Existential Therapy is most closely associated with Irvin Yalom. Existential Therapists believe that humans are free, responsible for their own lives, and have the potential for self-actualization. It has been said that Existential Therapy is related to Person-Centered, only it is more miserable.The lack of positivism is something that makes it different than Person-Centered. There are four major concerns of life according to Existential Therapy - death, freedom, isolation and meaninglessness. This approach often doesn't bode well with the oppressed because of its focus on individual responsibility.
Guided fantasy is a technique used by Existential Therapists that could be a great benefit to school counselors. A specific scenario that stands out would be to use this technique with students suffering from chronic illness. A counselor could help the student visualize what is meaningful and important, and visualize what it may take to be healthy and happy. This could help the student increase his/her own awareness of the illness, and help increase awareness of what it will take for them to be happy. The student can visualize both positive and negative scenarios. This theory would have to be prefaced with a very strong rapport because of its challenging nature.
Video: Feelings of Responsibility
This video relates to Existential Therapy in many ways. The most obvious way is how the counselor challenges the client. At the very beginning on this session the counselor points out how the client mocks herself at things that aren't actually very funny. He challenges her by asking her if her joking manner is a way to hide the deep down hurt. He explains to the client that it is not healthy to avoid dealing with the real issue. He is putting a lot of responsibility on her to experience her feelings and deal with them.
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