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Existential/Humanistic Therapy

Module Synopsis

This module offers students a foundational understanding in Existential philosophy, its applications and methods to a variety of client groups and clinical situations, leading to clinical competence in the integration of their therapeutic practice and philosophical understanding.

Learning outcomes
  • Demonstrate an understanding of Existential Philosophy as it applies to working with clients in a therapeutic context
  • Demonstrate an ability to apply the phenomenological method to therapeutic practice
  • Articulate and critically evaluate contemporary existential methods of clinical practice
  • Identify and articulate the differences in practice and theory between contemporary views of psychopathology and the Existential concept of difficulties in living
  • Integrate and articulate the personal relevance of existential ideas within the students therapeutic practice

Content areas
  • Working Philosophically in Therapy
  • Phenomenology and the phenomenological method
  • Existence as Being-in-the-world-with-others, intersubjectivity and psychotherapy
  • Freedom, Choice and Responsibility in psychotherapy
  • The Existential
  • Temporality and Death
  • Working with the Body and Emotions Working and Dreams
  • Clarifying Worldviews, working with meanings, values, paradoxes and polarities
  • A critical consideration of psychopathology from and Existential point of view
  • Working with the self, sedimentation, fluidity and interpreting lived experience
  • The Therapeutic Relationship: Genuineness, Immediacy and Presence. Being-with and Being-for the client. Therapeutic Biases. The use of self-disclosure
  • Owning the Existential Approach

Textbook and Readings
The texts for this module are Van Deurzen, E. and Arnold-Baker, C. (Eds.) (2005). Existential Perspectives on Human Issues: a handbook of therapeutic practice. Hampshire Palgrave MacMillan, Spinelli, E. (2005) The Interpreted World: an introduction to phenomenological psychology. London: Sage and Cohn, H.W. (2002) Heidegger and the Roots of Existential Therapy. London: Continuum. Your readings are an integral part of your studies.

Module Duration and Workload:
This module involves a total of 36 hours of face to face delivery or self-directed study including educator contact in flexible delivery modes, generating a further 120 hours of self-study per module including research and related study activities, including assessment. This translates as 13 hours per week for the module.

Study method:
On Campus, Distance Education and Online Education
The studies, combined with my previous work experience, have led me into a more satisfying role in an industry I know well. My studies have given me the confidence to manage a role where top notch "soft skills" are essential.
Pip Pearson
Graduate Diploma of Counselling