Existential Therapy

My training includes an existential therapy bent, which focuses on the eternal dilemmas of being human: choice, responsibility, mortality, and ambiguity. Just because we can't change it doesn't mean we can't address it! I can help you wrestle authentically with life's big questions in a safe, secure setting.

As a subscriber to existentialism and existential therapy, I identify as a fellow traveler with an awareness of the ultimate concerns of human existence such as freedom, death, isolation, and meaning and purpose of life. We are all in this together. No person is immune to the inherent tragedies of existence. Sharing the essence of the human condition becomes the bedrock of the therapeutic work.

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 focuses on the individual, rather than the symptoms. Existential Therapy explores one’s search for meaning, free will, and self-determination in order to increase self-awareness and self-understanding.

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.

I am very interested in how things are interpreted and what meaning we give to things, events, relationships, and life experiences. I believe everyone is different and are just looking for where they fit in their lives and in the universe. The meaning we give to these things influences how we behave and interact with ourselves and others.

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.

Finding ways to think outside of the box and seeing the world around us in a new light, embracing the beautiful mystery of it all, can provide profound discoveries within ourselves and in sessions.

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 use tenets of Gestalt and Existential therapy in my work, as I believe that we all gravitate naturally towards self-determination and holistic congruence. Self-examination and self-awareness are key steps for this - supported in therapy. I use tenets of Gestalt therapy in association with existential therapy: such as immediacy, the therapeutic relationship, and individual responsibility.

My existential approach offers a non-judgmental space to explore the uncertainty, tension, and paradox of being human. I help clients navigate life’s complexities, fostering self-agency, authenticity, and meaning. Through this work, I gently empower individuals to embrace tough choices, confront challenges, and create a life that aligns with their deepest values in an increasingly chaotic world.

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.

Many of my clients are attracted to exploring philosophical themes in their lives, whether that is the philosophical narratives that inform their day-to-day lives, relationships, or worldview. I find that therapy can feel like applied philosophy, by exploring the values we hold about how the world works, why we do what we do, and what we truly desire. It is incredible how sometimes a challenging exploration of our personal philosophy can create deep and lasting changes in how we navigate life.

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

Existential-humanistic therapy is a relational approach that recognizes the importance of creating a therapy environment that helps clients deepen their awareness of themselves. Existential-humanistic therapy also recognizes the importance of addressing issues of freedom and responsibility, meaning, relationships, and working with one's potential and limitations. Rollo May, one of the founders of this approach, noted that the purpose of psychotherapy is to set people free.

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 practice existential therapy by focusing on areas of your life in which you can promote a greater sense of meaning and purpose, interpersonal connection, freedom, and fearlessness. I embrace the discomfort of not knowing the answer to all of life's questions, and strive to help my clients ease their anxiety about the great unknowns. Realizing that life's decisions can not always be put into boxes of "right" or "wrong" helps clients become more confident and assertive about making choices.