Existential Phenomenological Psychotherapy
Existential philosophy can be understood as a view of humanity aimed at understanding human existence from their lived experience, where the focus is on understanding the individual's concrete and subjective human existence.
What does it mean to be you? How do you experience the life that is yours? Your dreams, values, pain, needs, desires?
How can you get closer to living the way you want?
The existential approach recognises that every person's experience is unique and that there are a number of factors outside of the person that influence life and actions today. By existential we mean that which relates to or has significance for our human existence. These can be themes such as anxiety, connectedness, loneliness, freedom, factuality, hope, possibilities, choices, limitations, time, death, illness and despair.
The phenomenological method is used to explore how a person experiences themselves and their surroundings. The starting point is to have an eye on the individual, where preconceptions, methods etc. are bracketed in order to meet the other and open up together to explore and discover something new, a deeper understanding that resonates with the other.
In practice, there is an adapted dynamic movement from: this investigative phenomenological openness and attention to what emerges from your story; a shared interpretive gaze that makes sense to you and coupled with existential issues at play in your life; and other times with relevant concrete suggestions, other perspectives, recommendations or tools from my clinical experience and knowledge. The latter may have roots in other psychological directions, but overall, there is an endeavour for the meeting to be aligned and resonate.
Existential phenomenological psychotherapy aims to help you understand how your unique life, personality, experiences, context, limitations and how you view your life and existence can affect your being in the world, your life, your choices and your values. The therapy focuses on personal choice and responsibility, and the opportunity and freedom to define yourself and how you relate to your situation.
Together we explore your feelings, thoughts, actions and situations as they are experienced in the moment. We unfold your experiences and explore your feelings to create a greater understanding, sometimes acceptance, and sometimes a challenge to how else you can shape your life.
With the existential approach, I try to support you in finding more influence where possible and more acceptance where it makes sense. By developing your personal potential, it could be possible to discover and take responsibility where you have influence and thus create meaning and more inner peace with life. I believe that you can be more courageous with life when you experience being seen and touched in encounters with others. Therefore, I cherish care and integrity in our meetings to support you in your journey of getting in touch with your personal potential, responsibility and creating conscious and meaningful choices.