In the modern world, where global crises—economic, environmental, and social—have become an integral part of our reality, the search for meaning in life takes on special significance. People face unprecedented challenges: from labor market instability to the threat of environmental catastrophe or war, from political uncertainty to the consequences of pandemics.
These events not only change the external conditions of life but also deeply affect a person’s inner world, forcing them to ask questions like, “What is the purpose of all this?” “What is the meaning of my life?” and “How can I find stability in this chaos?” During such periods of uncertainty and change, existential questions that may have once seemed abstract become acutely relevant.
Amid these global upheavals, more and more people are experiencing anxiety—a profound sense of unease tied to the awareness of life’s finitude, the freedom of choice, and the responsibility for one’s decisions. Social media and the noise of information only amplify this state, creating an illusion of connection with others while leaving individuals alone with their inner fears and doubts.
Many feel lost, as if drifting without a clear understanding of where they are going or why. This state of emptiness, described by Viktor Frankl, is becoming increasingly common: people have everything they need for a comfortable life, yet they feel a void and a lack of meaning.
In such conditions, existential psychotherapy offers not just support but also a profound tool for addressing these challenges. It helps individuals not only cope with anxiety and fears but also find opportunities for growth, re-evaluating their lives, and discovering genuine meaning. After all, it is in moments of instability, when familiar supports crumble, that a person has the chance to look deep within themselves, ask important questions, and find answers that enable them to live more consciously and fully.
What is Existential Psychotherapy?
Existential psychotherapy is a unique approach in psychology that focuses on the deepest and most fundamental questions of human existence. Unlike other psychotherapeutic approaches, which often concentrate on eliminating symptoms or solving specific problems, existential psychotherapy addresses the essence of being: the meaning of life, freedom, responsibility, loneliness, the finitude of life, and other themes that concern every person at some point in their journey.
The philosophical roots of existential psychotherapy trace back to the works of thinkers such as Søren Kierkegaard, Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, Karl Jaspers, and Viktor Frankl. Kierkegaard, for example, spoke about the importance of individual choice and the need to live an “authentic life” despite anxiety and uncertainty. Heidegger, in his work Being and Time, explored the concept of “being-toward-death,” emphasizing that the awareness of life’s finitude can become a powerful stimulus for more meaningful existence. Sartre, in turn, focused on freedom and responsibility, asserting that humans are “condemned to be free” and must create their own meaning in life.
A special place in the development of existential psychotherapy belongs to Viktor Frankl, the founder of logotherapy. Having endured the horrors of concentration camps, he concluded that even in the most inhumane conditions, people can find meaning in life if they turn to their inner resources.
Existential psychotherapy does not offer ready-made answers or universal solutions. Its goal is to help individuals confront themselves, ask important questions, and find their own answers. This process requires courage, honesty, and a willingness to face uncertainty. But this is precisely its strength: it does not merely heal but also inspires, helping individuals become the authors of their own lives, even in an era of crises and change.
Key Themes of Existential Psychotherapy
Existential psychotherapy addresses the deepest and most universal aspects of human existence. Its key themes are not merely abstract philosophical concepts but real-life questions that every person faces throughout their life. These themes become especially relevant during times of crisis, when familiar supports crumble, and individuals are left alone with themselves, their fears, and doubts. By exploring these themes, existential psychotherapy helps not only to cope with difficulties but also to find in them a source of growth, reflection, and authenticity.
Each of the key themes of existential psychotherapy is a kind of challenge that requires courage, honesty, and a willingness for self-reflection. Freedom and responsibility, the search for meaning, loneliness and connection with others, death and finitude—these are not just questions for contemplation but real aspects of life that influence our decisions, relationships, and perception of the world. Working with these themes helps individuals not only understand themselves better but also learn to live more consciously, embracing life in all its fullness, with its joys and sorrows, light and dark sides.
Freedom and Responsibility
One of the central themes of existential psychotherapy is freedom. Unlike other approaches that may view individuals as products of external circumstances or internal conflicts, existential psychotherapy emphasizes that humans are always free in their choices. Even in the most challenging conditions, we have the ability to choose how to respond to events, how to interpret them, and how to act. However, this freedom is inextricably linked to responsibility. Every choice we make has consequences, and we are responsible for how our lives unfold.
For many, the realization of their freedom can be both inspiring and frightening. On one hand, it opens up limitless possibilities for self-realization and creativity. On the other, it requires the courage to make decisions and take responsibility for their outcomes. Existential psychotherapy helps individuals learn to live with this freedom, without escaping into illusions of predetermination or dependence on external circumstances. It teaches them to accept responsibility as an integral part of human existence and to find in it a source of strength and confidence.
