Existential-Humanistic Therapy

by Kirk J. Schneider, Orah T. Krug (Editor)

In Existential Humanistic Therapy, Kirk J. Schneider and Orah T. Krug discuss the history, theory, and practice of this distinctly American expression of existential therapy. Existential humanistic therapy welds the European existential philosophical heritage of self-inquiry, struggle, and responsibility with the American tradition of spontaneity, optimism, and practicality. Contrary to its common reputation as a purely intellectual form of therapy, this approach emphasizes not only the concepts of freedom and responsibility, but experiential reflection, in which clients experience their problems in session through a process of checking in with their affective and bodily sensations. The goal of this therapy is to help clients free themselves from self-imposed limitations and come to a deeper understanding of their authentic life goals, versus those imposed by others or by a rigid sense of self. This approach, which is becoming increasingly integrative, is applicable in a wide array of settings and diagnostic populations and, because of its emphasis on key contextual factors, is increasingly influential on the therapeutic profession as a whole. In this book, Dr. Schneider and Dr. Krug present and explore this approach, its theory, history, the therapy process, primary change mechanisms, empirical basis, and future developments. This essential primer to existential humanistic therapy, amply illustrated with case examples, is perfect for graduate students studying theories of therapy and counseling as well as for seasoned practitioners interested in understanding this approach.

Genres: Psychology, Counselling, Philosophy, Grad School, Professional Development

164 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2009

About the author

KIRK J. SCHNEIDER, PH.D. is a leading spokesperson for contemporary existential-humanistic and existential-integrative psychology. Dr. Schneider was a 2022 Candidate for President of the American Psychological Association (APA), a cofounder and current president of the Existential-Humanistic Institute (an award-winning psychotherapy training center), and a two-term Member of the Council of Representatives of the APA. He is also past president (2015-2016) of the Society for Humanistic Psychology (Division 32) of the APA, recent past editor of the Journal of Humanistic Psychology (2005-2012), a founder and frequent presenter/facilitator of the bridge-building dialogue approach the Experiential Democracy Dialogue and a trained moderator for the conflict mediation group Braver Angels. Dr. Schneider is also an adjunct faculty member at Saybrook University and Teachers College, Columbia University and an Honorary Member of the Society for Existential Analysis of the UK and the East European Association for Existential Therapy. He received the Rollo May Award for “outstanding and independent contributions” to the field of humanistic psychology from the Society for Humanistic Psychology, APA and is a Fellow of seven Divisions of the APA (5, 9, 32, 42, 12, 29, and 24). His work on existential-integrative psychotherapy has been featured in a special issue of the Journal of Psychotherapy Integration (March, 2016), as well as The Wiley World Handbook of Existential Therapy and the APA’s forthcoming Handbook of Psychotherapy. Dr. Schneider has published over 200 articles, interviews and chapters and has authored or edited 14 books including The Paradoxical Self, Horror and the Holy, Rediscovery of Awe, Awakening to Awe, The Spirituality of Awe, The Polarized Mind, The Handbook of Humanistic Psychology, Existential-Humanistic therapy, Existential-Integrative Psychotherapy, The Wiley World Handbook of Existential Therapy, The Depolarizing of America: A Guidebook for Social Healing and his latest volume (February, 2023) Life-Enhancing Anxiety: Key to a Sane World. Dr. Schneider’s work has been featured in Scientific American, the New York Times, USA Today, The Guardian, Vanity Fair, Forbes Health, Psychology Today, BBC World News and many other health and psychology outlets. For more information on Dr. Schneider's work visit https://kirkjschneider.com.

Reviews

[Koray Karabekiroğlu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Güzel bir derleme. Varoluşçu Hümanistik yaklaşımı tanımak isteyenlere uygun.

[Darryl Knudsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Schneider and Krug’s book was just what I needed!

After undergraduate studies in German language and literature, a twenty-five year career in another field (human rights and global trade), twenty-two years of psychodynamic therapy as a consumer, and having made the decision to become a psychotherapist for my second (really my third) act, I have been finding myself ever more drawn to existential-humanistic therapy as the KIND of therapist I’d like to become.

