing perspective which allows space to acknowledge there is no "right" way to be a human, focus on your unique experiences, and empower you to intentionally choose between acceptance and change when appropriate. Common components of existential therapy include the exploration of aspects of being human we all share:
Freedom
Choice
Responsibility
Meaning, Meaninglessness, & Emptiness
Suffering
Isolation
Death
Let go of who you think you're supposed to be and embrace who you are.
My role as your therapist is to help you explore common universals of human existence and provide a safe space for you to explore and define what they mean for you. Emotions are valuable on this journey a you begin to discern their meaning and messages. This work may look closely at your four worlds (defined below) as you challenge and clarify your worldviews.
Physical World
Personal World
Social World
Spiritual World
The goal of existential therapy is to use understanding of your worldviews to inform your decision making process about how to navigate difficulties in a way that allows you to confidently choose or not choose one option while empowering you to feel comfortable taking responsibility for your choices.