The Meaning of Life
The search for meaning is perhaps the most well-known theme of existential psychotherapy, thanks to the work of Viktor Frankl, who argued that the pursuit of meaning is the primary driving force of human beings, and its absence leads to an existential vacuum, manifesting as apathy, depression, and a sense of emptiness. However, the meaning of life is not something given from the outside; it is something each person must find for themselves.
In times of uncertainty, when familiar values and reference points lose their relevance, the search for meaning becomes particularly challenging. Existential psychotherapy helps individuals not only ask themselves important questions (“What truly matters to me?” “What do I want to dedicate my life to?”) but also find answers that resonate with their inner values and experiences. This meaning may be related to creativity, relationships, helping others, or simply finding joy in small things. What matters is not the meaning itself but the process of searching for it, which makes life more conscious and fulfilling.
Loneliness and Connection with Others
Existential loneliness is the realization that each of us is ultimately alone in our existence. No one can fully understand our inner world, our experiences, and our fears. This loneliness is inevitable and can evoke feelings of anxiety and despair. However, existential psychotherapy offers a different perspective on this loneliness.
Accepting one’s loneliness can become a source of strength and freedom. It helps individuals recognize their uniqueness and learn to rely on themselves. At the same time, existential psychotherapy emphasizes the importance of connection with others. Although we cannot completely overcome our loneliness, we can learn to build deep, genuine relationships that help us feel less isolated. This balance between accepting our separateness and striving for closeness makes life more harmonious.
Death and Finitude
The theme of death holds a special place in existential psychotherapy. The awareness of our finitude can evoke fear and anxiety, but it can also become a powerful stimulus for a more meaningful life. As Martin Heidegger said, the awareness of “being-toward-death” helps us understand that our time is limited and that every moment of life is valuable.
Existential psychotherapy helps individuals not to run away from thoughts of death but to use them as a tool for re-evaluating their lives. When we realize that our time is not infinite, we begin to approach our decisions, relationships, and goals more consciously. We learn to appreciate what we have and find meaning even in the most mundane moments. Thus, the awareness of death becomes not a source of fear but a stimulus for a fuller and more enriched life.
These key themes of existential psychotherapy are not just theoretical concepts but practical tools that help individuals live more consciously, deeply, and meaningfully. They remind us that even in times of uncertainty and crisis, life can be filled with meaning if we are willing to confront ourselves, accept our freedom and responsibility, and learn to see the value in every moment.
Existential Crises in the Modern World
Existential crises are not just individual experiences; they reflect broader social and cultural processes. The modern world, with its accelerated pace of life, information overload, and technological changes, creates conditions in which it becomes increasingly difficult for individuals to maintain a connection with themselves and their values.
Technologies that were supposed to make life easier and more comfortable often amplify feelings of isolation and anxiety. Social media, instead of bringing people together, frequently leave individuals alone with their fears and doubts. In such conditions, existential crises become an integral part of the modern human experience, requiring new approaches to understanding oneself and one’s place in the world.
Loss of Meaning in the Face of Global Challenges
The global crises of recent years—the COVID-19 pandemic, military conflicts, environmental threats—force people to reconsider their views on life and its meaning. When the familiar world collapses and the future seems unpredictable, many begin to ask themselves, “What is the purpose of all this?” The loss of meaning becomes particularly acute in situations where individuals face restrictions, isolation, or threats to their lives.
The pandemic, for example, not only changed the daily lives of millions but also made many reflect on the fragility of human existence. Wars and conflicts remind us how quickly familiar structures can crumble. Environmental threats, such as climate change, call into question the very possibility of a future for the next generations. In such conditions, traditional sources of meaning—work, family, career—can lose their significance, leaving individuals in a state of existential vacuum.
Existential psychotherapy helps people find new sources of meaning in these challenging conditions. It reminds us that even in the most difficult circumstances, individuals can find support in their inner values, relationships with loved ones, or the desire to contribute to the common good.
The Role of Technology and Social Media in Amplifying Feelings of Isolation and Anxiety
Technology and social media, which were supposed to make the world more connected, often have the opposite effect. On one hand, they provide unlimited opportunities for communication and self-expression. On the other, they create an illusion of closeness, behind which lies a deep sense of loneliness. People spend hours on social media, comparing their lives to the idealized images of others, which intensifies feelings of inadequacy and anxiety.
Moreover, information overload caused by the constant flow of news and notifications makes individuals more vulnerable to stress and anxiety. We live in a world where bad news spreads faster than good news, creating a sense of constant threat. In such conditions, it becomes increasingly difficult for individuals to maintain inner peace and focus on what truly matters.