I’d sort of stumbled onto this line of therapy by stumbling onto Irving Yalom, one of its trailblazers here in the United States, who also wrote fiction and put together a series of books fictionalizing therapy for some of the great philosophers: Nietze, Schopenhauer, and Spinoza. I was looking for some good books on Spinoza, I found Yalom, I was intrigued by his background in psychiatry, I proceeded, etc., etc.

Schneider and Krug’s book was an accessible and reasonably short survey of the field (148 pages vs. the 544 pages of Yalom’s 1980 opus, “Existential Psychotherapy”, let alone all the other primary works), which is just what I needed. For example, they reprised Yalom’s emphasis of Rolo May, but introduced a new cast of characters I hadn’t heard of such as their mentor, Bughental. I also learned that I’d actually stumbled upon existential therapy long ago, when they made it clear that Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy was an important tributary to the field.

The book’s theory section is a bit dense and uses many terms of art, which made it a bit more difficult for an uninitiated reader: (“psychological stances,” “kinesthetic experience,” “phenomenological modality,” etc. However, these problems are easily overcome with a simple internet search these days. Overall, it is a good choice for them to omit lengthy explanations of these terms and concepts, which can readily be found quickly elsewhere. The Therapy process and case studies ably illustrate and flesh out the ideas presented in the theory section, as well.

The Evaluation section was a useful in locating E-I therapy on the broader map of therapeutic schools and traditions, as well as in helping me to understand its level of acceptance and its opportunities for growth as a therapeutic orientation. For me, it served as an inspiring and rousing “call to arms.”

For me, it was also a boon to learn that there are a great many existential-humanistic institutes and schools here in the Bay Area of California, where I live. Sweet! The book provides a number of well-organized references for further reading and exploration.

I’m giving this a 4 because it will play a significant and influential role in my life and is “just what I needed” right now. Otherwise, it would be a solid 3 from me. See my “about section” for a guide to my ratings if interested.

[Victoria Pasche · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had some useful info. I skimmed the end, as I got bored. It kind of just repeated the same stuff over and over again, and like most books about therapy, it refuses to grapple with the reality that most clients come to therapy due to stressors, rather than with any aim to obtain "treatment" for depression or anxiety, or whatnot. For most, stressors are the problem, not "illness."

Still, pretty well written and a goodly amount of client case studies, which is usually enjoyable.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative, and not overly technical.

[Μαρία · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Οι υπαρξιακοί ψυχοθεραπευτές δεν έχουν τις απαντήσεις, αλλά βοηθούν τους θεραπευόμενους να θέσουν τα ερωτήματα."

[Odin · Rating 3 out of 5]

کتاب درمان هستی گرا- انسان مدار کتاب جالبی بود اما با ترجمه مشکل دارم چرا کلماتی مثل Apollonian and Dionysian انگلیسی نوشته شده ولی چرا اصطلاح هایدگر "Dasein" ترجمه شده "بودن در جهان" ترجمه درسته اما مخاطبی من ‏بیشتر با کلمه دازاین درکش کردم یکم گیج میشم بدرد مخاطبی که آشنایی با این اصطلاح نداره و توی پاورقی هم اصل کلمه آورده نشده کم هم از دست کلمه ها تو متن نیست
جناب زیرک بجای اینکه شرح کوتاهی از روانشناس هایی که اسمشون تو کتاب اومده اینا رو تو پاورقی می آوردی یا توی بخش واژه نامه اوردی فقط تونستم بخش آخر جلسات روان‌درمانی بخونم
خود کتاب برای دانشجویان کارشناسی مفید بهشون تو درک نظریه ها کمک میکنه(اگر ترجمه بهتر بود)

[Hannah Stokes]

This is a great, short, succinct book on Existential-Humanistic Therapy. Not only is the content good, but it also has some good case studies in the appendix and it links with APA therapy videos. I still like Frankl, Yalom, Maslow, and May better because they are more theoretically dense. However, this is a good introduction.

[V · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent as an intrdocution to existential humanistic therapy.