Exploring Meaning and Choice: What is Existential Therapy?
Existentialism is a broad school of philosophy stemming from the events of the second world war that has impacted a wide range of disciplines from art, academia, social justice, and psychology. Its wide range of applicability there is no exact definition for existentialism, however there are a series of overlapping ideas among “existentialists” that bind the movement together:
Nihilism: a philosophy asserting that life lacks inherent meaning, purpose, and objective value. It often involves rejecting traditional morals, knowledge, and societal structures, suggesting that everything is meaningless and values are baseless. While some see it as pessimistic, it can also be interpreted as freeing, allowing individuals to create their own subjective values in a valueless world
Engagement vs. Detachment: Engagement means actively creating meaning through choices, taking responsibility for your freedom, and immersing yourself in the world, while detachment often signifies avoiding this responsibility, leading to apathy, inauthenticity, or a disengaged "bad faith" where one pretends not to be free, a stance existentialism critiques as failing to embrace the human condition. True existential freedom demands engagement, but a healthy balance involves using a form of "objective" clarity (like Buddhist mindfulness) to observe feelings without being controlled by them, allowing for committed action rather than pure avoidance or naive attachment.
Existence precedes essence: humans are born without a predefined purpose (essence) and must create their own meaning and identity (essence) through choices, actions, and experiences, making individuals radically free but also responsible for defining themselves in a meaningless universe. Unlike objects (like a paper knife) with a set purpose, people simply are, and then, through living, decide what they will be, a concept contrasting traditional views where an essence dictates existence.
Freedom: Existentialists agree that what distinguishes our existence from that of other beings is that we are self-conscious and exist for ourselves, which means we are free and responsible for who we are and what we do. This does not mean we are wholly undetermined but, rather, that we are always beyond or more than ourselves because of our capacity to interpret and give meaning to whatever limits or determines us.
Authenticity: Existentialists are critical of our ingrained tendency to conform to the norms and expectations of the public world because it prevents us from being authentic or true to ourselves. An authentic life is one that is willing to break with tradition and social convention and courageously affirm the freedom and contingency of our condition.
Ethics: Although they reject the idea of moral absolutes and universalizing judgments about right conduct, existentialism should not be dismissed for promoting moral nihilism. For the existentialist, a moral or praiseworthy life is possible. It is one where we acknowledge and own up to our freedom, take full responsibility for our choices, and act in such a way as to help others realize their freedom.
Existential Therapy
Existential therapy builds on the beliefs of the existentialists by helping the client find philosophical meaning in the face of anxiety by choosing to think and act authentically and responsibly. According to existential therapy, the central problems people face are embedded in anxiety over loneliness, isolation, despair, and, ultimately, death. Creativity, love, authenticity, and free will are recognized as potential avenues toward transformation, enabling people to live meaningful lives in the face of uncertainty and suffering. Existential therapy assumes the belief that people's problems come from not exercising choice and judgment enough--or well enough--to forge meaning in their lives, and that each individual is responsible for making meaning out of life. Outside forces, however, may contribute to the individual's limited ability to exercise choice and live a meaningful life.
Goals of Existential Therapy
There are four basic pillars of existential therapy that each person will work through. These pillars are part of the human experience and include:
Death: As death is part of life, accepting its existence without fear helps you live more fully.
Isolation: You alone are in control of your future.
Meaning: Identify what gives you purpose and what ultimately makes you feel fulfilled.
Responsibility (freedom): Your choices direct you on a specific path.
The focus of existential therapy is to reduce fear and anxiety toward these pillars so you can accept that they’re part of the human experience. A therapist will help you work through these difficult topics to help you reach your personal goals.
Areas of Concern:
Existential therapy treats deep-seated feelings of anxiety, depression, meaninglessness, isolation, and guilt by helping people confront universal human struggles like death, freedom, and responsibility, enabling them to find personal meaning and live more authentically, and is also used for addiction, PTSD, grief, and chronic conditions by fostering self-awareness and choice. It's effective for many, focusing on underlying philosophical issues rather than just surface symptoms.
Existential therapy at Summit:
Interested in exploring existential therapy? Our Registered Provisional Psychologists Stewart Cranston and Keira Mackenzie specialize in existential therapies and are currently accepting new clients.
References:
Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Existential therapy: What it is, what it treats & limitations. Retrieved January 16, 2026, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/25089-existential-therapy
National Center for Biotechnology Information. (n.d.). Chapter 6 — Brief humanistic and existential therapies. In Brief interventions and brief therapies for substance abuse. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved January 16, 2026, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64939/
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (2023). Existentialism. In The Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy (E. N. Zalta & U. Nodelman, Eds.). Retrieved January 16, 2026, from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/existentialism/