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Introduction
- based on existential philosophers
- most useful for those experiencing life changes
- less about techniques, overall what it means to be human
- belief that humans are constantly trying to find meaning in life
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Capacity for self awareness
- basic dimensions of the human conditions
- we are able to understand ourselves in a greater context
- death, life, meaning, choices, values
- awareness is growth
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Freedom and Responsibility
- the more we are aware of our freedom to make choices, the more responsibility we have over the consequences of our actions/inaction
- people avoid responsibility by denying that they have the freedom to make choices
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Striving for identity and relationship to others
- avoid discovering own identity by adopting others values/expectations
- lose touch with our identity by getting caught up in rituals (doing rather than being)
- we have to discover who we are first, discover lonliness before being with another
- therapy helps to distinguish b/t neurotic attachment and health attachment
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The search for meaning
- since there is no preordained design for living, we struggle to create it ourselves
- struggle for purpose and significance
- therapist should help client create new meaning
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Anxiety as a condition of living
- anxiety is an unavoidable part of becoming aware
- normal anxiety vs neurotic anxiety
- therapist teaches client to use existential anxiety to grow
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Awareness of death and non-being
- awareness of death gives significance to life
- in therapy, get a sense of how much your clients value their time/life
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Therapeutic Goals
- no technique, fundmental belief
- recognize freedoms, choices, responsibility
- see how they are actors, not victims
- act from freedom and responsibility
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Phases of therapy
- Initial phase helps client understand their assumptions about the world
- Middle phases helps them gain insight into own freedom/power and the value of life, change outlook
- Final phase puts change into action
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Contributions
- universal characteristics for all human beings
- freedom, responsibility, death, awareness
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Limitations
- lacks concrete nature
- highly individualistic
- doesn't realize realties of oppression
- not appropriate for seriously disturbed
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