Existential psychotherapy helps people become aware of how technology affects their lives and learn to use it more mindfully. This may include digital detoxes, as well as developing self-reflection skills that help individuals stay connected with themselves.
Identity Crisis and the Search for Self in a Rapidly Changing World
The modern world is changing at an incredible pace, creating challenges for the formation and maintenance of identity. Traditional roles and norms that once provided a sense of stability are now often outdated or irrelevant. Individuals may feel lost, unsure of who they are or where they are headed.
Identity crises manifest in various forms: from a loss of interest in work or studies to a feeling that life is passing them by. Many people face societal pressures that demand they conform to certain standards of success, beauty, or behavior. This pressure can lead to internal conflict, where individuals feel they are not living their own lives.
Existential psychotherapy helps us find ourselves in this chaos. It encourages exploring one’s values, interests, and aspirations to create a more authentic identity. This is a process that takes time and courage, but in the end, it helps individuals live more consciously and in harmony with themselves.
Existential crises in the modern world are not just challenges but also opportunities for personal growth and re-evaluation. They compel us to ask important questions, seek new meanings, and learn to live with uncertainty.
How Does Existential Psychotherapy Help in Coping with Crises?
Crises, whether personal or global, often expose our fears, doubts, and existential anxieties. They force us to reflect on the meaning of life, our freedom, responsibility, and the finitude of existence. It is in such moments that existential psychotherapy becomes particularly valuable, helping not only to cope with difficulties but also to find in them a source of inspiration and re-evaluation.
The primary goal of existential psychotherapy is to help individuals confront themselves, accept their freedom and responsibility, and learn to live with uncertainty. This is not always an easy process, but it opens the door to a more conscious and fulfilling life.
Working with Existential Anxiety: How to Embrace Uncertainty
Existential anxiety is a natural response to the awareness of the fundamental aspects of human existence: freedom, responsibility, loneliness, and finitude. During crises, this anxiety can intensify, causing feelings of being lost, fear, and helplessness. However, existential psychotherapy suggests not fighting this anxiety but accepting it as an integral part of life.
Embracing uncertainty is a key aspect of working with existential anxiety. Instead of trying to control every aspect of life, individuals learn to live with openness to what may happen. This does not mean passivity but rather a readiness to adapt and find meaning even in the most challenging situations. Existential psychotherapy helps individuals develop inner resilience, allowing them to stay connected with themselves and their values, even when the external world seems chaotic and unpredictable.
The Search for Personal Meaning: Methods and Approaches
One of the most well-known methods for addressing existential crises is logotherapy, which helps individuals find meaning even in the most difficult circumstances, whether it be personal loss, illness, or global crises.
Existential psychotherapy offers various approaches to finding meaning. This may involve working with values that are important to the individual, exploring their unique experiences and talents, or seeking ways to contribute to the lives of others. For example, a person may find meaning in caring for loved ones, creativity, professional activities, or volunteering.
Developing Mindfulness and Presence in the Present Moment
During crises, individuals often become trapped in a cycle of anxious thoughts about the future or painful memories of the past. Existential psychotherapy helps refocus attention on the present moment, cultivating mindfulness and presence. This is not just a relaxation technique but a way to live more fully and deeply, embracing each moment as unique and valuable.
Mindfulness allows individuals to better understand their emotions, thoughts, and needs, which helps them make more balanced decisions and find inner stability. This is especially important in times of uncertainty, when external circumstances can change very quickly. By developing mindfulness, individuals learn to find joy and meaning in simple things, such as spending time with loved ones, nature, or creative pursuits.
Strengthening Inner Resources
During crises, external supports—such as work, finances, or social status—can prove unreliable. Existential psychotherapy helps strengthen inner resources that remain with individuals even in the most challenging conditions. These may include personal values, such as honesty, compassion, or a thirst for knowledge, deep relationships with loved ones, or creative outlets that allow for self-expression and the discovery of new meanings.
Strengthening inner resources is a process that takes time and self-reflection. Existential psychotherapy helps individuals explore their values, find strength in them, and build a life that aligns with their deepest beliefs. This not only helps in coping with crises but also makes life more harmonious.
Case Studies
Existential psychotherapy is not just a theoretical approach but a practical tool that helps people find meaning and cope with crises in real life. The stories of clients who have undergone existential psychotherapy demonstrate how working with profound questions of existence can transform lives, even in the most challenging circumstances. These stories are not only examples of successful therapy but also inspiring testimonies of how individuals can find inner strength, re-evaluate their values, and discover new life meanings.
