Existential Therapy

Free will, personal choice and responsibility, and exploring the meaning of life are key parts of how I work. I believe this is the fundamental dignity of being human and love seeing people connect with their own deepest values.

Meaning & purpose in life can help us survive the toughest situations. Unfortunately society often describes it as "finding meaning" so we keep hoping it will happen to us, or we are prescribed a purpose/meaning through religion, family, career, identity, etc. that may no longer be a good fit. Existential therapy helps us recognize that we have the power & responsibility to decide what is meaningful to us, create opportunities to nurture it, & re-evaluate it over the course of our life.

I have been interested in the meaning of life since I first read Man's Search For Meaning 30 years ago. As a cancer patient, I have had a lot of time to consider my own purpose, and I think most people at some point (or many points) in their lives have moments where they contemplate what this all means. I love helping my clients explore the existential concerns of death, freedom, isolation, and meaning.

Existential therapy is another important modality of my practice because it emphasizes a person's free will, self-determination, and the search for meaning as a part of their emotional journey and development. By focusing on my client's agency and ability to improve their conditions, I believe it is an effective form of therapy because it empowers clients towards self-improvement.

My first love was philosophy. I believe that we all struggle with the existential conundrums of the human condition, whether we know it or not, and one or more of them is behind all mental and emotional angst.

I believe that life's struggles and questions have the power to bring meaning and purpose to our existence. I provide a warm, supportive environment to help individuals explore and understand their experiences, feelings and beliefs. My approach integrates elements of existential, humanistic, and psychodynamic theories to help you understand yourself and your place in the world. Let's work together to empower you in your journey towards personal growth and fulfillment.

This is a framework I utilize to help explore experiences and increase meaning making (i.e., logotherapy).

An existential approach to therapy emphasizes the importance of the meaning that each person makes in life and that the path that one takes can only be understood in the context of their unique life experience. This means that the questions, "Who am I?" and "What is the meaning of life" is a personal journey that, ultimately, only the individual can discover for themselves.

Existential Humanistic Psychotherapy has its roots in Existential Philosophy and is concerned with mortality, freedom & responsibility, isolation and meaning. Much of my work is focused on the meaning that my clients create in their lives, their relationship with that for which they are responsible and how this relates to the power and freedom they experience in their lives.

Considering the deeper issues of what it means to be human and exist at this time and in this place. Trying to figure out what the heck it's all about anyway. What do I believe? What do I think is BS? What happens when I die? What is death? Why am I here? What is the point of life? Will I make a difference? What matters most?

Existential therapy is based on existential philosophy. It emphasizes personal responsibility, living a meaningful life, authenticity, and mortality. As a result, existential theory views anxiety as a natural part of the human experience. Trying to live a meaningful life in a world full of possibilities, yet limited time, can be anxiety-inducing. This approach aims to help people navigate this common human dilemma.

I am trained as an Existential Humanistic Therapist. Humanism can be thought of as the idea that humans are not things and deserve dignity and care. Existentialism is an exploration of what it means to be alive. As human beings, we have all identified who we are and what our world is. While it may seem static, set, and given, in truth it is fluid and open to change.

Existential therapy creates space to explore life's fundamental questions about meaning, purpose, and authentic living. Together, we'll examine how you navigate choice, freedom, and responsibility in your life. This approach is particularly helpful when facing major life transitions, relationship challenges, or questioning your direction in life. While we engage with deeper questions, our work remains practical and grounded in your current experiences and goals.

I have a deep appreciation for the place of meaning in human life.

One of the greatest joys for me as a therapist is helping clients walk through the maze of finding and sustaining purpose and meaning in life. What are your needs and desires? How have you been experiencing this human life, and how do you want to experience it? What are the ways you want to show up for yourself, your loved ones, and the world? What does it all mean? Well, that of course depends on the day or mood, but I can support you in finding ways to navigate all of the big questions.

Existential theory suggests that we are all working to grapple with the knowledge that one day, we will die. How we integrate this knowledge impacts the ways that we give meaning to our experiences and the world around us , connect to others, and often feel a pull towards both responsibility and freedom. Existential therapy gives clients the chance to explore how the "big questions" of life are shaping their experiences and behaviors while supporting them to more skillfully live in paradox.

Existential Therapy focuses on free will, self-determination, and the search for meaning. This approach often centers on you rather than on the symptom you are experiencing. The approach emphasizes your capacity to make rational choices and to develop to your maximum potential.