Brief Stories of Clients Who Found Meaning in Difficult Life Situations
- Anna’s Story: Job Loss as an Opportunity for Self-Realization. Anna, a successful manager at a large company, lost her job during an economic crisis. At first, she felt empty and worthless, as her career had been the primary source of meaning in her life. In therapy, Anna began exploring her values and realized that her job had provided not only satisfaction but also a sense of security. However, the crisis became an opportunity for her to reflect on what she truly wanted from life. Through therapy, Anna realized she had always dreamed of pursuing art but was afraid to take risks. Gradually, she started painting and discovered a new passion. Today, Anna not only finds meaning in her creativity but also shares her work with others, inspiring them to find their own paths.
- Dmitry’s Story: Re-evaluating Life After the Loss of a Loved One. Dmitry faced a deep existential crisis after the death of his father. He felt lost, asking himself, “Why live if we all die anyway?” In therapy, Dmitry began exploring the theme of life’s finitude and realized that the awareness of death could be a stimulus for a more meaningful life. He decided to dedicate his time to what truly mattered to him: relationships with loved ones, traveling, and helping others. Dmitry started volunteering at a charity organization, which gave him a sense of purpose and connection with others.
- Marina’s Story: Finding Herself After Divorce. Marina, a mother of two, went through a difficult divorce that left her feeling lonely and uncertain about the future. In therapy, she began exploring her identity and realized that she had been living for others for a long time, neglecting her own needs and dreams. Existential psychotherapy helped Marina find new sources of meaning: she started practicing yoga, which gave her a sense of inner peace, and launched a small business that became not only a source of income but also a way to fulfill herself.
How Existential Psychotherapy Helped Them Cope with the Crisis?
- Working with Existential Anxiety. In all these stories, working with existential anxiety played a key role. Anna, Dmitry, and Marina learned to embrace uncertainty and find opportunities for growth within it. For example, Anna was able to see her job loss not only as a loss but also as a chance for self-realization. Dmitry, confronted with the theme of death, found in it a stimulus for a more meaningful life. Marina, experiencing loneliness, learned to find strength in herself and her interests.
- Search for Personal Meaning. Existential psychotherapy helped each client find their unique meaning. For Anna, it was creativity; for Dmitry, helping others; and for Marina, taking care of herself and her children. Logotherapy, as a method of finding meaning, played an important role in these stories, showing that even in the most difficult situations, one can find something that makes life valuable.
- Developing Mindfulness and Presence. All the clients learned to live more mindfully, focusing on the present moment. Anna began noticing the beauty in simple things, such as the process of creating art. Dmitry learned to cherish moments spent with loved ones. Marina became more attentive to her needs and emotions, which helped her build more harmonious relationships with herself and others.
- Strengthening Inner Resources. Through therapy, Anna, Dmitry, and Marina found new sources of inner strength that helped them not only cope with crises but also build a more meaningful and fulfilling life.
Conclusion
Existential psychotherapy is not just a method of psychological support but a profound and inspiring approach that helps individuals find meaning even in the most challenging conditions. It reminds us that life is not only about joy and success but also about suffering, uncertainty, and loss. However, it is often within these difficulties that opportunities for growth, re-evaluation, and authenticity lie. Existential psychotherapy teaches us to embrace life in all its fullness, with its light and dark sides, and to find strength and inspiration in this acceptance.
An important outcome of working with existential themes is the realization that the meaning of life is not something given from the outside but something each of us creates for ourselves. By exploring our values, relationships, creativity, and inner resources, we can find what makes our lives full and meaningful.
If you feel that you have lost your bearings or are stuck in a dead end, it may be worth reflecting on your values and meanings. Ask yourself: “What truly matters to me?” “What do I want to dedicate my life to?” “How can I live more consciously and fully?” Sometimes, this requires the help of a professional, and there is no shame in that. Seeking the guidance of a psychologist can be the first step toward a deeper understanding of yourself and your life.
Existential psychotherapy offers not just ways to cope with difficulties but also a philosophy of life that helps find meaning even in the most challenging situations. It reminds us that life is not only about what happens to us but also about how we perceive it and what we choose to do with it. And in this choice lies our freedom, our responsibility, and our opportunity to live a truly meaningful life.
Recommended Literature
- “Existential Psychotherapy” by Irvin Yalom.
A classic work that explores the four key existential themes: death, freedom, isolation, and meaninglessness. The book combines philosophical reflections with practical recommendations for therapists. - “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl.
The founder of logotherapy shares his experience of surviving concentration camps and explains how the search for meaning helps overcome even the most severe trials. - “The Meaning of Anxiety” by Rollo May.
In this book, May analyzes the nature of anxiety and its role in human life, offering an existential approach to understanding it. - “Practising Existential Psychotherapy: The Relational World” by Ernesto Spinelli.
A practical guide to existential therapy, focusing on the relationship between the therapist and the client.
